Page 55 of The Dark Hiss of Magic
Lady Augusta pouted sulkily but her eyes swung to the photo. ‘I have never seen that girl before.’
Damn it. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes.’ She tossed her head. ‘I don’t like nymphs. They’re too airy-fairy.’
This was Coldstream: half the city was airy-fairy. Lady Augusta, however, had no reason to lie. I’d have to find Adrienne by other means. ‘What about Harriet?’ I asked. ‘Where has she gone?’
This time Lady Augusta only stared at me. I stared back then allowed a beat to pass before I softened my voice and tried again. ‘She trusts me, you know that. You need to trust me, too. I’m on Harriet’s side. Tell me where she is. Please.’
Lady Augusta blinked then sighed, and I knew I had her. ‘Apparently somebody has been arrested for Knox’s murder. She has gone to the Magical Enforcement Team to find out who.’
I was already half out of the door. Thank goodness Thane was already on his way there. ‘That’s it?’ Lady Augusta yelled after me. ‘You’re just going to run off again?’
Dave’s scowling face flashed into my head and I came to a stuttering halt. ‘Thank you,’ I called. ‘Thank you for your help.’
As I left, I heard a final mutter from the Cursed Portrait. ‘You’re fucking welcome.’
Chapter
Twenty
The MET building looked normal. There was a ray of sunshine casting a glow on its grey façade, but beyond that its appearance was the same as it had been a few hours ago when Thane and I had left after our night in the cell.
Unfortunately the building didn’tsoundnormal. In fact, the shouts drifting through the open windows were loud enough to have given Lady Augusta a run for her money. Perhaps I ought to have brought her along.
Several curious passersby had stopped to listen, though the words were indistinct even if the fury wasn’t. I skirted around a group of young women. ‘We should go in and see what’s happening,’ a brown-haired druid whispered, as if she were afraid of being overheard.
‘Don’t be silly, Tabitha. It could be dangerous,’ one of her companions told her. ‘Curiosity killed the cat.’
Yeah – but satisfaction brought it back.
As I moved away from them towards the front door I heard another voice say, ‘I’m sure those were council witches storming in there. Those guys are scary.’
I stiffened, then marched into the building a little bit faster.
I was expecting a scene of carnage but it was still a shock when I saw what was going on. Lady Augusta had been correct: from the collection of furious people in the small front room, Daniel Jackson was being held in one of the MET cells. At least on one level that meant that, unless he’d already gotten to her, Adrienne was safe for now.
Some of the people inside the poorly titled Welcome Room at the front of the MET offices were hiding their anger better than others. Harriet wasn’t doing a particularly good job of concealing her emotions: her cheeks were bright red, her hair was askew and her eyes were wild. At least she had good reason for her fury.
‘I want to talk to him!’ she yelled. ‘I want to talk to the bastard witch who killed my brother!’
Theoretically that wasn’t a bad idea; as a Truth Seeker she’d could easily tell if he was lying. But the uncontrolled rage in her face, while wholly understandable, made her unpredictable – especially if she wanted to keep her ability hidden. It would be better if she waited until she was calmer, though if the four council witches had any say in the matter she would never get to speak to Daniel Jackson.
They stood in a line as if they were barricading access to the cells, their mouths tight and their spines ramrod stiff. None of them had removed their pointed black hats and none of them were shouting, but their blistering rage still filled the room.
‘Our colleague is not a killer.’
‘He is an upstanding member of the Coldstream community.’
‘There is no reason to hold him here.’
‘We shall investigate the druid’s death and find the real culprit.’ The lines slid out of their mouths with the too-smooth delivery of the over-rehearsed.
‘Lies!’ Harriet shrieked. ‘All lies!’ She stepped forward andinstantly three MET officers moved towards her as if they were afraid of what she might do.
Thane, who was beside her, put up his hands to warn them off. ‘Back away,’ he growled. ‘Don’t touch her.’
Two burly druids appeared from behind him. I didn’t recognise them but I knew their type: these weren’t the sort of laid-back fellows who formed folksy bands like the Blue Tattoos. The intricacy of the tattoos on their faces suggested that they were as close to the druidic board of governors as it was possible to get.
