ENCORE
“It's getting better," Isabella said, bustling by me, her arms loaded with baskets of groceries. "At least for most of them."
I glanced up at the balcony, where a young woman watched us from a shadowy doorway. Nireas and Ronan waited outside in the carriage when I made my visits to Grace House, the refuge in the woods Asterion had gifted to the humans we'd recovered after the destruction of the Seven Veils.
Grace House was gifted, protected, and provided for by monsters, but none were welcome within its walls.
"How many are still missing?" Evie whispered.
Isabella sighed, her eyes counting the contents of the basket. I liked this new version of the young woman. She had dozens to care for here at Grace House, and any prejudice she'd held against monsters seemed to have vanished or was managed well under the terms of the house. She and a few women sent by Magdalena Mortimer kept a kind of boarding house, nurturing and comforting those lives tormented by Birsha and his clients. It kept the monster's secrets safe, yes, but gave the humans peace too.
"Asterion thinks another half-dozen at least," Isabella said. "A few of the residents say it's more, but they also aren't…aren't positive how many Birsha killed before he left."
I winced at the news. I knew from Hunter that Asterion had been searching the streets of London for weeks and had managed to catch more than a few girls huddling in doorways at night or turning nervous tricks in alleyways. Jude had also been checking with hospitals and asylums for word of any potential escapees.
"Everyone says that no matter what, as long as they aren't with Birsha, they're better off," Isabella murmured. Her shoulders squared, and she patted the basket we'd brought her. "Thank you for this. The fruit looks beautiful. We've been having some cooking lessons when we're up to it. Perhaps it's time for a pie."
"We'll leave you to it," I said, glancing up at the balcony again. I liked to visit Grace House, but I could tell I made the humans here almost as nervous as the monsters did. Some had seen me that night at the Seven Veils. Others just knew I consorted with monsters.
It'd been just over a month now since we'd attacked Birsha's house, and there was still no sign of retribution from the man. Esther Reed had sent word that they'd caught his trail on their way to France, but lost it again in Paris. As far as any of us knew, our victory would only be a temporary reprieve. It didn't stop me from feeling a little smug that it'd lasted so long already.
Evie and I made our goodbyes to Isabella and stepped out into the balmy night together. London was warming up in summer, and with that came an unfortunate odor. I wrinkled my nose, and Ronan grinned at me through the glass of the carriage as Goliath waited for Evie at the bottom of the steps, hidden in his human disguise.
"I think I might talk him into staying with me tonight," Evie mused, wearing a sly smile as she walked down the steps of Grace House toward the yeti.
"That'd be…what…the third time this month?" I teased.
"Fifth," Evie said.
My eyebrows raised. Evie and Goliath both had a long history of sampling all the company might have to offer them. It would be a surprise to see them settle together…but perhaps they might continue their sampling as a joint effort. Or maybe they'd just found each other as the right flavors.
"Will you be at rehearsal tomorrow?" Evie asked.
"I think I'll stay home, actually. Jude should be done at the precinct at last," I said.
"Ooh, celebrations are in order then," Evie said, grinning. We stopped on the last step and she leaned in, kissing my cheek. "Night then, Haze."
"Night."
Ronan opened the carriage door for me, pulling me inside and onto his lap, Nireas rolling his eyes across from us.
"How are they?" Ronan asked.
"Same as usual, I think, but Isabella seems satisfied," I said.
"Good for her," Nireas murmured, leaning forward and picking my heels up off the floor to rest in his lap. "Now, let's get home before Withes starts to fret about dinner."
I smiled, leaning back as my eyes fell shut. It had been harder than I'd expected to say goodbye to my flat in Stepney Green, so much so that Hunter had almost insisted I keep it. But as I'd locked the door for the final time last week, there'd been relief too. I'd kept my promise to my father for his entire life, stayed with him, cared for him. I didn't need to keep that vow to my own death too. It was time to move on.
"It's been a month," I murmured, mostly to myself.
"No sign of the bastard yet," Ronan said. I flinched at the words, reaching toward my throat before dropping my hand, and Ronan's arms tightened around my waist. "Oh, nut. I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean—"
"I know," I said quickly, nodding.
Ronan had been thinking of Birsha, not Constantine. Not that there'd been any sign of the Gemini either. Not even a whisper, from what Conall had shared over dinner last week. Constantine was free and…vanished. Even to monsters.
A whole month. Only a month. My head could never decide which interpretation hurt more. That he'd managed to stay away so long, or that he might very well continue on that way for months and even years more.
I stroked the back of Ronan's hands where they rested over my waist, and in spite of the brief ache of missing Constantine, I was reminded of one simple fact.
"I'm very happy," I said softly, opening my eyes as I smiled at Nireas.
"We know," Nireas said, smiling back.
Ronan kissed my temple, and we rested in quiet all the way back to Mayfair.
* * *