Page 157 of You Only Love Twice
"Such as?"
"And her Majesty, the Queen...." He raised his voice in an effective rendition of the page that had announced her.
The queen's face paled.
Questions poured forth in a sudden flurry as if he'd opened the floodgates, until his mouth grew dry from answering.
No, there was no means to say who was the next intended target for the "Chameleon."
No, he couldn't state where Lord Balfour was now, beyond Russia.
Yes, he could lead Malloryn and a handful of guards upon thedhampir'ssecret base beneath Undertown.
Yes, it was likely there would be retaliation for the botched assassination, as Ghost disliked failure.
Malloryn finally broke the flood of questions, crossing to the middle of the floor to stand next to him. "I know we all have more questions, and I assure you I will extract their answers from Obsidian when I have a chance, but time is growing shorter. We know there is a new threat to the realm, but now we're aware of what it is and which direction it's coming from, we have no time to waste. The queen's safety is at risk every second she stays in the tower. The Coldrush Guards and the servants need to be tested before we can pronounce it safe for the queen to return. And I believe we've all heard enough to pass judgment upon Miss Townsend."
Lynch nodded. "I believe Miss Townsend to be an unwitting tool in the hands of our enemy. All in favor, say aye."
"Aye." Blade.
"Aye." The Duchesses of Bleight and Casavian.
"Aye." Leo Barrons.
A long pause.
Sir Gideon Scott glanced toward the queen. "Unwitting or not, she took down twelve Coldrush Guards and came within inches of assassinating the queen."
Malloryn didn't bother looking at Scott, he merely turned his attention upon the queen—whom, he'd already told Obsidian—was the only one with the power to veto the Council's vote.
A certain sort of look passed between the queen and her spymaster.
"I need her," Malloryn said softly. "She's my best, and we're dealing with the most dangerous conspiracy I've ever had the displeasure of facing. I cannot afford to lose her."
No response from the queen's expression. "You're not usually this sentimental, Malloryn."
Obsidian stepped forward, drawing all eyes. "If Malloryn's argument doesn't sway you, then consider this: my cooperation depends entirely upon Miss Townsend's fate."
"Your fate depends upon my goodwill," she retorted, "for you have worked against this country and its people, and your destiny balances on a knife's edge as it is. Donotthreaten me—"
"Alexa." A single word from the Duchess of Casavian, but the queen seemed to give it more consideration than any of the others.
"They compromised my throne room."
"It was a fright, I know, but we cannot afford to make emotional decisions. We have learned more today than we have in months." The duchess captured the queen's hand. "With this information we can be prepared for the next assault. We can even set a trap if we will it. Balfour clearly escaped justice once. It cannot be allowed to happen again. I want his head."
The queen pushed to her feet, her skirts sweeping around her ankles as she strode to the edge of the dais. "Very well, Malloryn. I shall grant Miss Townsend a temporary reprieve. You have one week to bring me the head of this Ghost and his compatriots. Someone must pay for this incursion into my bloody throne room. If it is not to be Miss Townsend, then it will be thesedhampir. Now get out of my sight."
Chapter 29
"The Core's in a former pumping station that was part of Undertown," Obsidian explained. "It's the base of all Balfour's London operations. Years ago, when the Eastern Underground Railway project was disbanded, Balfour took over the pumping station and began fitting it out as a secret facility to train his Falcons. He spent years using treasury funds to make the facility watertight, and when it was finished about fifteen years ago, the tunnels were flooded to prevent any of the local slasher gangs from taking up residence. I suspect they're not the only ones he wanted to hide from."
Malloryn gave a thin, unamused smile. "Right about the time some mysterious unknown agent stole some top-secret documents revealing the names of all his Falcon trainees, and somehow left them on the table in the Council chambers. It derailed his entire Falcon training program. Half of them vanished overnight, particularly those who turned up in the employ of the Dukes of Goethe, Vickers, Morioch, and Bleight. The prince consort was somewhat displeased with his spymaster."
Obsidian looked at Gemma. "How terribly awkward for Balfour. I wonder how someone got their hands on a list of all his student Falcons."
She smiled, just faintly, and sipped her cup of blooded tea. "Balfour must have been careless and left such a list out in plain view. Or in a locked safe, if one is being particular, but who can truly say? And I suppose if he—or his Falcons—had managed to forsake a young trainee’s loyalty and cast her to the wolves, she might have taken exception with the circumstances and chosen to do something about it. I'm not saying it was my first mission for Malloryn, but there are certainly revealing coincidences in the timeline of when I defected."
