Free The Ghost Rebellion by Tee Morris Pip Ballantine Page A

Beth drew. “Can I help you, child?” a creaky voice asked.
    “ I just wanted to return what belongs to you,” she said, holding up the magnet.
    The old woman slowly turned, lifting her slender hand up to the cowl covering her head.
    Beth stepped back as she locked her stare with the weaver’s. These eyes were not the ones she caught a glance of at the Markt.
    Stars flashed in her vision as something jammed into the back of her neck. Beth stumbled forward, and opened her eyes in time to see the old woman making the Sign of the Cross to her, the cloak she had been wearing left behind in a puddle at Beth’s feet.
    She needed to turn around. She needed to reach the knife she had out only moments ago, or the gun just under her wrap, but her fingers wouldn’t move. Beth collapsed into the street, landing face down. The impact should have broken her nose, but she felt nothing. Hands grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her over, and now rain gently fell on her face.
    Once, during her idle years of youth, Beth had kicked a tortoise over on its back just to watch it wriggle. Now it was Sophia del Morte that watched her, and suddenly Beth felt terribly guilty about tormenting that tortoise as she had.
    “ Your eyes,” Beth said, and her voice grew more and more raspy with each word. “I recognised you by…your eyes.”
    “ Shhh…” Sophia perched herself on the other woman, knees on each side of her, dark hair blowing slightly. “You’ve been injected with the Family Kiss,” she purred, holding a small syringe before Beth’s eyes. “Paralysis is immediate. Death, somewhat slower—and a great deal more painful. If you answer a few questions for me, I can make your passing much quicker and more pleasant than you deserve.” The assassin leaned closer until the subtle smell of her rain-kissed skin wafted over Beth. “Does the House know I survived the Jubilee?”
    Beth nodded.
    “ Is there a bounty on my head?” the assassin asked, her head tilted to one side.
    Beth gave her another nod, hoping that would give Sophia a fright.
    Sophia’s lip curled. “I hope it is a big one.”
    “ Huge,” Beth ground out through her tight throat.
    “ Well, I shall take comfort in that.” Sophia tenderly brushed away a curl of hair from Beth’s forehead. “Did you tell anyone you saw me?”
    When it came to deception and misdirection, Beth’s skills could not be matched. It had carried her through her life as a double agent, had allowed her to dispatch eight agents, and now at the edge of death she would deploy it with relish. “A dead drop,” she managed. “The House of Usher will come for you. They will…not…stop.”
    Those words took effort to speak, and she slumped back into the stones under her, grasping for what tasted like final breaths. The world had now narrowed down to just Sophia’s eyes. Such beautiful green eyes, but as cold as a raven’s. No remorse or regret even as she rifled through Beth’s pockets.
    “ I keep my promises,” Sophia whispered to her, her breath caressing Beth’s cheek. The slice of the blade was quick against her throat. The world was quickly slipping away, but not so fast that she was denied the welcoming chill of the canal, wrapping itself around her in a loving embrace.
     

Chapter Three
    In Which the Mettle of Her Majesty’s Infantry Is Tested
     
    “ Lord Featherstone’s designs and recent innovations have all been field tested and approved here in India,” Vania shouted over the throaty report of the motorcar’s engine. “The Ministry and the military have been in dire need of any and all advantages as insurgents have been taking arms against the Empire with renewed vigour of late.”
    “ Insurgents?” Wellington asked, just before being jostled back against Eliza. Again. Not that he minded, but he was reminded with each rumble and shudder of India Branch’s motorcar at how his own Ares handled. “A rather harsh word to describe resistance factions, don’t