Free Web NovelChapter 66: Chapter 66: Suit
The carriage rolled toward Marco Street. They could have bought groceries closer to home, but Percy had decided to make a proper trip of it , as there were more shops, more options, and a chance to show Dana around too.
Dana had her eyes on the window the entire ride. She was clearly enjoying it, though she was trying not to show it too obviously, keeping her expression measured.
It reminded Percy of himself. Of him and Beatrix, the first time they had left the orphanage together , scared and excited in equal measure, neither willing to admit either, trying to appear strong that the other won’t be uneasy.
Dana shifted her gaze toward him.
"Brother?"
Percy surfaced from the thought. "Sorry. Was I staring too much?"
Dana smiled. "Am I too captivating now that I’ve become a lady?"
Percy’s hand went to her head and messed her hair before she could stop him.
"Hey!" She batted his arm away. "It took a long time to do that."
Percy leaned back in his seat, satisfied.
"How cruel," she muttered, working to fix it. "Honestly."
She smoothed the last of it down and looked back at him. "Anyway — since you don’t work at the tailor shop anymore, would there be a shortage of staff?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I was thinking about applying. If there’s a space."
Percy looked at her. "You want to work already?"
Dana nodded.
"Are you any good?"
She presented the coat she was wearing without a word. Percy leaned forward and examined the seams. The mending was neat, the stitching careful and even.
"I kept up with repairs after you and Sister Beatrix left," she said. "For myself and the others."
Percy rubbed his chin. "That’s impressive. I’ll see what I can do."
"Thank you, brother."
His hand moved toward her hair automatically.
Dana’s arms came up in a defensive stance before he got anywhere near it.
Percy raised both hands in surrender.
------
Drip. Drip.
Blood ran down the cold cracked pedestal in thin lines, pooling where the stone had split.
Above it, a man hung from the chandelier. One of the candles had been driven through his neck and emerged through his mouth, holding him there with a gentle sway.
Below, a woman stood on the pedestal looking up at him.
She was cloaked, but her bare legs showed beneath the hem, her feet red to the ankle. Her hands, covered in long black gloves, holding the dismembered groin from the man above . She worked slowly, almost thoughtfully, and then closed her grip , crushing it completely.
A chill moved down Harris’s spine.
"So this is Madam Lucy." His adam apple popped down , swallowing his own saliva .
The figure beside him shoved an elbow into his ribs. He surfaced from his stupor and straightened.
"Madam Lucy," the cloaked figure beside him began, "we are tasked with.."
"Do what you must."
Her voice was gentle. Contradiction to her action just now.
She smiled , which was barely visible beneath the hood and stepped down from the pedestal, her bare left foot touching the floor first. The sound followed her across the room. Pat. Pat. Blood quiet beneath her steps.
She moved to the window and stopped. Her figure went hazy at the edges. Her lips pursed and she whistled.
"Phweeet"
A single high note that climbed past hearing before the glass shattered outward and fell.
She stepped through the empty frame onto the broken shards and walked forward into open air, tipping head-first into the drop below.
A distant splash rose from the lake far beneath the window.
Harris approached slowly and looked down. The water had already settled. No sign of her anywhere.
"Stop dawdling. We have work to do."
He turned. The cloaked figure beside him was looking up at the body on the chandelier.
Harris followed her gaze. "How do we get him down ?"
The cloaked figure turned to him .
Harris pointed at himself.
"Me?"
---
Percy stood in front of the mirror turning slightly for a better angle, waiting for Dana.
"Damn. I look handsome."
He smirked at his own reflection.
"You know what they say , you’re not ugly, just poor."
His eyes drifted to the price tag. Three silver crowns.
"I’m tempted."
He straightened his collar.
"My bad habits are surfacing. At this rate I’ll blow through everything the way I did with the lottery money." He frowned slightly. "But that was different. I have steady income now."
A pause.
"I did take a two month advance though."
He turned to check the other side.
"Even so, I don’t think I could spend it all in two months even if I tried "
"Brother, how is it?"
Percy startled and turned around.
Dana stood behind him in a blue gown with black frilled trim, the colour sitting well against her face, which still carried the last traces of baby fat in her cheeks. He looked her over once, top to bottom, taking it in properly.
"Doesn’t look that expensive."
"That’s not what I meant." Dana tapped her foot, pouting slightly.
"Oh! yeah, sorry." Percy made a thumbs up. "It looks good on you."
Dana narrowed her eyes into a slit, studying him for signs of dishonesty. Percy’s smile grew incrementally awkward under the scrutiny.
After several seconds of silent judgment she relented.
"You look good yourself too, brother." She smiled. "You always wore those cheap suits and plain clothes , which made you look completely average. But something like this suits you way more . You look well and handsome . It also brings out your hidden charm adds to it even ."
She blushed slightly at the end of it.
"Right fuck it . I’m buying the suit."
Percy had decided , that looking good was important too , since now he was a person representing the syndicate and definitely not because Dana had complimented him.
The store attendant appeared from around a rack, guiding two new customers toward the area. The man beside the attendant looked up.
Percy looked back.
"Valemont?"
"Mr. Lyro?"
He looked to the right of Lyro .
"Miss Fiona?"
