Scourge: A Grim Doyle Adventure

Chapter 14

The sewers were an awful set of pipes and underground tunnels that weaved under the city streets like a maze. Madam Malkim hired out her orphans to clean the tunnels and sewers at an affordable price. And since she was a city magistrate, no one objected.

Grim was amazed at the items that sailed downstream — sinth replacements, mechanical parts, a few machines, and even some sinth-based servants. He would often rescue the latter when he thought no one was watching and then go back to unclogging the major waterways and pipes.

After an afternoon of slogging knee-deep through stink and sludge, Grim walked back to the orphanage. He was shouldered by Festrel as the boy marched into the city. And with his slimy boots Grim swiftly lost his balance and fell face first to the pavement, scraping his hands and face on the ground.

He grumbled to himself. This world was not what he had hoped for. This wretched orphanage was a terrible place for children, and all he wanted was to wake up from this nightmare and go back to his home. How could his dads have ever thought he’d be safe here?

He watched Festrel march away and noticed something the boy had dropped. Grim inched over and saw that it was a small red stone with brass fingers encasing it. He sucked in his breath.

What is he doing with that?

He snatched it up and marched back to Madam Malkim’s, hoping Quinn would not be there. And lo, that was not meant to be. He was in the room, with Rudy of all people. And they were laughing like they were the best of friends. And to top it all off, Scarlet was sitting on Rudy’s shoulder, purring.

“Get out!” Grim yelled. He was still mad at her for biting him.

The spider crept out the door, barely managing to avoid his foot as he kicked at her.

Rudy gasped as she took one look at Grim’s scraped-up face and hands. And for the first time Grim saw actual concern in Quinn’s eyes.

“What happened to you?” he asked as Rudy escorted Grim in.

Quinn closed the door.

“This place sucks,” Grim said. The stone fell from his pocket.

Quinn bent to pick it up. “What is that?”

Rudy stopped him and retrieved it herself. “There’s something we need to tell you,” she said to Quinn.

Grim looked up. “Wait —”

Rudy held up her hand to him with a single finger and he looked at the seriousness in her eyes. “No. I’m tired of lying to him. He’s my friend and we need help.”

Grim closed his mouth.

Then Rudy spoke, revealing everything to Quinn ― about Earth, about their dads, about Aunt Patrice, about Festrel and about the stone in her outstretched hand. She passed it to Quinn.

“Interesting,” he muttered. “So you traveled from this place you call Earth.”

Grim nodded.

“And you are actually nobility in hiding? Interesting tale.”

Grim eyed him with suspicion, wondering if they should have told the boy. Yet, despite how much Quinn irritated him, something in the boy’s eye said they could trust him.

“If you don’t believe us,” Rudy said, “you can ask Treena, or Master Galan, or my Aunt Patrice.”

Quinn smiled. “It is too fabulous a tale to make up,” he said finally. “I’m just trying to imagine another world, and it explains much about you. Although your claim to be from the Southlands had even me fooled.”

“My sister is better at pretending to be someone else. I always let things slip,” Grim said, giving her a sidelong glance.

Rudy smiled back. “Yeah, you kinda suck at it.”

“I could teach you about pretending to be something you’re not,” Quinn said. “I’m not as stuffy as I appear. I say what others expect of me, so that I’ll look more like a Lord. I’m always trying to fit in with people like Festrel and Gorkin, but around you I can say what I want. You’re so … normal.”

Grim’s eyebrow raised. That was the first time anyone had referred to his family that way.

“I must apologize for my behavior,” Quinn continued. “I’ve been horrible. I like you, Grim, noble or not.”

Grim breathed a sigh of relief.

“And now that we’re revealing truths,” Quinn said, “there’s something I would like to share with you. My father was not killed by accident. He was murdered on a hunting trip with Lord Victor. We think he discovered some secret. He paid for it with his life. My mother sent me off to Madam Malkim’s just before she was taken captive, but I was placed with the orphans since we cannot pay for me to attend the Academy. Victor claims that if I go live under his care I will take over our Manor when I am of age. I’m certain I would have an untimely accident instead. So here I shall remain, but I fear for my mother.”

“Is that why Festrel’s here?” Grim asked.

“I suspect so, but I have to be nice to him. I don’t want to endanger my mother’s life. I have no proof that my father was murdered, other than the words of his manservant. And he was poisoned the night my father died.”

Grim nodded. “I’m sorry. You must be even more scared than us.”

Quinn shrugged. “To be thrown into a completely different world is equally frightening.” Quinn knelt in front of Grim, untied a green scarf from his neck and attempted to wrap it around Grim’s scraped hand.

Grim tried to slip his hand away. “That scarf is too nice for this.”

Quinn forced the scarf around the wound. “It’s the least I can do, considering my behavior.”

“I’ll clean it and get it back to you.”

Quinn shook his head. “Keep it. It’s a gift.”

A knock at the door made the three of them jump.

“Come in,” they all chimed, and Treena strode in.

“By the Ancestors,” she muttered, looking at Quinn kneeling on the floor.

“It’s all right,” Grim said, “come in and close the door. We have something to tell you.”