The sound of distorted speech reverberated up between the buildings.
'Blackbird? What's going on?' Niall's voice was barely audible.
'Someone left a piece of pipe outside our door with some flowers. There's a label. It just has the letter D. Niall, I think it's written in blood.'
The loudhailer came clearer the second time. 'Exit the building as quickly as you can. Extinguish all smoking material. Do not touch any light switches or show any naked flame. Move quietly and quickly. Do not panic. Do not delay to collect personal possessions. Leave now.'
'Go? Go where?' asked Claire.
'There is a mains gas leak in the building. Please leave immediately. Do not touch any electrical equipment. Do not use matches or smoking equipment. Extinguish all cigarettes immediately. Leave immediately!'
'Niall? I've got to go!'
'Where to? Deefnir's probably waiting for you!'
'If he is,' said Blackbird, 'he's going to find out how unreasonable a pregnant woman can truly be.'
She snapped the compact shut.
'Get your horseshoe,' she said to Claire. 'We have to leave.'
TWELVE
'Blackbird, what's happening…'
The sound vanished and I lost the connection. I slammed the top of the chest with my fist. I looked up into the mirror; the face there seemed distorted. Slowly, I let the anger fade. A lot of good that would do me, miles away and helpless. I pressed my hand to the mirror.
'Garvin?' The mirror glowed brightly under my hand. 'Garvin, dammit! Where are you?'
His voice came through clear after the din from the flat. 'Niall. You're not due until tonight. Can you wait two minutes?'
'Not really. Deefnir is trying to blow Blackbird up.'
'Say again?'
'You heard me.'
'Ten seconds, stay there.'
I waited, counting slowly to ten. I had reached thirteen by the time his voice came again.
'He's doing what?'
I told Garvin about Blackbird and Claire and about the gas leak. 'I'm sure he's caused it deliberately to flush them out of the building. They need help, and fast.'
'I'm thin on the ground here, Niall. I'll send someone as soon as I can, but Fellstamp's laid up, Fionh is preparing for the day's negotiations, Tate's asleep and I'm holding the watch. Amber has gone after Raffmir and Slimgrin is chasing Deefnir. I'll get a message to Slimgrin as soon as I can.'
'That won't help if he's waiting to ambush them.'
'If she'd stayed here, where we could keep an eye on her…'
'She'd likely be dead by now.'
'You don't know that.'
'Nor do you.'
'I'm trying to help, Niall, but you don't make it easy.'
'I'm going to London.'
'No! Stay there.'
'And do what? This missing-girl thing? It's a shambles.'
'Then unshamble it. You're not going to London.'
'Why not?'
'Because you'll walk straight into a trap. This is exactly what Deefnir wants. You go running in there to defend Blackbird, and he'll have every excuse to kill you.'
'He may find that harder than he thinks.'
'He may find it easier than you imagine. He's prepared and you're not. He's laid the bait and now he's dangling it in front of you.'
'She's pregnant, Garvin. Any moment now my son could be born. It could be the baby that Deefnir's after, not me.'
'Slimgrin is on it. He'll find Deefnir and bring him back here.'
'Slimgrin isn't even there.'
'You don't know that either.'
'If he's there he should be protecting them.'
'With the amount of iron they have around them, I don't suppose he can get any nearer than Deefnir can. He's a Warder, Niall. You have to learn to trust the team.'
'He's watching them?'
'We each play our part, Niall. Play yours, and let Slimgrin do his job.'
'And I'm supposed to sit here and wait for news.'
'No. You're supposed to do your job, as I'm doing mine. Altair is complaining that his retinue's deserted him. He's talking about bringing more of his court across.'
'More? But they're following his orders. He's the one that told Deefnir to go after Blackbird.'
'We both know that. Everyone knows that, but we can't openly acknowledge it.'
'So we let him bring over anyone he wants? We're already beyond our limits. If he brings more people across I'll have to come in.'
'No. You're playing into his hands again. Stay where you are. The Lords and Ladies can handle Altair. He's one where they are six.'
'He's three, likely to be four or five soon by the sound of it.'
'Krane asked him if he had anyone he could bring across that could be relied upon to follow protocol, and not just wander off sightseeing. He suggested that perhaps his grandson's inexperience in these matters hadn't made him the best choice for his retinue.'
'What did Altair say?'
'He had to admit that Deefnir wasn't as experienced as others. He could hardly admit that he had given Deefnir orders to pursue Blackbird, could he?'
'That sounds like an excuse to bring more with him, though.'
'Yes, until Yonna suggested that they each bring in two or three people from their own courts to help the visiting wraithkin become accustomed to courtly ways again. She said they couldn't help it if being exiled meant that they lost touch with fey customs and that they might make new friends.'
'Right. I see what you mean.'
'Altair thanked them for their consideration, of course, but the subject of his retinue hasn't been raised again.'
'But no one knows where they are.'
'Altair knows. The pressure will be on Raffmir and Deefnir to do what they came here for. He can't keep stalling for ever.'
'Can't they push it to a conclusion?'
'Not without cutting short the negotiations. The Feyre want to see the courts reunited. They expect their leaders to negotiate in good faith. If the negotiations break down prematurely then it could be disastrous for the High Court and for the Lords and Ladies. They have to at least give the appearance of wanting to negotiate, even if that's not why Altair is really here.'
'So we play along.'
'It's the oldest game: wait and see. It'll come out eventually. The courts will never agree to culling the gifted, so if that's his stance it'll look as if he's being intransigent and we return to the status quo. The courts continue to support the Lords and Ladies and the Untainted return to exile. It's the best outcome.'
