Wizard.
We passed several other Einherjaren as I walked through the building, and opened the door to the conference room without knocking.
Mab was inside, seated at one end of the table, her expression distant and implacable, her back ramrod-straight. Her dress and her hair were both pitch-black, as were her eyes, all the way across her sclera. She was here, then, in her aspect of Judgment.
People die when Mab shows up in black. The last time Id seen her in that outfit, two Faerie Queens had bled out onto the soil of Demonreach.
Seated at her right hand, wearing a charcoal-grey suit, was Gentleman Johnnie Marcone, Baron of Chicago under the Unseelie Accordsand made so, at least in part, by my own signature. There might have been slightly more silver at his temples than the last time Id seen him, but it only made him look more distinguished. Otherwise, he looked exactly as he always did: calm, alert, impeccably groomed, and as merciful as a lawn mowers blade.
You could have told me from the beginning, I said to Mab.
She regarded me with flat black eyes and tilted her head, a curiously birdlike gesture.
You were balancing the scales with Nicodemus, I said. But it was never about paying back a favor. And it wasnt about foiling his scheme. This was full-scale political vengeance.
Very, very slowly, Mab lifted her hands and placed them flat on the table in front of her. Her nails were black and looked sharp enough to slice silk.
You set Nicodemus up from the very beginning, I said. You, Hades, and Marcone.
Marcone tilted his head from one side to the other and said nothing.
Its the only thing that makes sense, I said. Why you sent Molly awaybecause shed have known you were up to something. Why the plans to Marcones vault were available. Why the bodies got cleaned up, and why the cops didnt crawl all over this thing when it was done. Hell, theyre probably spinning the shoot-out and the explosions as some kind of terrorist attack. And Ill bet you anything that the squires found themselves offered a new job, now that their demigod has fallen from grace. Right?
A ghost of a smile haunted Marcones lips.
Nicodemus violated your Accords, I said to Mab. He kidnapped Marcone. He abducted the emissary appointed under the Accords. This was your payback. You arranged for him to get the details about Hades vault. I turned to Marcone. You built your vault specifically to create the link so that a Way could be opened there. All so you could set Nicodemus up, years after he wronged you both. I met Mabs unwavering gaze and said, And you dealt him the worst pain you could imagine. You took away his daughter. No, you did even worseyou made him do it himself.
Neither of them said anything.
But Mabs raven black nails sank a fraction of an inchinto the wood of the table, and her void black eyes glittered.
Now hes lost his lieutenant, I continued. Hes lost his squires. When word gets out of his treachery, hell lose his name. No one will want to work with him. No one will deal with him. From where youre standing, youve done worse than kill him. Youve wounded him, strangled his power, and left him to suffer.
A long moment of silence passed.
I turned to Marcone. And what did you get out of it? You got to build the vault, and to secure the clientele who use it. My money says that Hades was your first depositor. That when he made that gesture of trust in you, others followed his exampleand that now youre holding in trust a treasure trove like none in the supernatural world. And if you got a little payback on Nicodemus as a side effect of that, you didnt mind it at all. And youll have plenty of money to pay to have him hounded down, now that hes been weakened.
Marcones eyes, the exact green shade of old dollar bills, focused pleasantly on me. Still, he said nothing.
Then Mab finally spoke, her voice sepulchral. Do you have a point, my Knight?
I wanted you to know that I knew, I said. Then I turned to Marcone. There were people involved in the robbery. People who arent otherwise involved in this affair.
People who violated my territory, nonetheless, Marcone said quietly.
While helping you get your vengeance, I said. Go after Nicodemus as hard as you want. Leave the rest of them out of it. They took nothing from you.
They took the life of one of my employees, Marcone said.
The woman who did that is dead already, I said. And I tossed the cash box onto the conference table. It landed with an impressive thump.
Mab frowned.
Marcone raised his eyebrows briefly. And what is this?
Its weregild, I said. You know the word?
Salic Code, he replied, instantly. Blood money.
Thats right, I said. Thats for your dead employees family. Take care of them with it. And leave my people out of it. It ends here.
Marcone considered the box and then me. And if I should disagree with your terms?
Then you and I are going to have a serious problem, I said. I turned to Mab and added, Right here. Right now.
Mabs eyes widened.
If I threw down on Marcone, any number of things could happenbut one of them would certainly be a major disgrace for Mab. She was a guest under Marcones roof. For her Knight and instrument to betray that trust would utterly destroy her name in the worldand whats more, she knew it.
We passed several other Einherjaren as I walked through the building, and opened the door to the conference room without knocking.
Mab was inside, seated at one end of the table, her expression distant and implacable, her back ramrod-straight. Her dress and her hair were both pitch-black, as were her eyes, all the way across her sclera. She was here, then, in her aspect of Judgment.
People die when Mab shows up in black. The last time Id seen her in that outfit, two Faerie Queens had bled out onto the soil of Demonreach.
Seated at her right hand, wearing a charcoal-grey suit, was Gentleman Johnnie Marcone, Baron of Chicago under the Unseelie Accordsand made so, at least in part, by my own signature. There might have been slightly more silver at his temples than the last time Id seen him, but it only made him look more distinguished. Otherwise, he looked exactly as he always did: calm, alert, impeccably groomed, and as merciful as a lawn mowers blade.
You could have told me from the beginning, I said to Mab.
She regarded me with flat black eyes and tilted her head, a curiously birdlike gesture.
You were balancing the scales with Nicodemus, I said. But it was never about paying back a favor. And it wasnt about foiling his scheme. This was full-scale political vengeance.
Very, very slowly, Mab lifted her hands and placed them flat on the table in front of her. Her nails were black and looked sharp enough to slice silk.
You set Nicodemus up from the very beginning, I said. You, Hades, and Marcone.
Marcone tilted his head from one side to the other and said nothing.
Its the only thing that makes sense, I said. Why you sent Molly awaybecause shed have known you were up to something. Why the plans to Marcones vault were available. Why the bodies got cleaned up, and why the cops didnt crawl all over this thing when it was done. Hell, theyre probably spinning the shoot-out and the explosions as some kind of terrorist attack. And Ill bet you anything that the squires found themselves offered a new job, now that their demigod has fallen from grace. Right?
A ghost of a smile haunted Marcones lips.
Nicodemus violated your Accords, I said to Mab. He kidnapped Marcone. He abducted the emissary appointed under the Accords. This was your payback. You arranged for him to get the details about Hades vault. I turned to Marcone. You built your vault specifically to create the link so that a Way could be opened there. All so you could set Nicodemus up, years after he wronged you both. I met Mabs unwavering gaze and said, And you dealt him the worst pain you could imagine. You took away his daughter. No, you did even worseyou made him do it himself.
Neither of them said anything.
But Mabs raven black nails sank a fraction of an inchinto the wood of the table, and her void black eyes glittered.
Now hes lost his lieutenant, I continued. Hes lost his squires. When word gets out of his treachery, hell lose his name. No one will want to work with him. No one will deal with him. From where youre standing, youve done worse than kill him. Youve wounded him, strangled his power, and left him to suffer.
A long moment of silence passed.
I turned to Marcone. And what did you get out of it? You got to build the vault, and to secure the clientele who use it. My money says that Hades was your first depositor. That when he made that gesture of trust in you, others followed his exampleand that now youre holding in trust a treasure trove like none in the supernatural world. And if you got a little payback on Nicodemus as a side effect of that, you didnt mind it at all. And youll have plenty of money to pay to have him hounded down, now that hes been weakened.
Marcones eyes, the exact green shade of old dollar bills, focused pleasantly on me. Still, he said nothing.
Then Mab finally spoke, her voice sepulchral. Do you have a point, my Knight?
I wanted you to know that I knew, I said. Then I turned to Marcone. There were people involved in the robbery. People who arent otherwise involved in this affair.
People who violated my territory, nonetheless, Marcone said quietly.
While helping you get your vengeance, I said. Go after Nicodemus as hard as you want. Leave the rest of them out of it. They took nothing from you.
They took the life of one of my employees, Marcone said.
The woman who did that is dead already, I said. And I tossed the cash box onto the conference table. It landed with an impressive thump.
Mab frowned.
Marcone raised his eyebrows briefly. And what is this?
Its weregild, I said. You know the word?
Salic Code, he replied, instantly. Blood money.
Thats right, I said. Thats for your dead employees family. Take care of them with it. And leave my people out of it. It ends here.
Marcone considered the box and then me. And if I should disagree with your terms?
Then you and I are going to have a serious problem, I said. I turned to Mab and added, Right here. Right now.
Mabs eyes widened.
If I threw down on Marcone, any number of things could happenbut one of them would certainly be a major disgrace for Mab. She was a guest under Marcones roof. For her Knight and instrument to betray that trust would utterly destroy her name in the worldand whats more, she knew it.
