Bone Diggers - Chapter Forty Three

Loading... Chapter Forty Three

A letter came one late October day in 1605. It had passed from Lord Monteagle to the King's spymaster, Robert Cecil, until it finally made it to the home shared by Daniel, Lance, and Chloe.

"My Lord, out of the love I bear to some of your friends, I have a care of your preservation. Therefore I would advise you, as you tender your life, to devise some escape, to shift your attendance at this parliament," Daniel read aloud.

Whispers of treachery were in the air, but this was the first concrete sign of it. Yet the warning almost seemed out of place. "Is this a setup?" Lance asked.

"I'm not sure," Daniel said, glancing up from the letter. "Let's go find out."

Robert Cecil was found on his way to a meeting. Instead of being panicked at the arrival of two thieves, he welcomed them. After all, why wouldn't he, as the head of the British guild. Having the ear of Kings and Queens was a rare position for someone of their guild, but it served them well. "Walk with me, boys."

"Sir, we had a concern," Daniel said.

"About the letter," Lance finished for him.

"Of course you do," Cecil said humorlessly. "Gael warned me about you. He said you liked to bend the rules, turn them into your favor instead of being limited by them."

Daniel looked away, thinking about what happened brought him no joy. It's the reason why he stayed away from the ghost town that was once his home. Despite his discomfort, Cecil went on.

"I think we have something in common. We both know the tenets are not as rigid as Gael believes they are. You also know of the King's reluctance to kick out the church's Knights. It's a violent world we live in. I merely plan to fight fire with fire."

"Preying off someone's fear that way makes you no better than those you seek to stop," Lance said. It was a horrifying suggestion that left no room for morality, just results.

Despite Cecil's age and smaller stature, Lance ended up on the ground when his elder threw a punch. Whether it was strength or surprise that caught Lance off guard, Daniel froze.

"I didn't think he would understand," Cecil said, looking at his fist that now hurt. Politics were his normal battleground, but it seemed the man had more in him than many gave him credit for. "But you, Ortiz, you understand the good that could come out of my plan."

Daniel broke eye contact with Cecil to look down at Lance. "The letter is a ploy. Allowing you to protect the few you desire, while sacrificing others like Guy Fawkes. In an attempt to force the King's hand against the rest of the Knights."

"Very astute of you," Cecil smiled as he spoke. "I knew you would understand. Now you can help me by—"

"No."

"What?"

"I said no," Daniel repeated. He reached down to help pick up Lance, whose eyes finally stopped watering. "I didn't mean to twist anything before, and I won't willingly do it again. Even if it helps, at what cost? Truth is all we have in the world."

"Is that what you tell yourself at night, dago?" Cecil hissed. "I serve king and country. If you don't approve maybe you should return to yours." Daniel had been treated as an equal until it had no longer benefited Cecil, then he was Spanish once again.

"You're right," Daniel said. He looked over to Lance, who glared as though he was the one insulted. "This mess is yours, and yours alone."

Maybe they should have gone directly back to Spain, but they decided to stay. Lance wanted to kill the bastard before he could do anything else, but Daniel convinced him to hold off, saying that his life wouldn't fix this problem. Hate didn't end with murder.

They waited and watched until the eve of November fourth, since the letter warned of the very next day. Gunpowder had been stockpiled underneath parliament a few barrels at a time. By their best guess, thirty-four now waited for a single spark.

They had a choice: walk the cellars with Fawkes, follow the spymaster's wishes, or make their own path.

"Ready?" Daniel asked.

"For King and country," Lance smirked.

If one thing living in London made clear, it was they weren't English. While King James was not their sovereign, his death could reignite the Anglo-Spanish War that had only ended months ago.

While the King's men feverishly searched, Daniel and Lance remained close as his guards. It was a quiet night away from parliament, and no fire would end up changing that. From the moment that letter was penned, the plot was doomed.

Fawkes was captured that night, and after days of torture, other plotters were arrested. They were all pawns, like so many people before them that hoped, and prayed, they were doing the right thing. Only to have their belief used against them. A traitor's death was not a beautiful one.

In December, whispers suggested that Lord Monteagle had started to clean up loose ends. The writer of the letter was believed to be his brother-in-law, Francis Tresham. He had been already rotting with the other plotters, and soon was found dead in his cell.

Or at least, that was the story being told. Others believed it was Cecil who poisoned him. Only one clear thing was for certain, staying in England was dangerous. It was only a matter of time before they became witnesses that had to be "taken care of."

Despite the sunshine playing house granted, simply watching the world turn was taxing. More so somehow than actually living it. Daniel sat at their dining table along with Chloe and Lance as his food remained untouched. "We should go home," he said.

Lance looked up from his meal, more curious than anything else. "Don't you think we should do something about Cecil? Expose what really happened?"

"No," Daniel tried to smile, but only had his own worn faith to hold onto. "Everything is how it needs to be."

"I heard a poem," Chloe said. "The King's misuser, the Parliament's abuser, hath left his plotting and is now rotting."

"Where did you hear that?"

"On the street." She placed a hand on Daniel's as if to suggest he had more than he thought. "I know it isn't exactly what you wanted, but it's a ray of truth."

"It's enough to light the day." Daniel glanced from Chloe to Lance across the table before leaning back in the chair. "I'm starting to feel there is nothing more in London for us. It might be shameful to say, but we should go back."

"Shame be to him who thinks ill of it," Lance said. "It is our choice, not theirs. Is it not?"

The corner of Daniel's mouth curled up in a smile, a small gesture that Chloe made bigger. "To Spain then."

***

Homecoming meant dealing with the ghosts of the past. Sometimes they remained hushed whispers in the corner of your mind. Sometimes they sneak in a window.

A man three times Chloe's age appeared in Lance's kitchen. She jumped at the sight of him, but his weapon silenced her from calling out to the boys in the living room.

The man brought a finger to his lips in a promise to leave her be if she remained quiet.

His sudden presence didn't scare Lance as much as the direction he had come from. "Señor Garcia," Lance said, glancing past the musket to the kitchen for a moment. "To what do I owe the visit?"

"You boys killed my son." With the accusation thrown into the air, he lifted his gun. It wavered between them as if unsure of who he was most upset with.

Daniel wrinkled his nose as if something distasteful was said. It was true; well, partially so. "We didn't, it was m—"

"The artifact," Lance interrupted, and shot Daniel a harsh look.

"Don't split hairs," Garcia snapped. "On the ground. Both of you."

Without hesitation, Daniel got down on his knees. "I'm sorry about Abel."

Garcia looked like he was going to lose it all together, so Lance kneeled as well. Garcia's finger was a twitch away from the trigger, only a hair's width keeping the bullet secure. "He never liked you," he scolded, "You know that, right?"

Daniel's jaw set before he looked down, like a child who couldn't meet the eyes of a disappointed parent. "I do."

"Tell me where the artifact is now so I can bring it back. A simple task you were too weak to do yourself."

"He doesn't know where the device is," Lance interjected.

His voice alone made Garcia re-pick his target. "Yes, you do. You both do. Things just don't vanish into thin air."

"What you want isn't here. It isn't anywhere," Lance continued, despite the glare from Daniel telling him to be silent.

The man considered this for a moment before looking back over to Daniel. He recognized that pained look that only knowing too much bestowed. "If you don't tell me, I will kill you, boy."

"Then do it," Daniel said. "There are people I care for on the other side."

"Again with that traitor and whore?"

"You shouldn't speak ill of the dead, monsieur," Chloe said, revealing herself after a slow creep behind the assailant. She pressed the tip of a sword against his back. "Unless you want me to ring you through, you'll leave my friend and my fiancé in peace."

Daniel turned to Lance, suddenly more interested in what Chloe said than the weapon still pointed at him. "Fiancé?" he mouthed to Lance, who simply grinned with downright pride.

"What happened to do no harm to your own, gilipolls?" Chloe asked.

"You mean gilipollas, my dear," Lance corrected, amused.

"More death isn't going to bring back your son. End this before you break your heart with bloodied hands," she added.

Garcia looked over his shoulder to Chloe. His hate and rage exhaling with a breath that showed his age once again. "Missing someone can do horrible things to you."

"I know." Daniel slowly stood up, with his hands out in front of him. "I miss Abel too."

"As does the world," Lance added, as he too dared to move to his feet. "We are not your enemies."

Garcia wrung his hands. "Maybe you are right, and this was the foolish errand of an old man." No one moved, not even when he took the first step towards the front door he completely ignored originally. "Tell none of this. I wish to retire with some honor intact."

"Of course." Daniel watched him leave, knowing in his heart that he missed another fight. Whatever other options might have been available, he didn't want them. Too much guild blood had been spilled already. But that left something else important unanswered. "Do you two have something to tell me?"

"We were thinking about it," Chloe said, albeit nervously. "I guess it just slipped out."

"Oh," Daniel said. "Don't worry about it. This is finally some good news."

Chloe looked at the sword she had stolen for a moment before handing it off to Lance. "Then why do you look so sad, mon cher?"

"I'm not," Daniel quickly countered. He looked to Lance to vouch for him again, but he must have used them all up. The lie he had ready, that he wasn't jealous or fearful that he'd get left behind, failed him. He just couldn't do it; a new truth had to be found. "It's just, I shouldn't have told you where I thought aegis went. I put both of you at risk." If their idealized futures matched up, he shouldn't be the one putting that in jeopardy.

Lance stepped in front of Daniel, making sure he had his complete attention. "It is an honor that you trust me enough to tell me these things, not a burden. You aren't a burden. I know you saw some things, that changed you in a way I can't understand. But I'm here for you." Lance put a hand on Daniel's shoulder and glanced over to Chloe, who was smiling. "We are here for you. Always."

Daniel exhaled, feeling his guilt settle in his chest. "I'd hug you, but I saw how protective your betrothed is."

"She is something, isn't she?" he laughed. "Her Spanish insults need some work, though."

"Being bilingual isn't enough these days," Chloe said. Her mock annoyance was clear.