Book 3: Chapter 71 (2/2)

“Yes,” the man said. “We’ve sighted it, but after it flew over Viscount Tori’s land, we lost track of it. There’s some kind of magic interfering with our tracking techniques.”

“Don’t try to find it,” Mary said, still staring at the ceiling. “It’s too strong to kill. Locating it will only antagonize it and bring about greater trouble. Before I could kill the devil, the dragon interfered and took it away.”

“I understand,” the man said. “My liege….”

Mary waited, but the man didn’t say anything else. She sat up and tilted her head at him. “What is it?”

“Have you”—the man’s forehead wrinkled as he hesitated and bit his lower lip—“heard anything about Sir Zyocuh?”

“About Uncle?” Mary asked. Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? Are people spreading rumors about him even though he’s dead?”

“No, that’s not it,” the man said and shook his head. A bead of sweat formed on his forehead, but it was instantly absorbed by the cloth covering his face. “Forget I said anything, my liege.”

Mary stared at the man without saying a word.

“I’m hungry!” Emile squawked and smacked Mary’s thigh with his wing. A metallic ringing noise echoed through the foyer, and Emile flinched as he waved his wing back and forth. “Ow. That hurt.”

“Emile! Can’t you see she’s busy intimidating someone?” Susan asked. “You’re ruining the atmosphere.”

Mary sighed as she scooped up the phoenixes. She narrowed her eyes at the kneeling man. “My good friend, Tafel, will be attending the banquet. She must be treated with the utmost respect. If I hear even a single complaint about the banquet from out of her mouth, I’ll disband Shadows and create a newer, more competent intelligence network.”

“M-my liege,” the kneeling man said.

Mary tilted her chin up as she walked away, two phoenixes tucked under her armpits.