Finding Blood (City Underdark #1)

The Unsaid

The chariot was allowed in the town while the guards were closing up the gates - they seemed to have recognized Hugo and let them pass without a fuss because he was with them, or so Barmond understood from watching them.

(He had taken off the blanket when the sun had sunk below the horizon, suddenly feeling a lot better. With the sun gone, he had found the will to burn through some blood to accelerate the process of growing new his new fangs, although he knew it would take a while longer for the rest of his teeth to arrange themselves right once more.)

Once the gates were passed, their conductor still brought them to a house in the merchant neighbourhood - a place that was not too far from Howling and Drinks, the place that the pack liked to spend their evenings. It was a large building that could have been almost anything from a guild's headquarter to the fancy house of a rich merchant. They jumped off in the courtyard, one after the other, and Barmond did not have to ask to guess that this was another entry point to the Undergrounds of Gardel.

There was a succubus there, in her human form; one that he recognized for having seen her a few times now. She was not glaring at him, for a change, but staring directly at Maggie. And Maggie was doing her best not to look at her in the eye.

"Maggie," said Rosa.

Maggie attempted to take that uncomfortable conversation inside but Rosa did not move from where she stood, staring the young woman down. And Maggie wasn't quite shameless enough that she dared run away, so she just stopped a few steps away and waited.

"I'm not happy," said Rosa. "And so is your father, Maggel."

"I know," she said. "You're always mad."

"I wouldn't have to be mad at you if you didn't leave with no warnings whatsoever."

"You would have stopped me."

"That is not the question!"

"You would have!"

"Of course I would have, but that is not the questions."

"I can leave if I want."

Rosa stared at Maggie. Her gaze was harsh but it was not hatred, far from it. Rather, she was angry because she loved Maggie. It was still intense. Barmond would have preferred to be somewhere else entirely but he did not dare move, not when every everyone else was standing and watching.

"Don't make me say that you can leave and not come back," said Rosa. "I know you want me to say it. I won't be made into the bad guy."

"I'm an adult! I could leave if I want."

"Maggie..."

"No! I'm tired of you two always telling me what I can't do! Just because mom died, now you're always scared that I will die!"

Barmond looked at Yoven for moral support. That was more information thrown in his face at once than what he was comfortable recieving. Alas, Yoven didn't look like he knew how to disappear underground any more than he did. As for Jessica, she was as deadpan and helpful as her usual self.

"You are saying utter nonsense," said Rosa. "We are doing what's good for you. You know that. You're smart enough--"

"I'll talk to Rara about it," said Maggie. She angrily grabbed the folds of her dress, lifting it to walk away. "You stay out of that, auntie."

"Your mother wouldn't have wanted this."

"I'm sure she wouldn't have," said Maggie.

And she left, slamming the door as she finally got inside. Rose went after her, although her exit was a lot less flamboyant. But it only was when Jessica decided to follow them that the tension finally started to drop.