Jordan pulled me in for a kiss so rough that our teeth actually clacked together. My hands slid up into his hair after a moment, taking control of the passionate but somewhat clumsy kiss before either one of us could get hurt.
I just sort of stared at him when he released me. We were in the foyer of Nicodemus' very large luxury estate in Boston. We'd arrived just the night before. Jordan was leaping into action a little early, wasn't he? We wouldn't have the run of the place until Nicodemus and Deidre went to greet Tessa and some of her retinue at Boston Logan International Airport. Apparently there was a scheme in the works that I had not been made privy to. I was a little peeved. The bitch that had tried to kill me was going to be sharing the dinner table with me by sundown.
"What are you doing?" I hissed at him, glancing around furtively. "We're not alone yet."
I didn't see anyone in the hall, but that didn't mean anything. I wasn't sure what had gotten into him. He was usually reserved, staring at me with a mix of longing and frustration until we could be alone together. I had to admit I sort of liked that part. The violent offroad detour my life had taken hadn't allowed for many opportunities to date. I'd felt warmly toward only two men since leaving home. It was sort of nice to be wanted.
He grinned hugely. "We don't need to hide it anymore, my...erm...Catherine."
He'd used my name. That only succeeded in throwing fuel on the burning confusion. He'd never used my name all by itself. Even in private I was Lady Catherine, no matter how intimate we'd become. I suspected he'd still have called me Lady Catherine during sex if we'd ever had it.
"What?"
"My Lord called me into the office this morning. I thought my time had finally come and he'd make me a full Squire but instead-" He rummaged into his pocket and withdrew a coin. Saluriel's sigil glinted dully in the light of the chandelier that shone overhead. "He told me I'd demonstrated extraordinary courage, wit, and consummate loyalty. He honored me. Elevated me."
His eyes were shiny, and I swore he was about to cry big, fat happy tears. It was all he'd ever wanted. A coin and a chance to prove himself. It was what all the Squires wanted.
And never, ever received. Something was very wrong here. I wasn't going to wait for supper to drag answers out of Nicodemus. He had five coins in his possession thanks to me and I knew he didn't pass them around willy nilly like Tessa did. He'd parted with one in order to promote Jordan. He had something nasty planned. I wanted to know what it was.
I shrugged his hands off of my shoulders. He let them fall, enthusiasm dimming by a few watts.
"You're angry. Why? I thought you'd be happy about this. We don't have to hide. I proved myself to my lord and I can prove myself to you if you let me."
My stomach churned with guilt and barely repressed fear. I couldn't deal with this right now.
"I need to speak to Nicodemus. Where is he?"
"Upstairs, with Lady Archleone, cementing their plans. He told us we would be informed in an hour."
Not good enough. I wanted answers now.
I prodded at Lasciel, who'd been strangely silent for the last few days, as though she sensed this storm coming. She appeared alongside me as I took the spiral steps two at a time.
"What's he doing?"
"I'm sure I don't know."
"That's utter bull, Lash, and we both know it. Why the hell would Nicodemus give Jordan a coin?"
"To please you? You have done much to advance his cause. In return, he has decided to gift you your paramour."
I shook my head, stalking down the hallway toward Nicodemus' office. That just didn't track. Any action Nicodemus took was entirely self-serving. He wasn't giving him a coin out in a spirit of recompense. There was more at work than that.
I burst through the double doors a minute later and emerged into a space that looked like it should belong to a college dean. Bookshelves lined every wall. A couch and a pair of armchairs stood opposite an enormous executive desk. Priceless paintings hung on the wall. A tuft of bright red peonies poked above the lip of a vase on one of the shelves.
Nicodemus didn't appear surprised by my sudden incursion into his space. He merely paused in mid-conversation with Deidre and turned slightly in his chair to acknowledge my presence.
"Ah. I did wonder what was taking you so long."
I glowered at him, hands clenched into fists at my sides. The bastard knew me. Had sent Jordan to me to provoke this very reaction. But why? If he wanted my attention, he could have sent anyone else to fetch me. It wasn't as if I'd be left out of this scheme if it had any relevance toward my goals. I was sort of Denarian MVP at the moment.
"You gave Jordan a coin?" I made it a question, forced myself to keep my voice clipped but level instead of screaming questions at him.
"I've told you not to ask questions you know the answers to, Miss Lenhardt. Try again with a more pertinent inquiry."
"Why?"
"You enjoy him. It seemed appropriate."
"Bullshit." I was more convinced of that than ever.
And now I had the sneaking suspicion that I'd somehow managed to put Jordan in very real and imminent danger. I knew I shouldn't have been fraternizing with him. But he'd been near...been sweet and eager to please. And I was so lonely. It was nice to have human contact every once in a while. It had begun to feel...natural.
He smiled faintly. "It serves a dual role. I cannot have you fraternizing with him. It would blur the lines. And it motivates the others to see their fellow elevated to such lofty heights."
Okay, that I believed. Seeing Jordan promoted would spur the Squires to perform at their peak during the coming mission. And if Tessa was getting involved? This one was probably a doozy.
"An icon to rally the troops, huh? I'll buy that. But it's not the only reason. Out with it. We're after something big. What's the target? How do you want me involved? How does Jordan factor into this? Why Saluriel? He'd be better in Hannah's hands. I told you she's nearly recovered. Could probably recover quicker with help."
"Plans have already been set in motion. I'm afraid we cannot give Miss Ascher the time she needs to acclimatize."
"What's the target?" I pressed.
His shadow slithered up the wall, almost seeming to shiver with anticipation.
"The Archive."
I sucked in a breath as that really registered. The Archive. The repository of all human knowledge, wrapped in a woman's body. Passed from a mother to her daughter in a long line of ancient power. I was pretty sure my father had mentioned her during an eavesdropping session. I didn't know much about her, just that Mr. Dresden liked her and had nicknamed her Ivy.
"Holy shit," I whispered. "That's...uh...ambitious. And dangerous. She's on par with one of the lesser queens, isn't she?"
Nicodemus waved a hand, batting my worry from the air. "It will be taken care of. Tessa, Immariel, Namshiel, and others have already made plans to contain her in a greater circle of power. Hard Rock will serve as her prison until she can be persuaded."
To take up a coin. Good God. Nicodemus wanted to be the sole possessor of the entirety of human knowledge. Hellfire was powerful but couldn't be used reliably to hold a greater circle. Not for the time it would take to convince the woman in possession of the construct to yield. But the island's ley lines could probably power the circle indefinitely.
"Why?"
Nicodemus examined my expression with a dispassionate one of his own.
"You were promised all the knowledge and power at our disposal. This is within our power to accomplish. And with the Archive's knowledge and extensive abilities, ripping out the Red Court root and stem will be no challenge. This is the culmination of what you wanted, is it not?"
I wanted to say no. This wasn't what I'd meant and he knew it. This was a supernatural mugging. They were going to hold her at metaphorical gunpoint, do unspeakable things to her until she embraced the power of a coin. It was different than giving a coin to Jordan. Deluded he might be, but he was a willing party. And to varying degrees, I was too.
My hands were shaking. I shoved them into the pockets of my jacket so he wouldn't see. I felt sick. Sick like I hadn't been in a while. This one was too big for me to sit out. I'd be playing a role no matter what.
"And exactly what part am I supposed to play in this? I can help with the spell. I think I've worked up enough magical muscle to assist. Just tell me when and where."
"The plan will be executed in Chicago at two separate locations."
I almost dropped my head into my hands and groaned. Why Chicago? Why the hell did it have to be happening in my hometown?
"Whichever is more secluded, I'll take that post," I muttered. "I've gotten in trouble in Chicago before. I'm not in the mood to show my face."
Nicodemus balanced a letter opener on his finger and merely smiled. "But you will. That's the role you're meant to play. Obfuscation. Bait. I need you to keep prying eyes directed elsewhere."
"That's stupid. You need me on this spell."
My hands were shaking like crazy. Show up in Chicago? Waggle my ass in front of the supernatural community and ask them to chase me? Not going to happen. Too much to lose.
Deidre spoke up for the first time since I'd entered the office, frowning severely at her father.
"I hate to argue, father, but she's right. She'd be of more use with mother and Namshiel. Tossing her in the path of the Knights like a suicide bomber is wasteful."
Nicodemus' teeth actually showed, bared in the sharp smile a lion gives you before it tears your head off.
"A trojan horse, actually. No one will lay a finger on her. Isn't that right...?" He swiveled that dark, exultant gaze to me. "Miss Carpenter?"
Blank shock. That was all I could feel for a too-long moment. Then the burning started behind my eyes, the ache spread through my chest, extending out from my breastbone like I'd been kicked. My stomach swooped like I'd hit the zenith of a roller coaster and just started to hurtle downward.
He'd known. He'd probably known since the night at Jean Georges and had let me live with the illusion that I'd pulled the wool over his all-seeing eyes. I felt about six centimeters tall like I'd just discovered I was really a gnat. I thought I'd been keeping up with him in our social sparring, taking jabs and giving some of my own. Only to find out he'd been throwing the match the whole time. He knew he could level me with one punch.
I locked everything down quickly, shoved it into a box to be sorted through later. I would not cry. I would not let the sense of betrayal show on my face. Because really, this shouldn't feel like one. There had to be trust for there to be betrayal, right? When had I decided I trusted Nicodemus?
No. It was Lasciel that I'd trusted. Lasciel who'd remained silent as well, conspiring with him like a mother and father who had conspired to keep the truth about Santa away from their toddler. I'd be having words with her. But now wasn't the time. Deidre had turned to me as well, and unflattering surprise was written all over her face.
"Carpenter?" she repeated.
"I do apologize for the deception, little one. But it was necessary that dear Margret suspect nothing."
My voice came out flat. A sucking void of emotion and I was proud that I didn't let the turbulent storm of feelings show in my voice.
"How long have you known?"
"I suspected early on. Perhaps before you ever sought us out. But it was confirmed three months ago. A private investigator dug into the identity of Catherine Lenhardt. Mundane, I know. But leaning on more reliable means of gathering information might have invited interference and I wanted you in the fold. You'd almost gotten away with it, too. The forgeries were excellent, by the way. But facial recognition spat out this."
He reached into his desk and withdrew a sheet of paper. My heart sank. It was my missing person poster. I looked very unlike the girl pictured. I was posed with friends in my school uniform, still blonde, bright-eyed, and full of hope.
"Margaret Katherine Amanda Carpenter," he mused, rolling my name around his mouth like he savored the taste of it. It probably tasted like victory. "Seventeen, as of August. Former honor roll student. Prefers to be called Molly. Molls. Occasionally Hot-Ta-Molly, by an old flame. Lenhardt, was it?"
My control, already stretched thin, snapped like a rubber band and I exploded out of my chair, already gathering will to lob at him. Anduriel loomed, ready to incapacitate me if need be. I didn't care. I'd tear Nicodemus' throat out with my teeth if I had to, no magic required.
"You do not get to call me that, you sick fuck!" I snarled.
"Careful now," he said dryly. "There's still the matter of Jordan."
After the little nuke he'd just dropped on my carefully laid plans, I hadn't even stopped to consider what it might mean for Jordan. And then things came into sharp focus and I could see the action for exactly what it had been.
I screwed my eyes shut and clamped my teeth down on a howl of anger and misery.
"He's a hostage," I hissed. "To make sure I don't drop Lasciel's coin. If I go, he dies. Is that right?"
His smile was benign. He was still reclining in his chair. He hadn't even reacted to my outburst. It galled me just how thoroughly he'd played me, all the while letting me prance around like I was the cleverest thing in the universe.
"You misconstrue my intentions, Miss Carpenter. There need be no bloodshed on either side. Keep the Knights' and the Wizard's attention turned elsewhere. Failing that, take them down quietly and without fuss. It need not be lethal. Everyone will walk away with what they came for. Despite what you may think, I do value you as an ally. Do not force my hand with injudicious action."
"I'm not your friend. This was never meant to be permanent. Like I told Lasciel. When the Red Court is gone, I'm done."
"And until then, you are required to serve. So do your part, Miss Carpenter. Time to go home for the holidays."
I didn't dignify that dig with a retort. I stood, stalked to the door, and slammed it behind me as I left.