Brass and Bone by Cynthia Gael Read Free Book Online Page A

are to spare no expense, my dearest. Anything you need will be provided, no questions asked. Only please, please, do not fail me on this.”
    I was still standing beside the girl, ready to shield her from the vultures in the room, but then she spoke up. Her voice was clear and precise as she spoke one word in French: “ Non .”
    I dare say we all turned to her at that moment, so easily forgotten amidst the details of the mission. Indeed, Sir Eli whirled around, and despite his earlier fear stormed over to where we were standing.
    “You have no choice. You will go, or suffer for it,” he said.
    The lady smiled. “No more than I have already, monsieur. I am a French citizen by birth, not one of your servants, yet you have treated me like a criminal. Why should I help you? I will not go unless I receive something in return: my freedom from you and yours for all time.”
    “Freedom?” raged Sir Eli. “Freedom, you say, you witch? Do you know who I am?”
    “Who you are?” the lady said, her voice soft. “But of course I know. You are the Witchfinder General, the man who murders my people and steals their belongings. You are the son and grandson and great-grandson of men who did the same.” She moved forward to stand beside me, and I couldn’t help but notice how the blue of her eyes began to darken as she spoke. “But not this time, Sir Eli Matthew Hopkins. This time, I have the upper hand. I have something you want more than wealth or power. I have something you cannot take from me by simply murdering me, for you need me alive. This time, perhaps for the first time in your life, you are faced with defiance. I have something you want but cannot have without my cooperation. I will do this thing for you, Sir Eli Hopkins, though doing anything for a Hopkins is the ultimate sin for my kind. I will do this, but only on certain conditions.”
    “Conditions.” The Frenchie laughed disdainfully. “You are in no place to negotiate, witch. Do as you are told.”
    The girl ignored him as she continued. “First, when this thing is done to your satisfaction, you shall set me free. And not for just a little time, mind you. Not just until you can set your dogs,” she gave a disgusted look at the Frenchie, “on me again, but for the rest of my days. Next, I will be set free in my own country, in la belle France , and I want your guarantee, in writing, neither you nor yours will ever interfere with me again. I would ask for your word as an Englishman on this, Sir Eli, but while I would trust any other English gentleman in such a matter,” she turned her gaze on me and gave me a brief smile, then resumed, “I will not, I cannot, trust a Hopkins. These are my terms.”
    The Frenchie stood up. “On no account, mam’selle! Eli, you cannot be listening to her babbles. You know what she is. What she is capable of.”
    “And I know what you are, Henri,” Sir Eli looked at him. “I know your story, remember. But in this matter, I have no choice. The damned witchblood have gone into hiding of late. This one is all we have. All we have…alive, at least. And as you have heard Herr Tesla say, the blood must be from a beating heart, else I’d drain her now and end all this trouble by sending you a bottle of her filthy blood. No,” he raised his hand, but a calculating look had come into his eyes. “No choice. But I have certain conditions to be met as well. You will go with her, Henri. You will make sure all is done which should be done. Then, you will follow my orders—my orders, Henri, do you hear?—and release her. Are we agreed, gentlemen, ladies?”
    “Damn it, Eli.” As soon as the curse left Henri’s lips, he threw Abigail an apologetic look before eyeing Sir Eli once more. “You cannot be serious! How can I go? Who will fill my position? What will WFG do—”
    Sir Eli waved his hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter. You will go.”
    “Just one moment,” Abigail said. “I cannot say I understand all this, but