Page 138 of Whispers of Wisteria

It appeared that Albert wasn’t going to even try to meet me first. He was probably afraid I’d kill him. That I’d like it.

I would and I will.

But it had to be done a certain way.

Humanely.

Otherwise, Norman would file a complaint that I’d eaten his uncle. The Council would get involved.

Then it wouldn’t even matter that he was a spy. They’d say excessive force might give people the wrong idea. Make people fear us.

Plus, there was so much paperwork.

“Should I swoon?” Maria asked, so low only we could hear. “I don’t know. I didn’t prepare!”

“Do whatever you want,” I told her. “Just follow the rules.”

I turned away from her as she shook. I hoped to get this done quickly. Normally, I wouldn’t be bothered at all—not with everything going on with Bianca.

She was physically unstable and emotionally fragile. I had to protect her innocence as long as possible.

But I planned to follow up on every lead, no matter how small. Plus, we’d get the added benefit of, maybe, learning the location of the Guild’s headquarters. The Triarch had been looking for it for ages without success.

I breathed in, sorting through the smell of oil and rust, before I found them.

There, hiding in the overhang—with nets, of all things.

It wasn’t even going to be fun this time.

They descended upon us, dropping the black-threaded traps from the sky. I stood as one fell over my head, covering me to the ground, and ignored my cousin’s dramatic display beside me.

A slight burning tingled against my skin—a sign that someone had the foresight to bespell the trap.

Okay, so they weren’t as incompetent as I’d previously assumed.

Still, it wasAlbert. He’d consistently overestimated his capabilities. And he rarely noticed what was in front of him. I didn’t hold out much hope.

Norman got the best of that line’s stock.

“You idiot,” Maria hissed low to me. She’d dropped to the ground in a painful-looking position, arms and legs askew. “You’re not being convincingat all.”

I sighed. It wouldn’t even matter, but she’d never shut up otherwise.

“Oh no,” I deadpanned. “I’m trapped.”

“Not like that!” she growled. “I’ll kill you if you ruin this for me.”

I didn’t even bother to respond.

A victorious laugh sounded, and I looked up just as Albert Yates stepped from behind the building. The lanky, red-headed man tossed back his head and declared, “At long last, I’ve captured the dragon!”

I raised my eyebrow.

Just how long had he been trying to capture me? Usually, he’d run away during social functions.

Honestly, I was surprised the Guild even accepted his application. Someone had to have spoken highly of him.

“I, Albert Yates, have accomplished what few onmyoji have before.” He pointed at me. “You thought I wasn’t good enough for your Officer club, no. But in the end, I have prevailed! We have learned to harvest the power of the Underworld, and now, with the secret magic that has been bestowed upon me, you, beast, will meet your doom. Without you to defend them, your organization will fail! Then, next, the world!”