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"Certainly not, reed Boots Who clearly felt, as Alexia did, that ra under any circumstances was uncalled for

They had barely made it off the roof and down the staircases toward Lord Akelda drone appeared before them He was a tall and comely felloith an affable face, aHe also had thedistance of Lord Akeldama She looked with shock at Boots

"New drone," Boots explained to Lady Maccon before turning afor me?"

"Rather!"

"Ah! Need a mo’ to see her ladyship squared away properly"

"Oh, no, not just you,for Lady Maccon as well Care to follow?"

Alexia looked at the young h he had crawled from somewhere smelly "Must I?"

"?’Fraid so, your ladyship Hi of the Shadow Council," explained the drone

"But it’s full moon??the dewan can’t attend"

"Several of us pointed this out to hiham, I hope?" Alexia clutched at her stomach, appalled at the very idea of any further travel

The dandy grinned "In his drawing roooodness Have Floote follow me there, would you, please? Once he’s finished with his current line of business"

"?’Course, Lady Maccon My pleasure"

"Thank you, Mr, uh, Shabuhtened his spine, took a firuided her carefully down the next few sets of stairs and into Lord Akelda rooled off

Lord Akelda for her Alexia was unsurprised to note that while she’d been dashing about London tracking an octothe most remarkable suit of tails and britches she had ever seen, candy-striped satin in cream and wine This he had paired with a pink waistcoat of watered silk, pink hose, and pink top hat His cravat, a waterfall of wine satin, was pinned with a gold and ruby pin, and ers, , Lady Maccon?" offered Boots after seeing her safely ensconced in a chair, obviously concerned over her evident physical disco she could think of that universally cured all ills

"Of course" He vanished after a quick exchange of glances with his ht in soht it, not Boots The butler left quickly but Alexia was in no doubt he’d taken up residence very close to the outside of the door

Lord Akeldama, in some distress, did not produce his harmonic auditory resonance disruptor, and Alexia did not reht need Floote’s advice on whatever occured next

"So, my lord?" said she to the vaot straight to the point Which was, in and of itself, a marker of his distress

"My precious plu in the back alleyway behind the kitchen right this very moment?"

Since Alexia was pretty darned convinced she would have spotted the octouess

"Countess Nadasdy?"

"Behind the kitchen! By ! I--" He interrupted himself "Graciouswith the violent kicking and squir in her tummy, Alexia couldn’t help but smile "Now you kno I always feel"

"She swarmed"

"Yes, finally You wouldn’t believe what it took to chivy her out of that place You’d think she was a ghost, so tightly tethered as to never be separated fro point"

Lord Akeldama sat down, took a deep breath, and coold, please don’t tell me you’re responsible for????you know" He fluttered one perfectly white hand in the air, like a dying handkerchief

"Oh, no, silly Not me Madame Lefoux"

"Oh Of course Madame Lefoux" The vampire’s expression was arrested, deadpan at this latest bit of infors and wheels of hisaway behind that effete painted face

"Because of the little Frenchhaving the upper hand for once She had never dared to hope that someday she would have more information in a crisis than Lord Akeldama

"Ah, no--Quesnel"

"Her son?"

"Not exactly hers"

Lord Akelda posture "The little towheaded lad the countess has with her? The one who ripped my jacket?"

"That sounds like Quesnel"

"What’s the hive queen doing with a French inventor’s son?"

"Ah, apparently, Angelique left a will"

Lord Akeldaold and ruby ht before Alexia’s eyes "Angelique is the boy’s real mother, and she left him to the tender care of the hive? Silly bint"