Strange Aeons [Book 1]

Epilogue: Bad Omens

Zachariah never really liked being in the direct presence of his Head of the House. Algernon Leshrac emanated an aura of peril even just by staring out of the window while he was deciding if it was already time to directly speak to you. They had been there, in that deep, awkward silence for over fifteen minutes, with Zachariah slowly and painfully shifting his weight from one leg to the other with the utmost discomfort, shivering in thinking that perfect stillness was what was required to be addressed by the tall man with the cane.

«I don't have all day, Zachariah,» Algernon said. Zachariah sprung to action.

«Thanatos sent the report. Titania had spilled something. She says that there's stirring from the Undertide, and some are willing, and probably helping, the werepeople. But she claims it's not them.»

«Her words.»

«I know, it's just her words and we have no way to...»

«No, you dimwit.» Algernon's shoulders hardened. «I want to hear her exact words.»

Zachariah struggled with his pockets, picking out a lot of stuff he didn't want to take out and letting it fall on the floor, in a rush of panic. No age, no amount of experience in the backstabbing reality of the Council could ever prepare you to a personal audience with Algernon Leshrac.

«Here it is.» he said, trying not to sound too relieved, and passing his eyes on the small piece of paper he had extracted from his inner pocket. «"There is great unrest in the Undertide for their cause: some just want to watch, but others are meddling and helping. But, rest assured, their fight is not ours." Oh, and that the culprit is "dear to her heart." But we didn't understand if she meant the Undertide helper or the mole she much more clearly said we have in our ranks.» he read.

Algernon thought, in silence. But Zachariah was too hyped to keep appeasing his need for control over the conversation.

«So, we can rule out the fairies. It must be the demons.»

«It's not them. At least, not the ones who count. I already spoke to Him.» Algernon replied. «It's the fairies.»

«But she said "their fight isn't ours", and she can't lie.»

«You won't sound like an illiterate D'Yves under my roof, Zachariah Leshrac!» Algernon turned, abruptly, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous fire of wrath. «Fairies can't lie, but they are masters of hiding the lies beneath layers of truth, and that's what Titania, as usual, did.»

Zachariah felt cold sweat forming on his forehead, but it only helped him think. His eyes lit up with a sudden awareness that seemed to calm Algernon's dissatisfaction.

«The Fairy Court is internally divided. By "ours" Titania means her side of the Court, the Unseelie Fairies. While...»

«... Oberon and his own Seelie Fairies are, quite clearly, someone dear, but not hers.» Algernon didn't even let him finish, his eyes closing to a slit, as he turned again towards the window, worry creeping on his features «This is bad, my boy. This is really, really bad indeed.»

«Oh, it's not so bad!» Banshee exclaimed, serving Garaham a second helping of Shepherd's Pie «River covered our asses, didn't he?»

«More like covered his own by not exposing all of ours.» he gruntled, mindlessly starting to eat again. «The problem remains. The fact that he did could mean only one thing.»