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Evander hesitated, reluctant to voice the most disturbing revelation yet.“Whitley and Chevalier were researching magical transference.”

“Magical transference?”Viggo pulled back, his brow furrowing.“What does that mean exactly?”

“They were investigating the theoretical possibility of transferring magical abilities from one person to another.”

Viggo went deadly still.“You mean taking magic from mages and giving it to others?”he said in a dangerous voice.

“Or perhaps the reverse,” Evander said quietly.“Robbing others of their magic and giving it to dark mages.”

He could tell they were both thinking about theBlood Siphonand what it had been intended for.Viggo’s next words made his blood run cold.

“Thralls are disappearing across London.That’s why I came to find you tonight.”The Brute’s face hardened.“And now I’m beginning to wonder if this is somehow connected to your missing professors.”

“What?”Evander’s heart raced as he stared at his lover.“How many thralls?!”

“At least eighteen that we know of so far,” Viggo replied grimly.“All were in the employ of a noble.And all left suspicious resignation letters that turned up after their disappearance.There’s worse.A body was found in the Thames this morning—a thrall named James Harker.He worked for a bookbinder in Mayfair.Lord Fairfax informed us about it.”

Surprise jolted Evander.“Lord Fairfax?You mean LordAldousFairfax?!”

Viggo nodded.“The very one.”

Evander’s mind reeled.“How on earth is he involved in this?”

“The first thrall whose disappearance we became aware of was his footman, Tom Simmons.Tom’s sister came toNightshadeyesterday and requested our help.When Solomon and I visited Lord Fairfax, not only did he tell us Tom’s resignation letter had come as a bolt from the blue, he also informed us about another thrall who had just gone missing.A protégé of his by the name of Katherine Stoker.She started working at Hampton Shipping two months ago, a job Fairfax introduced her to.”

Evander’s stomach knotted.“What about the Met?Why has no one informed the authorities about these disappearances?”

Viggo’s expression grew shuttered.“Their families did, Evander.But they were ignored by the officers they talked to.”

Evander stiffened.“Surely you are jesting?!This is too grave a matter to be so summarily ignored!”

“Their reports never made their way up the chain of command, so no one made the connection between the disappearances.”Viggo clenched his jaw.“This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you.You know full well how deeply ingrained the prejudice against thralls remains, not just in the Met but in every organisation that holds authority in our society.I believe Lord Fairfax and his associates intend to visit Scotland Yard and make a case for these disappearances to be taken seriously.”

Evander opened his mouth to protest and was forced to swallow his words.He could not deny the veracity of Viggo’s words.He grabbed his drink and gulped the remainder of his whisky in one swallow, the alcohol burning a path down his throat.

He set the glass down with a sharp clink and finally regained his composure.“Is that why you didn’t come to Ginny’s dinner yesterday?”

An uncomfortable look crossed Viggo’s face.“Yes.We were still in the midst of interviewing the relatives of the thralls and other persons of interest.”He faltered.

Evander lowered his brows.“What is it?”

“We talked to a witness yesterday,” Viggo confessed quietly.“A thrall who would have become another victim if not for the fact that he was carrying a crude anti-magic object on his person.He described apparitions that sounded like shadow creatures attempting to attack him before he managed to run away.Not long after we interviewed him, a dark mage tailed me in Bethnal Green.He used shadow manipulation to make his escape.”

Evander’s pulse spiked.“What?!”He scanned the Brute from head to toe.“Did he?—?!”

Viggo shook his head.“I’m alright.”

Evander’s nails dug into his palms as he fisted his hands, his mind racing.“You believe dark mages are behind the thralls’ disappearances too?”

“I’m convinced they are,” Viggo said sourly.“The shadow creatures are proof of that.And for some reason, they are going after thralls with some sort of connection to the nobility.We’ve decided to set a trap for them.”

Evander didn’t like the sound of that one bit.“What kind of trap?”

“I requested Ginny’s assistance in the matter.Solomon is going to pretend to be one of her employees.”

Evander stared, confused.

“All the thralls who went missing disappeared at night in parts of London that are the exclusive remit of the nobility,” Viggo explained.“Belgravia, Kensington, and Mayfair are among them.Solomon will visit the areas where the thralls are known to have vanished and act as bait.”