“And leave moja księżniczko here to your tender mercies? When she’s already suffered this? The flower of the Order here, sworn to defend her, and a Broken werwulf has to do the job.” Christophe shook his sleek dark head. “I am sorely disappointed.”
Kir turned a deeper shade of crimson, almost matching his hair. Bruce gave Hiro a meaningful, gauging look and released him. Hiro brushed the lapels of his gray suit, his long beautiful fingers moving with spiderlike precision.
Leon finally moved. He slid behind Christophe, stepped in front of me. “You should drink more of that. You used your aspect, right? It’s getting stronger?”
I nodded. “The . . . there were three of them, and Ash . . .”
“Thank God they didn’t catch you in that cell. Even so close to blooming, you’d have been killed.” He pitched the words loud enough to make it clear he was trying to smooth the ruffled waters, or something. Nice of him.
I searched for words. “Ash went nuts. I . . . I let him out. He led me this way.”
“Away from the fighting.” An approving nod. Fine lank hair fell in Leon’s eyes. He looked just the same as he did every morning, and I was glad about that. If I just focused on him I could shut out all the rest of it. “More of them broke into your room, Milady. Tore it apart looking for you. These three were probably seeking to euthanize the Broken.”
“Euthanize? Since when do you engage in euphemisms, Leontus? You mean murder.” Christophe hadn’t relaxed at all. I got the idea none of them dared to get any closer to him. “I trust I have shamed you all sufficiently for you to remember your duty?”
Leon actually snorted. “I was where I was supposed to be, Reynard. Save your ire for whoever betrayed the exact location of this girl’s room to a cadre of nosferatu killers.”
This girl. Like I wasn’t even here. I mean, that would have suited me just fine, not being here. I shut my eyes and leaned my aching head back.
I felt her arrival like a storm front. Warm perfume clashed with the rot of vampires and a stray draft of Christophe’s apple-pie scent. The mix made me feel light-headed. It was like gas fumes just waiting for a spark.
Leon steadied me. He didn’t grind his fingers into old or new bruises, and I was grateful for that. “She’s passing out,” he remarked calmly.
“Is there anywhere here that qualifies as safe for Elizabeth’s daughter?” Christophe’s tone could have cut stone.
“Christophe.” Anna, strangely breathless. “What’s going on? What are you doing here? Kir, why hasn’t he been arrested? He’s a traitor—”
“Watch your mouth,” Christophe’s voice cut across hers. Leon was strong for someone so wiry, and I was really glad, because my knees buckled. The can of Coke hit the floor with a hollow chipping, sloshing sound. More mess to clean up. “I demand a full Trial, according to the Codes.”
“You’re outside the Codes.” You could just see Anna’s self-satisfied smirk, the way she said it. It occurred to me that she never really had anyone argue with her. She couldn’t have, not when she sounded like that. “You’re a traitor, Reynard, and you’ve overreached yourself.”
God. None of them even talk like kids. I kept my eyes shut tight. Material rustled. The temperature dropped, almost as cold as it had been a few minutes ago while the vampires were stalking Ash and me.
Christophe’s fury was like a draft of air-conditioning against already-chilled skin. “If they come any closer, Red Queen, you will lose your pretty bodyguards.”
Silence. Tense, ticking silence. I pried my eyes open and looked over Leon’s shoulder.
Anna stood behind three slim dark-haired boy djamphir. All three had red T-shirts, and I had the not-so-nice idea she’d chosen them for their looks.
Not twins, but brothers, maybe. And in red shirts? Not a good choice. Hadn’t any of them ever watched Star Trek?
Two of them had 9mms pointed at Christophe. The one in the middle—I’d seen him before—just stood, hands loose and eyes empty, staring at him. Kir, Bruce, and Hiro stood aside, Hiro shifting his weight just a fraction forward. The idea that he might just throw himself at Anna returned, circled my pain-fogged brain.
Anna’s blue gaze locked with Christophe’s. Her heart-shaped face was bloodless-pale, and her hair was a perfect mass of clustered red-tinted ringlets. She was in silk again, a tightly laced old-fashioned dress with snow-white lace around the square neckline, more lace fountaining from the cuffs.
I got the idea she’d done her makeup up special for this. Not that she needed much. She was utterly and completely beautiful, except for the hate shining in her eyes.
It was like an old Western showdown. I wouldn’t have been surprised if there were tumbleweeds.
Bruce cleared his throat. “Actually, he’s not outside the Codes.”
Anna darted him a bright, venomous glance. “I am head of the Council, and—”
“You’re svetocha,” Hiro said flatly. “The Codes are in the keeping of the princeps of the Order. Which is Bruce, as provisional head of the Council.” He paused. A ghost of nasty satisfaction tinted his tone. “A full Trial is within his purview to declare.”
“Just a goddamn second.” Kir shifted his weight as if to step forward, thought better of it when Christophe’s cold attention settled on him. “How do we know he won’t vanish again?”
“I have no intention of vanishing,” Christophe informed him. “If you want to find me, you need look no further than wherever Dru is. Her quarters are not kept secret as Anna’s are, her Guard not given class waivers as Anna’s are, her person in jeopardy”—here he elegantly tilted his head, and Anna’s lip curled for a fraction of a second before her face smoothed—“and while she’s in class, she’s in with the general population rather than being given tutors like Anna was. What, precisely, is going on here? Be so kind as to enlighten me, Kir.”
“I am the head of the Order!” Anna surged forward, petticoats rustling, and pushed past the matched djamphir. “This is Reynard! He’s a traitor! He’s Sergej’s son!”
God, she really hates him. I concentrated on beating back the dizziness threatening to swallow me.
“He’s also within the Codes to request a full Trial, Milady.” Bruce’s tone was deceptively mild.
“Council meeting, then. We’ll vote.”
Bruce straightened, drawing himself up. His chin lifted a little. “It’s not a voting issue. But if you wish to call a meeting, by all means do so. We’ll have to wait until Milady Dru is able to attend or designates a proxy, though.”
I had the idea I should protest this, but Leon shook his head. Just a little.
I just wanted to see Graves. I got the idea he would help me sort this out. Or at least if he was here I could let go of consciousness and know that things would be okay when I woke up.
If I had to, I would beg him to just lie on the bed next to me and breathe. So I could know things were all right.
The realization hit me then.
He’d probably left, the way I’d been wanting to. He probably got tired of all this, of me, and left me behind. I’d promised not to leave without him, but he hadn’t promised.
“She’s not fit to be on the Council.” Anna’s teeth were clenched so tight the words had a hard time getting out. Red sparks danced in the back of her pupils, spinning. “Bruce, you cannot—”
“I can and I will. She’s svetocha; she has a right. Remember? Your own words will come back to haunt you, Milady. I think you’d best be quiet. Especially since I intend to inquire fully into Christophe’s accusations. I did not sign a directive to put Milady Anderson into the general population.”