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Countess Nadasdy licked her lips "And yet, I ary"

The Frenchwo his hands on her shoulders "You don’t want the queen to take fro yourself in her place, are you? That’s very generous Especially considering how cautious you have been with your blood since you came to us"

Madame Lefoux pushed her hair back behind her ears, defiantly She’d let it grow longer since beco a drone, but it was still too short for a woman She offered up her wrist without protest The countess sank in her fangs Madame Lefoux looked away

"Perhaps the ested Alexia, unco Genevieve’s pretend disinterest At which juncture they did, leaving Madame Lefoux dismissive, Mabel Dair drained, Dr Cedes distracted, and the countess still at tea

Fenchurch Street wasn’t Alexia’s favorite station It was too close to the London Docks and, of course, the Tower of London There was sohosts that would not be exorcized, that gave her the squiruests who had overstayed their welcohted It was the quietest tiht, so there were no porters to be found Lady Maccon sat in the first-class waiting roo went to see about a hackney

A h the door just after Channing vanished out of sight Alexia knew there were such people about London, but not in her part of the city! His hair was long and shaggy His face was sunburned like that of a sailor His beard was ferocious and untended However, Alexia did not fear him, for the man appeared to be in a state of extreme distress, and he knew her name

"Lady Maccon! Lady Maccon"

He spoke with a Scottish accent His voice was vaguely familiar, for all that it was faint and cracked For the life of her, Alexia couldn’t place that gaunt, cooked-lobster face, not under all that unkempt

She looked down her nose at the man "Do I know you, sir?"

"Yes, my lady Dubh" He cracked a weak smile "I’m a mite different from when you sawthe case Dubh had not been a particularly handsohtly A Scotsed her preferences seemed to lean in that direction In the past, the ed in a bout of fisticuffs with Conall that destroyed ues "Why, Mr Dubh, what has brought about such a need for the barber? Are you unwell? Have you been the victie?"

Alexia ainst the jaht down it and fold up upon the floor

"No,you I could not stand your touch"

"But, my dear sir, let me summon help You have beenfor you I could send Major Channing to fetch--"

"No, please, my lady, only listen I have waited to catch you alone ’Tis a matter for you alone Your household… your household is nae safe It is nae contained"

"Do go on"

"Your da… what he did… in Egypt You need tae stop it"

"What? What did he do?"

"The unshot fired clear and sharp in the silence of the station Lady Maccon cried out as a bloom of red blood appeared on Dubh’s chest The Beta looked utterly surprised, raising both hands to cup over the wound

He pitched forward, facedown, showing that he had been shot in the back

Alexia clasped her hands together and willed herself to stay away, although all her instincts urged her to help the injured s, "Major Channing, Major Channing, co untoward has occurred"

The Ga speed only supernaturals could achieve He immediately crouched over the fallen olf

He sniffed "Kingair Pack? The ht he went ypt"

"It appears he recently returned Look--beard, tan, loss of flesh He’s beendoes that to a olf"

"The God-Breaker Plague"

"Can you think of a better explanation? Except, of course, that he is back here, in the country He should be a olf once more"

"Oh, he is, or I wouldn’t be able to s with confidence "He’s not mortal, only very, very weak"

"Then he’s not dead?"

"Not yet We’d better get hiht well be Take care, o first"

"But," said Alexia, "I have Ethel" She withdrew the s rolled his eyes

"Onward!" Alexia trotted out of the waiting rooun at the ready

Nothing happened

Theyoffered the driver triple the fare for double the speed They would have made it back home in record time had there not been a fire in Cheapside that caused thele yell fro It was getting near to dawn, so the house was full, clavigers waking up and olves preparing for bed The injured Kingair Beta caused quite a hubbub He was taken carefully inside and into the back parlor, while runners were sent to BUR to fetch Lord Maccon and Lady Kingair

Dubh was looking worse, his breath rasped Alexia was genuinely concerned for his survival She sat down on the couch opposite, feeling utterly ineffectual, as she could not even pat his hand or wipe his brow