Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2)(168)

"A bit?" said Kit.

Ty smiled his rare, dazzling smile. "A bit. I do have important things to do."

Kit thought of Ty on the roof the night before, how desperate he had seemed. He was back to his old self now, as if Livvy's restoration had restored him, too. He rested his elbows on the rail as the boat chugged past an imposing fortress-like building that loomed over the riverbank.

"The Tower of London," said Livvy, noticing Kit's gaze.

"The stories say that six ravens must always guard the Tower," said Ty, "or the monarchy will fall."

"All the stories are true," said Livvy in a soft voice, and a chill went up Kit's spine.

Ty turned his head. "Wasn't it a raven that carried Annabel and Malcolm's messages?" he said. "I think that was in Emma and Julian's notes."

"Seems unreliable," said Kit. "What if the raven got bored, or distracted, or met a hot falcon on the way?"

"Or was intercepted by faeries," said Livvy.

"Not all faeries are bad," said Ty.

"Some faeries are good, some are bad, like anyone," said Kit. "But that might be too complicated for the Clave."

"It's too complicated for most people," Ty said.

From anyone else, Kit would have thought that the comment was meant to be reproving. Ty, though, probably just meant it. Which was oddly pleasant to know.

"I don't like what we've been hearing from Diana," said Livvy. "About how Zara's claiming she killed Malcolm."

"My dad used to say that a big lie was often easier to carry off than a small one," said Kit.

"Well, hopefully he was wrong," said Livvy, a little sharply. "I can't stand the idea that anyone thinks Zara and people like her are heroes. Even if they don't know she's lying about Malcolm, the Cohort's plans are despicable."

"It's too bad none of you can just tell the Clave what Julian saw happen in the scrying glass," said Kit.

"If they knew he'd gone to Faerie, he could be exiled," said Livvy, and there was an edge of real fear in her voice. "Or have his Marks stripped."



       
         
       
        

"I could pretend I'm the one who saw it-it matters a lot less if I get tossed out of the Nephilim," Kit said.

Kit had meant to lighten the mood with an obvious joke, but the twins looked rattled. "Don't you want to stay?" Ty's question was direct and sharp as a knife.

Kit had no answer. There was a clamor of voices, and the boat jerked to a halt. It had docked at Limehouse, and the three of them hurried to get off-they were unglamoured, and as they pushed past several mundanes to get to the exit, Kit heard one of them mutter about kids getting tattooed way too young these days.

Ty had made a face at all the noise, and had his headphones on as they wove through the streets. The air smelled like river water, but Magnus had been right-the docks vanished quickly, replaced by winding roads full of massive old factory buildings that had been turned into lofts.

Ty had the map, and Livvy and Kit walked a little behind him, Livvy with her hand casually at her waist, where her weapons belt was hidden by her jacket. "He uses the headphones less when you're around," she said, her eyes on her brother, though her words were for Kit.

"Is that good?" Kit was surprised.

Livvy shrugged. "It isn't good or bad. It's just something I noticed. It's not magic or anything." She glanced sideways at him. "I think he just doesn't want to miss anything you say."

Kit felt an odd stab of emotion go through him. It surprised him. He glanced sideways at Livvy. Since they'd left Los Angeles, she'd done nothing to indicate she wanted to repeat their one kiss. And Kit had found that he didn't either. Not that he didn't like Livvy, or find her pretty. But something seemed off about it now-as if it were somehow wrong.

Maybe it was the fact that he didn't know if he wanted to be a Shadowhunter at all.

"We're here." Ty had shoved his headphones down, the white band of them stark against his black hair. He alone among all the current Blackthorns had hair like that, though Kit had seen pictures in the Institute of their ancestors, some with the same dark hair and silver-gray eyes. "This should be illuminating. Shops like this have to abide by the Accords, unlike the Shadow Market, but they're also run by specialists." Ty looked enormously happy at the thought of all that specialized knowledge.

They had passed the wider thoroughfare of Narrow Street and were now on what was presumably Gill Street, across from a single open shop. It had dimly lit windows and the owner's name spelled out in brass letters over the door. PROPRIETOR: F. SALLOWS. There was no description of what kind of shop it was, but Kit supposed that those who shopped there knew what they were shopping for.