Iron Kin: A Novel of the Half-Light City Read Online Free PDF

unfortunate metalmage issue, Simon and Guy were wrong if they thought they could keep their secrets and keep me from helping them if I could.
    I just had to find a way in to the truth.
    Tomorrow
, I reminded myself. Tomorrow I would have a ticket to the negotiations and they would have no excuse to keep me ignorant any longer.
    I could make it through tonight—behave myself—to get to tomorrow. But even as I thought it, I found myself turning back to look across the room to where Fen had been, seeking another glimpse of dark hair and wild green eyes.
    There. I spotted him just in time to see my brothers coming up on either side of him. My fingers tightened around my fan. What were they doing? My hand stung as I watched, wishing I could hear what they were saying. But for that I would need one of Holly’s charms. Instead, I just had to stand and observe as the three of them made their way across the ballroom to one of the doors. Damn. Where were they going?
    I wanted to know, to follow, but any chance of escape was thwarted when Anthony Killington appeared before me, bowing low, and I remembered I had promised him the next dance.
    F EN

    * * *
    The door shut behind me with a quiet click. I stayed where I was, close to the exit, as Guy walked over and lifted a decanter from a tray on a table near the window. “Brandy?”
    I nodded agreement. I assumed that whatever was kept in the decanters here, in what looked like someone’s private study, was probably a step or two up from the liquor they were serving downstairs. And what they were serving downstairs was more than a few steps up from what Madame Figg served.
    While Guy poured, I waited, still aware that Simon stood behind me, near the door. I’d never been in the DuCaine town house before. Too risky.
    “I thought we’d agreed not to talk tonight,” I said. Letting Reggie and Holly talk me into this was one thing, but being seen going off with Guy and Simon was another altogether.
    “It’s all right,” Simon said. “You’re glamoured.”
    Holly’s work, I presumed. Well, that was risky too. “There are people who can see through glamours.” I examined the room, looking for wards. The drapes pulled tight across the window were dark red brocade and the furniture was deep brown, both wood and leather. A fire burned in the grate despite the mild night, faintly sweet smoke mingling with the smell of the gaslights. On the walls hung portraits of Hilary and Garret DuCaine and their children. The whole place reeked of elegance and wealth. The wards were elegant too, subtle shimmering layers of magic that would take a lot of work to break. I let myself relax a little.
    Guy filled one glass, then put the decanter down and picked up another to fill a second glass with the whiskey he preferred. “Simon?” He looked past me to his brother.
    “No,” Simon said. “I’m working later.”
    Behind me a tingle of magic prickled my neck. Simon giving the wards another boost. Nervous, was he?
    Apparently I was going to need that brandy Guy was holding out to me. I walked over and took the glass, feeling the weight of good crystal in my hand. Probably not good form to bolt the whole drink at a gulp.
    I sipped it instead, watching the DuCaines warily. “I take it you didn’t ask me here just to share your family’s excellent brandy,” I said. “So talk.”
    Guy looked at Simon, one of those inscrutable Templar looks he was good at. Apparently Simon had no problem interpreting it. He shrugged, then pointed to the chairs near the fireplace as Guy tipped his own glass and half drained it. Maybe I could have bolted mine after all.
    I chose the chair closest to the door, mostly to watch Guy squirm when he couldn’t take the most obvious defensive position.
    “The negotiations start next week,” Simon said, once all three of us were settled.
    “Just as well, when your mother has gone to all this trouble with this ball,” I said.
    “This ball might be one of the few