Emerald Blaze

Oh fuck.

“Your magic doesn’t work on animals or constructs,” he said. “But it worked at some level on that thing. And no construct is capable of telepathy.”

“She put a human brain into the Kraken,” I whispered. Oh no.

“She wanted the decision-making capability of a human,” Alessandro said. “She used a male telepath, stuck him into her fucking toy, and then gave it the Osiris serum.”

I pulled into the parking lot past the guard.

“If this gets out . . .” Alessandro said.

Somebody else would do it too. No matter how horrific, no matter how revolting, it worked, and someone else would replicate it. Regina was right. Cheryl had to die, and fast.

“I can’t think about that right now.” I shut off the engine. “I have to survive the next hour. Will you be here when I’m done?”

Cold fire flashed in Alessandro’s eyes. “Even if you ordered me away, I wouldn’t go far. That thing is fixated on you. He will try again, and when he does, I’ll be waiting.”

Grandma Victoria waited for me in the gardens. She sat at a picnic table, bordered by roses. The heavy blossoms framed her, as if she were a priceless work of art. She wore a white summer dress that fell to midcalf with tiny pink flowers on the bodice that grew larger toward the hem. A pale-blue shawl of complex lace draped her shoulders. Strappy leather sandals hugged her feet. Her toenails were painted bright blue. Her silver hair crowned her head in a stylish updo and her makeup was perfect, as always.

The only indication that we were in a prison and not in some mansion’s English garden was the table, a heavy monstrosity of thermoplastic, with benches attached.

A platter with a teapot and two cups waited on the table. I approached, picked up the teapot, and poured the tea. If I wasn’t at my best, if I was a touch slow or said a wrong word, my grandmother would strike. She wouldn’t hesitate, and if I was very lucky, I would be the only target.

I handed her cup to her and sat.

Victoria’s gaze pinned me, her eyes merciless. “You burned Giacone.”

Right to the point. “He was clumsy and obvious. A liability. Munoz already suspected him, and I needed a sacrificial goat to establish trust.”

My grandmother narrowed her eyes. “Or you wanted my informant out of the way.”

I smiled. “Why not both?”

She drank her tea. I had jumped the first hurdle.

“Tell me about it.”

I summarized the events related to Audrey’s murder, starting with Giacone and Munoz and ending with Leon shooting the illusion mage in the face.

“Have you found the leak?” Victoria asked.

“Yes. Leon told Albert Ravenscroft about Audrey.”

“Do you need ammunition to lean on the Ravenscrofts?”

“No. I have my own.”

Victoria’s gaze fastened on me. “You’re hesitating.”

“I have my reasons.” Pressuring the Ravenscrofts could backfire. I would have preferred to do it with a scalpel. Instead I had a hammer, and once I smashed their House with it, they would either submit or go on the offensive. I was already fighting a war on multiple fronts. I didn’t need another.

“Now isn’t the time to be subtle. If they try to retaliate, I’ll handle it.”

I sipped my tea. I didn’t love Albert, but I didn’t hate him. This would be unpleasant.

“You don’t have to like it,” my grandmother continued. “Someone obtained confidential information and attacked your House. Do it or I will.”

“If you tug too hard on my leash, I’ll turn around and bite.”

I smiled and refilled her cup. Showing any weakness in front of her was like pouring blood into shark-infested waters.

She reached over and put her fingers under my chin, lifting my face so she could peer into my eyes. I met her gaze and saw approval.

“Good girl,” Victoria Tremaine told me. “Remember who you are. Don’t ever let people bully you.”

“I’ll take care of the Ravenscrofts.” If I took the coward’s way out and let her do it, there would be nothing left of Albert’s House.

“I know you will.” She let me go. “What is this Pit matter?”

A flashback to Linus’ study, his face, his dark eyes. Do me this favor . . . “A favor for Linus.”

Victoria’s magic brushed by me, oh so subtle. I welcomed it. To lie to a truthseeker, you had to tell the truth.

“Why is he involved?”

“The dead man asked him for help. Linus was too late.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “How utterly predictable. Linus always had an ego. Being the savior of his rival’s son would appeal to him. Now the fool will throw all his resources at fixing it. The safety of the House is your priority. Backburner it if you have to.”

“I took the job. MII is involved and I don’t want to offend Linus, Augustine, or Morton. Too many enemies for too little gain.”

“Morton is a tiger with rotten teeth, but Linus is valuable, and Augustine has potential. Very well. Do as you must.”

“I’m planning on it.”

“Kazarian is a simpleton,” Victoria said. “Jiang will do anything to save face. Both are completely devoted to family. Use it as a lever. Pierce is a rabid bitch but she isn’t stupid. She’ll bite if you back her into a corner, but her family made no moves to retaliate in any way after Adam’s conviction. They value public opinion.”

“What about Castellano?”

“Her charitable contributions have doubled in the last six months.”

My grandmother had known everything there was to know about the Pit project before I even came through the door.

Victoria leaned forward. “Never trust an altruist. Humans are selfish creatures. The only people who give away money either haven’t earned it or are trying to buy prestige or absolution with it. She has prestige. What has she done that she needs to atone so badly?”

You have no idea.

She looked off into the distance, the line of her mouth firm, her gaze hard. Frustration emanated from her, like hot air rising from scalding asphalt. I lost her for a moment. My grandmother was imagining five minutes alone with Cheryl. There was something about Cheryl Castellano she didn’t know, and it was killing her. I didn’t want to know exactly what she was thinking, but it probably involved cracking Cheryl’s mind like a walnut and picking out pieces of the shell looking for the good bits.

Would she be horrified when she found it or impressed?

“I’ll find out,” I told her.

Victoria snapped out of it. The corners of her mouth curled slightly. “It’s a race. Let’s see who gets there first.”

We sipped our tea. Another hurdle done.

“How far along is your sister?”

Do not react.

“Nevada is almost ready to give birth,” I said. “Would you like to be at the hospital?”

My grandmother raised her eyebrows. “House Rogan’s children do not interest me.”

“It’s your great-grandchild.”

“Your child will be my great-grandchild. Possibly Arabella’s, if she stays with the House. Nevada’s children belong to Arrosa. Let her dote. I’m not interested. Unless, of course, I’m forced to consider all my options. I’m sure there are ways I can use the child, or the mother, to my advantage if the circumstances require it.”

She looked directly into my eyes.

Ice burst through me. I fought her on the Ravenscrofts, and she just snapped my leash. This was a quid pro quo.

“Nothing is going to happen to my sister’s baby,” I said, my voice breezy. “Nevada will have a wonderful birth and will return home with her child, unhurt.”

Victoria smiled. “Or?”

“Or I’ll hit back and then I’ll excise myself.”

Excision meant being disowned and shunned. When a House excised someone, that person became a stranger. My grandmother wanted House Baylor to survive and she’d decided I was the only one who could deliver. She went for the jugular and I had to match her.

“You think I would stoop so low?” she asked.

“Absolutely.”

She chuckled. It chilled me to the proverbial bone.

“Your Italian is back in town.”

We changed the subject again. The terms had been set and understood. My grandmother was moving on.

“He is.”

“Remember what you promised me.”

“How could I forget?”

“Good,” Victoria said. “He’s powerful. Use him, sleep with him if you must, but do not commit.”

I was so tired of everyone telling me what to do about Alessandro.

“Remember, you belong to your House.”

“I know,” I told her.

We drank our tea.

“Grandmother, suppose you have a group of people in a large area with many routes of escape. You have to kill every single one of them but don’t have the resources to surround their territory. How would you do it?”

Victoria smiled. “You’re finally asking interesting questions. Does this group have a leader?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s simple, my dear. Offer him what he wants, and he will bring his people to you to get it.”