Days Until Lidia Dies: 4

  Crew Placement:

  Oskari ? Michael, Varis, Strauss, Bells, Adeline, Bach

  ??? ? Everleigh Gloom

  Verena ? Alexander, Rhian

  MIA ? Rhydian

  Back in the village of Oskari, the Anima had been quiet, and for the most part, things were stable. Michael was still doing his best to manage Helena with the least amount of impact to the crew. Adeline and Strauss had become close, and wherever they were, Emerich Bach wasn’t far behind making sure they didn’t die. And even though he’d come back to Amalia with Strauss and Bach, Rhydian was unaccounted for. Rhian and Alexander hadn’t returned from Verena yet, and for the first time since I’d heard they were travelling there together, I was getting a bit concerned. I decided I’d give it one more day before going after them.

  At this point, everything was hinging on what happened to Lidia. How the crew handled her, and the outcome of their plan would inform Kelly, Faust, and Hall. They’d be the ones to decide what would come next. And then I’d be the one to decide how we’d make that work for us. For now? We were sitting in a bit of a limbo, except—

  Everleigh was missing, and there was never a question I’d go looking for her. She was one of us, whether she knew it yet or not, and whether the crew knew it yet or not. But how do you go about finding an Anima? Well, the same way you go about finding any other person, I reckoned. Except, if she were dead, there wouldn’t be a body to discover.

  So much of Everleigh’s story was woven with Sebastian’s, which made it tricky explaining to Zack exactly who she was and how she was related to the big picture. But after a game of charades and a page full of food-related doodles, what he managed to take away was: she was my friend, important to his brother, and in trouble.

  Zacharias put the finishing touches on his Isaak disguise while we brainstormed how to begin our first case together as investigative partners.

  “Before anything else, I should make a quick trip to see V,” I said. “I haven’t seen her lately and she might be worried. She may also have heard something about Everleigh.”

  “The very idea of Ivana Novak being worried about a man. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m so proud of her.”

  “Would you like to come with me, tell her yourself?”

  Zack considered the question. One, two, five, seven seconds.

  “I can’t,” he decided, "because I’m already in costume.”

  “That’s not how you say it.”

  “Say what?”

  “Well, I think what you mean to say is: ‘I can, because I’m already in costume.’”

  “I see,” Zack replied. “Yes, that could be fun.”

  I nodded. “Grab your cloak, and let’s go.”

  Cozied up in our winter cloaks, I unlocked the back door to the Widow’s Peak and we stepped into the office, wiping our boots on the mat Ivana had laid out since the last time I was there. I locked the door behind us and watched Zacharias have a look around. Ivana was at the bar finishing up with a customer.

  “It hasn’t changed,” Zack whispered. “It’s like stepping into a photograph.”

  “Wait until you see her,” I said.

  “Yes, true,” he mused.

  The door to the office opened and Ivana poured through, closing it and locking it behind her. She hurried past Zacharias and gave me a hug. I hugged her back and kissed her face in a few different places. She’d been the one constant I’d had since arriving in Amalia. I always knew where she’d be, and I always knew what to expect when I got there: reasonable, open-minded conversation, cuddles, delicious food, and last but not least, incredible cookies.

  Zack adjusted his spectacles, and V locked on.

  “Who is this man, and why is he in my office?”

  Zack extended a hand, and Ivana took it, begrudgingly.

  “Isaak,” he said.

  “Ivana,” she replied, pausing. One, two, five seconds. She stepped in closer, her eyes narrowing. “Zack?”

  Zacharias removed his phony glasses, tucked them in his vest, and fixed his hair. They both laughed, and then they hugged, too. The gesture wasn’t especially long-lasting, but they seemed genuinely happy to see each other. Before they separated, Zack whispered something in her ear, too quiet for me to hear. Her response was non-verbal, but the loaded look of gratitude toward whatever he'd said spoke volumes.

  “What a weird day,” V mused. “Everybody’s looking for you, and why are you dressed like a street rat?”

  Zack opened his mouth to answer, but no, no, no—

  “V, he’s dressed almost exactly like me. Are you suggesting I dress like a street rat?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Not a half-bad disguise, though. Nearly had me fooled.”

  Zack fussed with his hair. “What gave me away?”

  “Well, the voice, for one. And you essentially said your old name inside your new name.”

  “What do you mean I said my old name inside my new name?”

  I glanced between them.

  V pointed to Zacharias. “I…” she spoke deliberately, “…Zack.”

  In turn, Zacharias pointed to himself and said, “I,” and then he followed it up with, “Zack,” and finally, he paused for one, two, three and a half seconds. “Oh, you can’t be serious.” He spun a short turn on his heel, looking to me next. “You suggested I use the name Isaak.”

  “In my defense, mates, it’s called hiding in plain sight.”

  Ivana chuckled and played with my hair. Zacharias shook his head.

  “Okay, so explain this,” V said, gesturing between us. “The Partisans woke you up, right? And now you’re doing what with him?”

  “I’m searching for a missing person with my roommate,” Zach answered, as if it were the most natural thing the pair of us ought to be doing together.

  “Okay,” Ivana repeated, her brows scrunching together. “Who’s gone missing?”

  “Everleigh,” I said.

  “Well, that was only a matter of time.”

  Given the lass’s hobby of hunting naughty Anima on the sly, any number of people in the Anima community could have discovered her secret, and would have personal reasons to be upset with her.

  “Have you heard anything?” I asked.

  V hadn’t heard anything.

  “Do you think Lidia did something to her?”

  V shrugged. “Anything’s possible.”

  “I could speak with her,” Zack blurted. “Ask Lidia about our missing person.”

  V and I shared a glance before looking to Zack.

  “If you think it might help,” I said. “But you can’t ask her directly, mate.”

  “You know I can be discreet, Jack Finnegan.” Zacharias proved himself on the spot.

  But it only reminded me that I hadn't had the chance to tell V my real name before my real name was killled.

  Zack continued, “I’ll put on my suit, we’ll discuss her life, the people in it, and I’ll offer my support toward her rehabilitation. Again. And if she rejects the help—again—the conclusion to her story becomes inevitable, and she will have chosen it herself.”

  Was I hearing that correctly, mates? Was Zacharias Vonsinfonie saying he was ready to partake in the world again? Aye, fair play, though. I reckoned that’s what a night of debauchery will do for a person after centuries of sleep. But this raised another question: now that Zack was awake, mobilized, and motivated to meddle in the Anima’s lives again, what would he do?

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  I didn’t know, mates, because I wasn’t sure that would be up to me anymore.

  The locks on Everleigh’s office, both from the Jaskar and down in the storm drain, were unlike any other locks I’d ever seen. There weren’t even proper keyholes. Instead, on each of the three vertical metal contraptions, there were three small holes. Big enough for me to stuff a variety of picks into—which did absolutely nothing. The holes were staggered, one started lower, and then the next was placed higher, and no two locks had their holes in the same pattern. I made a quick sketch in my notebook and thought about Rhian while I did. Drawing was usually her job.

  After documenting the lock, I did the rounds through the city to see what else I could learn about Everleigh.

  I started at the Goose and the Gander.

  

  A Chat With Tanis:

  “Jack—how can I help?”

  “When was the last time you saw Everleigh?”

  “Uhh—I spoke with her after her latest shift. She wanted to talk about costume designs for some of the girls. After our conversation, she forgot her violin backstage, but I couldn’t find her to return it.” — “Here, you should hang on to it.”

  “Thanks, Tanis. So other than the costumes, did she mention anything else?”

  “She was pretty fixated on the costumes. I told her as long as the girls liked them, and they were within the budget I gave her, she could go ahead. I think she was planning on commissioning Vivienne over at the Steel Needle.”

  “And she wasn’t acting out of the ordinary at all?”

  “No—well, a little testier than usual, maybe. Like she was distracted. Yeah, I guess that could be why she forgot her violin. I don’t know. I figured she was just stressed out about the costumes.”

  “Right, thanks again, Tanis. If you see Everleigh, let her know I’m looking for her.”

  I made my way to the Steel Needle.

  

  A Chat With Vivienne:

  “Hey, Viv—did Everleigh Gloom come in recently?”

  “Why yes, she was here just the other day to discuss a project.”

  “Did you take the job?”

  “Did I take the job? As if the Jaskan peasantry holding up my competition could execute the vision of a genius.”

  “That must be some costume.”

  “I have a rough sample behind the counter if you’d like to see it. Come to think, she’s late for her appointment this afternoon. She was to bring one of the Gander employees with her for a fitting.”

  “Do you know the employee’s name?”

  “No, I’m afraid not.”

  “Can I see the sample?”

  “Of course.” — “Isn’t it remarkable?

  “Is that a tail?”

  “What else would it be? It’s a cat costume.”

  “It’s cute.”

  “Cute? It’s extraordinary, darling.”

  “Right, well, if you see Everleigh, let her know I’m looking for her.”

  I made my way back to the Gander, specifically, the kitchen.

  

  A Chat With Vera the Cook:

  “Looking good today, Vera.”

  “Making my day as always, Jack.”

  “Did you overhear anyone at breakfast this morning talking about a costume fitting?”

  “No, why?”

  “What about Everleigh Gloom? When was the last time you saw her?”

  “Whichever night it was she performed last, and I don’t think I saw her that night. I just heard her play.”

  “Do you know if she’s bonded with any of the lasses in particular?”

  “Well, I don’t see much from the kitchen, but from what I can tell, she’s usually in and out.” — “Oh, actually—no. That reminds me. I did see her that night. I saw her talking to Anne in the reception room on my way out.”

  “Was anyone else there?”

  “No, the receptionist was gone already. I had to push the button to open the door myself.”

  “Thanks, Vera. If you see Everleigh, let her know I’m looking for her.”

  I found Anne wandering the hallway near the bunks.

  

  A Chat With Anne:

  “Afternoon, Anne. Say, have you seen Everleigh around?”

  “I’ve been waiting for her for the past two hours. We’d made plans to meet this afternoon to work on a project, but—wait, is everything okay?”

  “Aye, just looking to return her violin. She forgot it in my office.”

  “Oh, well. Speaking of your office, it’s been a while since you’ve shown me around. I’ve heard you got a new step ladder, and I have some time to kill.”

  “Tempting. So tempting, Anne. But I have to find Everleigh because if something happens to this thing under my watch, it might just be the end of me.”

  “Yeah—scary. Next time?”

  “Aye, and I’ll be sure to get you twice. If you see Everleigh, let her know I’m looking for her.”

  I made my way to the Jaskar.

  

  A Chat With Della:

  “She’s always punctual for our meetings.”

  “What was the reason for the meeting?”

  “Renovation planning. Which made me all the more concerned when she didn’t show up. When she and Derek and I negotiated the terms of our partnership, she was insistent upon being involved in everything to do with renovations.”

  “I know you’ve been spending more time together recently, how has she seemed?”

  “Well, it’s Everleigh, love, so you know.”

  “Aye. Thanks, Dells. Say hi to Derek for me, and if you see Everleigh, let her know I’m looking for her.”

  On my way home, I blew the Anima whistle hoping Everleigh might be stalking me again.

  She wasn’t.

  Back at the cabin, Zacharias was wearing his suit, sitting at the desk in deep thought.

  He looked up only after I closed and locked the door.

  “I spoke with Lidia,” he said. “She had nothing to do with your friend’s disappearance.”

  “Are you sure she wasn’t lying?”

  Zacharias eyed the violin case hanging from my hand before turning his attention back to me. “She says the Anima by the name of Everleigh has been instrumental in facilitating her needs this cycle. Lidia wouldn’t hurt her, Feargus Finlay. She likes her. And your sister, too.”

  I set the violin case down on the bed. “What did she say about Rhian?”

  “That she wished they could be friends, but that they hadn’t started off on the best foot. I told her she may wish to begin by stating her intentions and apologizing.”

  I won’t lie, for a second I wondered if getting the mark to apologize would count as a win for the crew.

  With that thought in mind, I snapped the latches up on Everleigh’s violin case and popped it open.

  “Are you expecting my mates to accept an apology from Lidia?” I asked. “She murdered an innocent family. A whole bunch of them, actually.”

  “And you? And me? What have we done? What’s your number, Feargus Finlay?”

  I liked numbers, see, but not all numbers. Mine was twelve then. Rhian’s was forty-one at the time, unless she’d murdered anyone new while I wasn’t counting. Technically, Zacharias might feel responsible for somewhere in the range of several hundred thousand. Millions, maybe. The Divide never would have happened if the Anima weren’t a factor.

  On the other hand, none of us would exist, either.

  I removed the bow and the violin from the case, setting them both on the bed. I then felt around the velvety interior of the violin case, checking every nook and cranny. “So what—? Lidia’s gonna go apologize to the crew, and then we all just move on?”

  Zacharias shrugged. “Well, that depends on your friends.”

  “And if they decide to kill her, will you protect her?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because she refused my help—again.”

  Zacharias paused just as I located the release for the secret compartment on the inside of the case. When I opened it, the only thing in there was a folded piece of parchment. I glanced over my shoulder in Zack's direction.

  “This is what you risked your life for visiting me every night, isn’t it?” he continued. “You all wanted the Law awake, and now the Law’s awake. The Law still stands with you, Feargus Finlay. But tell me: do you still stand with it?”

  ”Mate, you’re one of my best friends.”

  As you know, I had a fair few best friends. But I meant that one, and though Zack may not have responded verbally, I could tell the comment caught him off-guard. While he was looking unsure what to do next, I waved the paper I’d found in the secret compartment over my head. He joined me near the bed, and I unfolded the parchment. It was obvious what it was, even to me.

  “Not a song I recognize.” Zack dragged his fingers along the measures on the page, tapping his finger against a note here or there. “It has Sebastian’s markers all over it.”

  I scanned the familiar but still unrecognizable symbols. “How do you even make any sense of this?”

  “A language like any other, Feargus Finlay.” Zack handed me the page for a closer look. “A beautiful song, though. Triumphant, and yet somehow still sad.”

  Before I could even begin to wrap my head around how he’d interpreted triumphant but sad from a bunch of blobs on page, something caught my eye. I reached into my bag, pulled out the notebook, and flipped to the page with the depiction of the locks on Everleigh’s door. Down, up, down. It wasn’t long before I found a section of music notes on the page that correlated with the first three holes in the first lock. The next three notes correlated with the next three holes in the second lock, and, as I was hoping, the next three notes matched the last three holes.

  Hanging over my shoulder, Zacharias asked, “Are those whistle locks?”

  “I don’t know, mate. What’s a whistle lock?”

  “One of the Tinkerer’s more interesting innovations. I didn’t think they were still—that they were still in circulation.”

  “I don’t reckon they are. I’ve never heard of a whistle lock. I found them on Everleigh’s doors.”

  “Remarkable. Then where would she have procured them if not from Delilah directly?”

  When I was at The Studio in Leberecht, Avis made it sound as though the Trio never left their mountain. And Everleigh made it clear she would never go anywhere near Leberecht. But of the Trio, Delilah seemed the most rebellious, so I wondered: was it possible she’d been leaving the mountain? Had she met Everleigh on the outside?

  I shrugged in response to Zacharias’s question. “How exactly does a whistle lock work?”

  “First thing’s first: do you know how to whistle?”

  Poor V. She’d never be able to open Everleigh’s door.

  “Aye, I do,” I said, and I whistled to prove it.

  “Decent,” Zack decided. “But in order to bypass a whistle lock, the whistler must be precisely on key.”

  “I don’t know anything about precise keys, mate.”

  “I could easily whistle the locks open for you.”

  “It’s too risky taking you through the Jaskar.” I kept the storm drain entrance to myself. There may have been things about the Anima I still didn’t know. For example: maybe they could shrink. What’s important is: I was trying to be respectful of Everleigh’s office as I planned my break-in to her office.

  Zacharias put the violin back in its case gingerly, closing it and setting it aside before joining me on the edge of the bed. “Well, if I can’t do it for you, Feargus Finlay, then instead of sleeping tonight, I suppose you’ll be learning how to whistle nine consecutive notes with perfect pitch.”