A Hard Day's Knight Read Free

Excalibur was the kind of sword men would kill and die for, for any number of reasons. Suzie came warily back into the kitchen.
    “So, does this mean you’re the rightful King of all England now?”
    “No,” I said. “I’m pretty sure that was a one-time-only thing.”
    “Does it mean you’re King of the Nightside, then? Or was the sword sent to you by someone who thinks you should be?”
    “I had the chance,” I said. “And I turned it down. I’m not about to change my mind. As to who sent it: I have a horrible feeling this might be Walker’s last gift to me, taken from the late Collector’s legendary collection.”
    “Hold everything,” said Suzie. “The ‘late’ Collector? He’s finally dead?”
    “Haven’t you been watching the news?”
    “I’ve been busy,” Suzie said defensively. “Aimless lounging round won’t do itself, you know. What happened to the Collector? Who killed him? I take it somebody did finally kill the thieving old scrote?”
    “Walker killed him,” I said. “He walked right up to his oldest friend and stuck a knife between his ribs. I was right there, but there was nothing I could do.”
    “I’ll not shed a tear for the Collector,” said Suzie. “How many times did he try to kill us? All right, he was a colourful rogue, or a treacherous little turd, depending on how you look at it, but I think the whole Nightside will sleep more peacefully, now that he’s gone. You could always rely on the Collector to stir things up, and rarely in a good way. But ... why did Walker finally kill him, after all these years? I thought they were friends again, after working together during the Lilith War?”
    “They were,” I said. “It’s ... complicated. Friendships often are.”
    “Hold everything, part two,” said Suzie. “You said ... Walker’s last gift. Don’t tell me ...”
    “Yes,” I said. “Walker’s dead. I killed him.”
    “Why?” said Suzie. “Okay, dumb question. I can think of a dozen good reasons, without even trying.”
    “It wasn’t like that,” I said. “He wanted to kill me and take over my life. And he threatened you. I couldn’t have that. So I killed him.”
    “The most important man in the Nightside is dead,” said Suzie. “Good.” She put a comforting hand on my arm. “I know you and he were ... close, in some way I never really understood.”
    “He was my father’s friend,” I said. “But he was always there when I needed him. He used me for jobs when he needed someone expendable, but he protected me when he could. At the end, when he knew he was dying, he said he wanted to be my father; but I never wanted that. And I don’t want his bloody job, either. Oh yes, the man’s barely been gone a few hours, and already people are queuing up to tell me I have a responsibility to take over his position and be the new Voice of the new Authorities!”
    “If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it,” said Suzie. For her, it really was that simple.
    “But ... there’s no-one else.”
    “That’s my John,” said Suzie, putting her arms round me. Her black leathers creaked loudly. “Always ready to take the weight of the world on his shoulders. And always convinced no-one else can do the job as well as him. Maybe that’s why our mysterious benefactor sent Excalibur to you. Because they know you can be trusted to use it wisely. I’m not sorry Walker’s dead. Or that you killed him. I worked for the man, but I never liked him. He played chess with people and never gave a damn about the pieces he had to sacrifice.”
    “I worked for him,” I said. “I respected him, and sometimes I liked him, against my better judgement.”
    “Were you and he ever friends?”
    “I don’t know,” I said. “It’s complicated.”
    “Two of the Nightside’s greatest lights have gone out,” said Suzie. “We shall not see any blaze so brightly again in our lifetime.”
    I gave her a stern look. “You’ve been watching the History Channel