Free Golden Son by Pierce Brown Page A

shouldtheynot?
    Itookhishand,hetookafriend.Allhehasdoneisbiteandclawforhisownsurvival.Watching him now, so small and plain in a world of gods, it’s almost as if he’s the hero nobly struggling againstafatherwhorejectedhim,againstaSocietythatlaughsathissize,hisweakness,and scorns himasacannibaleventhoughitwastheywhotoldhimtodowhateverhehadtodotowin.Inanodd wayhe is likeme.Hecouldhavehadhishandrepaired,buthechosenotto,wearingitasabadgeof honorinsteadofshame.
    SoI’llgoalongwiththis.Then,intheend,maybeI’llkillhim.ForPax.
    His face splits into a grand smile. “I’m so pleased, Darrow. So pleased. And, to be honest, a bit relieved.”
    “Butwhatisnext?”Iask.“Youmustneedsomethingfrommenow.”
    “AGoldbythenameofFencorauDrusillahaslearnedofmy…dealingswiththesyndicates.Heis tryingtoblackmailme.Ineedyoutokillhim.”
    Ofcourse.“When?”
    “Not for a week or so. The real purpose of killing him will be to gain favor with one of the Sovereign’s cousins who was slighted by Fencor. With Fencor ’s death, you’ll fall into the cousin’s…favor.”
    Ichokedownalaugh.“You’llhavemeplaytheroleofaPixiegallant,flittingaboutcourt,bedding ladies?”MustangwillthinkI’mdoingittospiteher.
    TheJackal’seyessparklewithmischief.“Whosaidanythingaboutladies?”
    “Oh,” Isay,realizingwhathemeans.“Oh,that’s…complicated.Tactusmightbebetterforthis.…”
    TheJackalchucklesatmysurprise.“Oh,you’lldojustfine.Butallthisisworryforanotherday.
    Fornow,relax.I’llpurchaseyourcontractthroughasecondpartyassoonasitgoesupforauction.”
    “TheBellonawilltrytobuyit.”
    “Ihaveabacker.We’lloutspendthem.”
    “Victra?”
    “No.She’smoreofabrokerinthis.WhatyouhavetounderstandaboutVictraisshe’snot…how doyousay… partisan .Shejustlovesstirringthepot.Thebackeryou’llmeetsoonenough.”
    “Thatwon’twork,”Isay.“Iwanttomeethimnow.I’mnotyourpuppet.IshareeverythingIknow, youshareeverythingyouknow.”
    “ButIknowsomuchmore. Fine .”Heleansforward.“You’llmeethimtonight.It’snotthatIdon’t trustyou.Ijustthinkitappropriatethatheintroduceshimself.”
    “Fineenough.IwanttobringtheHowlersback.AndSevro.”
    “Done. You’ll also need to select a blademaster, someone to tutor you with the razor. We’ll need youtokillafewpeoplepubliclyinthefuture.”
    “Iknowhowtousearazor,”Isay.
    “NotwhatI’veheard.Comenow,there’snoshameinit.Ihaveafewnames.It’sapityArcosisn’t tutoring.ThesedaysImightactuallyhavethefundstoaffordStonesideandhisWillowWay.…”
    Hiswordstrailoffandhiseyesdriftfromme,pulledtotheslinkingformofawomanwhocuts
    throughthesmokeanddrabofthetavernlikeanemberfallingthroughfog.Icansmellthealmond on her skin, the citrus of her lips as she nears our table, graceful and stirring as the air of Venus’s Summer Coast. Bones fragile, avian. She wears a black shift that covers her skin except her bare shoulders.
    ThenIcatchhereyesandIalmostfalloutofmychair.It’sashottotheheart.Mypulsepatters.It’s her. The girl with wings who could never fly. But now … she’s fled from Mickey, it seems. Wings gone,ripenedintowomanhood.ButwhyisEveyhere?DidtheSonssendher?Icanbarelykeepmy
    composure.Shehasn’trecognizedme.
    “Ididn’tknowRosestogrowsodeepamongtheweeds,”theJackalsaystoher.
    Herlaughterdriftslikethebeatingofabutterfly’swings.Shetracesthebottomedgeoftheworn tableandshrugsminutely.
    “Common men can’t afford uncommon things. But my mistress heard uncommon men were in LostCityandsentmeasan…ambassador.”
    “Ah…”TheJackalleansback,appraisingher.“You’reasyndicategirl.OneofVebonna’s?”Off
    hernod,theJackallooksatmeandmistakesmyexpressionofsurpriseforoneofdesire.“Takeher upstairs, Darrow. On me. A welcoming gift. Let me know if you want to buy her. We can discuss businesstomorrow.”
    Attheword“Darrow,”Evey’scomposurebucklesforablink.ShestepsbackandIhearherbreath pattern change. And when her eyes meet mine, I know she sees through the Obsidian disguise and