Blood Spirits by Sherwood Smith

Author:Sherwood Smith
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-07-31T22:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

ALEC TURNED TO ME, dismay verging on laughter. It was so good to see that smile, though it was almost immediately quenched.

“Do you want to be here?” he asked.

“It’s either that or hide behind the couch, and I really don’t want to do that. For one thing, it’s too cold.”

He opened the far door. As he crossed into the marble entry way, he twitched his clothes straight, and I took a swipe at my chignon, which had been knocked askew.

There were two grand carved doors. He opened one and Beka stamped in, snow dusting her from her blue fuzzy hat to her neat boots. Her gaze shifted from him to me, her brow puckered in question, then cleared. “Alors, here you are, Kim! Bon. You were next.” And back to Alec, “Honoré is in the car. I’ve been all over the city looking for you. We’ve got to find a place to hide him.”

“What happened?” Alec and I asked at the same time.

Beka stopped short, took a breath, then said, “You know the Danilovs took Honoré straight back to Mecklundburg House after the funeral.”

“Yes,” he said. Then asked, “Something happened at Mecklundburg House?”

“Poison,” Beka said bluntly.

Flash! In every single surface that could reflect, Grandfather Armandros appeared: windows, the polished black table top, the oval mirrors behind the wall sconces.

I yelped.

Alec and Beka started. “What is it?” Alec asked, leaping to his feet, hands up and ready. Beka pressed her hands to her heart.

“Didn’t you see that?” I squeaked, flailing my arms in every direction.

“No,” he said.

“See what?” she said.

“Grandfather Armandros—oh, never mind.” I rubbed my eyes, and peeked. No ghost. “Poison? Someone tried to poison Honoré?”

Beka had recovered her customary poise, except for the strain around her eyes. “The only reason he isn’t dead is because he went to the bathroom to wash his hands. Shurisko got at his tray.” Her lips trembled as she added, “An innocent dog! The darling.”

“Where’s Honoré now?” Alec asked as he delved into his pocket and jangled keys.

“In my car, right outside your Vigilzhi command station,” she said. “There’s a guard stationed around it.”

“What did the von Mecklundburgs do?” Alec asked.

“This is via my mother. I haven’t spoken with any of them. She said that the family arrived home to find the poor dog, and a note from Honoré saying that he was leaving, and not to look for him. They went wild. The temporary cook they’d hired for the holidays was sacked the very first thing, though he swore to the Komandant that the food was fine when he fixed the tray—and that he even ate some of it himself. That from Danilov, who left with the cook howling that he would heave up his lunch to prove it.”

“Who took the food in?”

“Danilov says that the cook claims he handed the tray off to Luc. Who insisted he took the tray straight to Honoré’s room.”

“Who is Luc?” I asked.

“Been with the family since before I was born.” Alec’s gaze was distracted. “I’d be very surprised if he’s turned poisoner.

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