Fifteen

‘Where were you?’ Blue asked crossly. They’d left the others in the little conservatory and were crouched together in one of the security cubicles behind the main throne.

Pyrgus said accusingly, ‘You set your guards on me!’

‘What else was I supposed to do?’ Blue hissed furiously. ‘I sent you two messages and you ignored them.’

‘Yes, well, your little army got itself hijacked, didn’t it?’

Blue stared at him. ‘What?’

‘Your guards. They got themselves hijacked. Where do you think I’ve been all this time?’

‘That’s what I just asked you,’ Blue pointed out, exasperated.

‘I’ve been with Uncle Hairstreak,’ Pyrgus said. And that shut her up, he noted with satisfaction.

But after a moment she said, ‘Hairstreak kidnapped you?’

‘In a manner of speaking.’

‘You’re infuriating in this mood, Pyrgus. What do you mean “in a manner of speaking”?’

Pyrgus decided he’d had enough fun. ‘He put a lien on your Guard Captain. Poor fellow took me directly to him instead of you.’

‘What about the other guards?’

‘They followed orders.’

Blue stared at him thoughtfully. A lien was a very costly spell, even for somebody with Hairstreak’s wealth. He’d clearly wanted to get his hands on Pyrgus very badly.

‘Tell me the worst,’ she said.

‘Actually …’ Pyrgus said, ‘it may not be the worst. That’s why I wanted to talk to you away from the others. He’s sent you a message.’

‘About what?”

Pyrgus, who was really getting a bit too tall for the security cubicle, slid down until he was squatting comfortably on the floor. After a tiny hesitation, Blue joined him. It was the sort of huddle they used to get into as children, when life was far less complicated.

‘I don’t know whether I believe it,’ Pyrgus said quietly, ‘but this is what happened …’

Pyrgus still had his halek blade and was wondering about the political repercussions of using it on his uncle. But the very fact he still had his halek blade was peculiar. The manor was crawling with Hairstreak’s men, yet he hadn’t been searched once. That was not at all like Hairstreak, who was only alive today because he took security seriously.

For the moment, Pyrgus decided to keep his hands by his sides and wait. Hairstreak said shortly, ‘Refreshment? Ordle, or something of that sort? Or would you prefer a drink? I suppose you’re old enough for ale now, are you?’

Pyrgus thought he was, but you needed a clear head. Food held no appeal either. It was almost traditional to poison ordle when you wanted to get rid of an enemy. Four Purple Emperors had died that way in the past five hundred years. Pyrgus had been poisoned once already and had no wish to repeat the experience.

‘No, thank you,’ he said coolly.

They were standing together in what looked like a smallish dining room. There were logs burning in the grate and the smell reminded Pyrgus of the forest. Hairstreak had his back to the fire, an old trick to throw himself into silhouette and make him look threatening. But he made no attempt to sound threatening as he said, ‘I suppose I should say I’m sorry to bring you here like this.’

It was the first time Pyrgus had heard Lord Hairstreak apologise for anything. He waited.

Hairstreak said, ‘I should be talking to your sister, but she won’t see me and, quite frankly, she’s not as easy to get hold of as you are.’ He contorted his face into what he probably thought was an avuncular smile. ‘You really should pay more attention to your safety, Pyrgus.’

Pyrgus watched him, idly wondering if his uncle shouldn’t take his own advice. Three steps, four at the most, and he could have the halek buried in his stomach. If it didn’t shatter, that was that. Lord Hairstreak would be dead and the Realm would have one less problem. But it was only a very idle speculation at this stage. He waited.

Hairstreak said, ‘In any case, I want you to deliver a message to your sister.’

It occurred to Pyrgus that his sister might be wondering where he’d got to. The longer he stayed with Lord Hairstreak the more worried she was likely to get. Worried and irritated. He could live with worried, which was fun when it came to your sister. But she could get very stroppy when she was irritated.

‘What’s the message?’ he asked brusquely.

‘That the Faeries of the Nightside wish to negotiate,’ Hairstreak said.

‘Negotiate what?’ Blue asked.

‘A new relationship,’ Pyrgus said.