Page 27 (2/2)

"Let us say, I have a friend on the trans team He swapped out the slates so that our sender there destroyed the wrong one"

"Why bring it to BUR’s attention?"

The dewan looked a little offended by the question "I a it to the Woolsey Pack Lady Maccon, regardless of the gossip, is stil married to a olf And I am stil the dewan The vampires simply cannot be al owed to indiscriminately kil one of our own It’s not on Why, that is practical y as bad as poaching clavigers and cannot be al owed, or al standards of supernatural decency wil be lost"

"And it cannot be known that the information came from you, my lord?"

"Wel , I do have to stil ith the man"

"Ah, yes, of course" Professor Lyal was a tad surprised; it was rare for the dewan to involve himself in pack business He and Lord Maccon had never exactly liked each other ever since that fateful gaiven up cards as a result

With his usual inappropriate ti, Lord Maccon returned from his jaunt at that very moment He marched in, clad only in a cloak, which he re carelessly in the vicinity of a nearby hat stand, clearly intent on striding on to the s roo the air "Oh, hel o, Fluffy What are you doing out of your Buckinghaoodness’ sake," said Professor Lyal , frustrated "Do hush up, my lord"

"Lord Maccon, indecent as always, I see," snapped the dewan, ignoring the earl’s pet name for him

Now, bound and determined to remain nude, the earl , as it clearly had some connection with the unexpected presence of the secondconsiderable self-restraint, ignored Lord Maccon and continued his conversation with Professor Lyal as though the earl had not interrupted theentleed to persuade the West, or he would not have sent that order"

Professor Lyal frowned "Ah, well , given--"

"Official extermination mandate! On my wife!"

One would think, after twenty-odd years, Professor Lyal would be used to his Alpha’s yel ing, but he stil winced when it was conducted with such vigor so close to his ear

"That lily-livered, bloodsucking sack of rotten h noon--you see if I don’t!"

The dewan and Professor Lyal continued their conversation as if Lord Maccon weren’t boiling over next to thehts, preternaturals," Lyal spoke coldly, "are BUR’s jurisdiction"

The dewan tilted his head froreement "Yes, well , the fact reht to take s Clearly, so far as the potentate is concerned, what that woer BUR’s jurisdiction"

"That wo to kil her!" A sudden deep suspicion and sense of betrayal caused the Alpha to turn upon his Beta in accusation "Randolph Lyal , were you aware of this and yet didna tel me?" He clearly didn’t require an answer

"That’s it; I’"

"Yes, yes, well , never mind that" Professor Lyal tried unsuccessful y to calm his Alpha down "The question is, what do they think she is carrying?"

The dewan shrugged and pul ed his cloak back up over his head, preparing to leave

"I rather think that is your proble this to your attention"

Professor Lyal stood, reaching over his desk to grasp the other olf’s hand

"We appreciate you giving us this information"

"Just keep my name out of it This is a domestic matter between Woolsey and the vampires I wash my fur of the entire debacle I told you not to ood could possibly co to a soul ess" He sniffed

"You youngsters, so brash"

Lord Maccon began to protest at that, but Professor Lyal shook the dewan’s hand firers "Understood, and thank you again"

With one lastAlpha, the dewan left the office

Professor Lyal , drawing on long years of practice, said, "We have got to find Lord Akeldae in subject "Why is that vampire never around when you need him, but always around when you don’t?"

"It is an art forhed "Wel , I canna help you find the vampire, Randolph, but I do knohere the potentate has his object stashed"

Professor Lyal perked up "Our ghost overheard so A o steal the object back, before I leave to fetch my wife"

"And you stil haven’t told "

"It’s possible I was too drunk to remember"

"It’s possible, but I think not"

Lord Maccon took that as an opportunity to get dressed, leaving Professor Lyal in possession of the field but not the information

"So, about this theft?" Lyal was always one to cut his losses and move on when necessary

"It should be fun" Lord Maccon’s voice e closet

When the Alpha reeentleh va at olves who, by their very nature, were often in a tearing hurry to get dressed He himself had o around his desk and help his Alpha rebutton a lopsided waistcoat

"It should be fun, you said, this reacquisition operation, "

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Wherein Alexia Encounters Both Pesto and a

Mysterious Jar

Hadn’t we better go to the local dirigible station? Didn’t Monsieur Trouvé say he would send our luggage there?" Alexia looked down in disgust at the orange fril y dress she earing "I could very much use the comfort of my oardrobe"