Page 42
Story: Stolen Magic
Hargrove made a face.“It’s a compliment, Mrs.S.Ninjas are esteemed warriors on the other side of the world.I guess you missed what our Lord just said.The French chump he shall be dining with tonight is none other than Comte Beaulieu.”
Mrs.Sinclair blinked, nonplussed.
“The count is in London?”she asked Evander warily, ignoring Hargrove the repeat offender.
“Yes.”Evander sighed at the manservant and the housekeeper’s uncomfortable expressions.“Leon is an Arcane Investigator working for the French authorities.He arrived in England this morning and will be participating in a joint investigation with the Met.I have no say in the matter.”
“Well, this is going to put the cat among the pigeons,” Hargrove muttered darkly.“You best not let Mr.Stonewall see you two together.”
Evander bristled at the warning.“It’s not as if Leon and I are intending to resume our former relationship.”
“Yourintimaterelationship,” Hargrove corrected.
“Mr.Hargrove!”Mrs.Sinclair gasped.
“What?”Hargrove said with a shrug.“It’s not exactly a lie.”He narrowed his eyes.“I must admit though, there’s no way that Frenchman could keep up with the Ironfist Brute when it comes to satisfying his Grace.”He paused deliberately.“Sexually, I mean.”
Heat suffused Evander’s face.
Mrs.Sinclair looked like she was contemplating walloping Hargrove over the head with the closest blunt object.
“If you’ve quite finished talking about my personal affairs, I would like you to send a message toNightshaderequesting Mr.Stonewall visit me tonight,” Evander instructed the manservant coolly.
A salacious twinkle appeared in Hargrove’s eyes.
“Don’t,” Evander warned, his ears hot as he realised belatedly how the command might come across.
He climbed the stairs to his chambers while Hargrove departed to make the arrangements, his thoughts churning.Not just about the case, but about Leon himself.
Seeing his former lover again after six years had stirred memories better left undisturbed.Their parting had been less than friendly—bitter words had been exchanged, promises broken, and hearts irrevocably wounded.
Evander could not deny that he had once loved the Frenchman.But he was over him.Had been for years.Yet Leon seemed intent on acting as though those final painful weeks of their relationship had never happened.
Evander swallowed a sigh as he entered his bedchamber.Tonight’s dinner would be a delicate balancing act.He would have to extract valuable information from Leon while maintaining an appropriate distance.It was a challenge he wasn’t particularly looking forward to facing.And it made him feel guilty towards Viggo even though he knew he wasn’t doing anything wrong.
Chapter19
Viggo and Solomonstudied the two handwritten notes on the weathered oak desk in his office inNightshade.One was the resignation letter Tom Simmons had supposedly sent to Lord Fairfax.The other was a shopping list Emma Simmons had brought in that day, a mundane document that now held potentially vital clues.According to her, her brother had written it a week before his disappearance.
“The slant of some of the letters is wrong,” Solomon finally murmured, his brow furrowed.He pointed out the difference between the two notes.“Look at how he formed his S’s and T’s.”He straightened.“I doubt this resignation letter was written by Tom Simmons.”
“So you do think it’s a forgery?”Viggo asked grimly.
“Yes,” Solomon replied.
Viggo frowned heavily.This confirmed what they had already suspected.
Tom Simmons had not willingly left Lord Fairfax’s employ.
He became conscious of Solomon fidgeting beside him.“What is it?”
Solomon scratched his cheek awkwardly.“Although I’m certain it’s a fake, it wouldn’t hurt to get it confirmed by the Met.Especially after what happened to you last night.”
Viggo hid his surprise at that.Still, he was pleased his friend was coming around to the idea that they should involve the authorities.After all, there were more important things at stake here than their pride.
Besides, these dark mages are watching our every move.Which means whatever their mission is, it’s far from over.
“I shall inform Evander straightaway about these disappearances and our findings so far.”Viggo rose to his feet.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114