Herbie Brennan - Ruler of the Realm

‘You were less enthusiastic when the matter was first raised, as I recall.’ Hamearis took another enormous draught from his goblet.

‘Oh, I grant you I had my doubts. To be frank, Burgundy, I feared my niece might react the way she did – a very stubborn child, very suspicious and just as set against the Faeries of the Night as her father ever was.’

Hamearis set his wine down on the table. ‘What have you done with her?’ he asked.

The question was not entirely unexpected. Hairstreak allowed himself the ghost of a smile. ‘Are they saying I abducted her?’

‘There’s speculation…’

Hairstreak held his eye. ‘Let me tell you, here and now as an old friend, I had nothing whatsoever to do with Blue’s disappearance. I did not plan it. I did not engineer it. I have not the slightest idea how it was carried out or where she is now.’ He glanced away, then added, ‘Although my people are working very hard to find out.’

After a moment Hamearis said, ‘I believe you, Blackie.’ He picked up his wine again. ‘Frankly, I never thought you did it. Not that I don’t think you’re capable, but a cover story like that – she simply vanished. It just isn’t your style.’ He frowned. ‘I’d like to know who did take her, though. What actually happened?’

‘She simply vanished,’ Hairstreak said, and smiled. His features sobered and he shrugged. ‘That’s literally how it happened. The boy from the Analogue World tried to take her out. Pelidne tried to stop him. The boy killed Pelidne, then both he and Queen Blue disappeared.’

‘He couldn’t have taken her to the Analogue World, could he?’

‘I don’t see how,’ Hairstreak said. ‘But I didn’t ask you here to discuss mysteries. Blue is gone. Our proposals have been rejected. We need to plan our strategy.’

‘We need to get the Queen back,’ Hamearis said bluntly. ‘There’s a Countdown on.’

‘I heard that rumour,’ Hairstreak said easily. ‘I doubt it’s true.’

‘It’s true all right,’ Hamearis said. ‘I had it from my intelligence people.’

Hairstreak looked at him, thunderstruck. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Wonder why your spooks didn’t tell you?’

Hairstreak was wondering the same thing. Heads would roll. Besides which, protocol demanded an active Countdown be reported to all interested parties. Blue should have done it when she put it in place. The Acting Emperor should have confirmed it the moment she went missing. Who was the Acting Emperor anyway? Pyrgus, he supposed – he didn’t really know. He stared at Hamearis in horror. He could scarcely believe the enormity of the betrayal. Or of his own stupidity for not anticipating it. The blunt truth was he’d underestimated Blue. Came of thinking of her as a child.

‘How long?’ he asked.

‘Three days.’

‘From her visit or her disappearance?’

‘Same thing, from what I gather.’

‘Yes, you’re right.’ Hairstreak stared at him thoughtfully. ‘This changes everything.’

Hamearis grinned. ‘It certainly changes the timing. What were you up to, Blackie?’

‘Up to?’

Hamearis moved in his chair. ‘Oh, come on – you never favoured the offer of negotiation. You wanted to attack at once while the Faeries of the Light had a child as a leader. So did I -’

‘So did you?’ Hairstreak exclaimed. ‘You voted against me in Council!’

‘Of course I did,’ Hamearis said easily. ‘You had no backing. But that’s all changed now. What’s your plan?’

Hairstreak hesitated for a heartbeat, then said, ‘Surprise attack. Catch them off guard.’ He glanced away and added sourly, ‘I didn’t anticipate a Countdown.’

Hamearis leaned forward. ‘There may be a way to regain the initiative.’

Hairstreak looked back at him at once. ‘What do you suggest?’

Burgundy was every inch the seasoned warrior. ‘Decapitate the beast,’ he said. ‘They’ve already lost their child Queen. I say remove the rest of their command structure. Assassinate Prince Pyrgus and any other royal in line for the throne. Kill the head of their Intelligence Service. That old witch has been a thorn in our side for far too long. Kill their Analogue Gatekeeper – what’s his name? Fogarty? Kill your sister Quercusia. She’s mad, but she’s royal blood and could become a rallying point. Once that’s done, the way’s clear to mount a pre-emptive strike on the palace and take out the Generals. With their command structure gone, the Lighters will turn into sheep. We can step in and take over – you can step in and take over. It’s a limited operation, Hairstreak. I can organise it for you – I’ll use the Assassins’ Guild so nothing can be traced back to us. We can manage it easily before the Countdown expires.’

Hairstreak stared at him for a moment, then said, ‘Do it.’

The room was a featureless white cube, about eighteen feet across. There were no furnishings, no doors or windows, no curtains or carpeting, although the floor was slightly soft underfoot. She couldn’t see a light source, but there was light, a soft, white illumination that was neither too bright nor too dark. She still had no idea how they got here.

Henry was squatting on the floor, his back against one wall. His eyes were shut, but she knew he wasn’t asleep.

‘You can’t keep me here for ever!’ Blue exclaimed. It would have no effect, but saying something broke the sameness of the place. She was already beginning to lose track of time.

‘They’ll come for us soon,’ Henry said, without opening his eyes.

‘ Who’ll come for us soon?’ Blue demanded, not for the first time.

Henry didn’t answer. Henry never answered that one. Henry, Blue thought, had gone mad.

‘I need a loo!’ she said suddenly.

‘The room will absorb waste,’ Henry told her.

‘You want me to go in the corner?’ she asked angrily. She was furious with Henry, furious for the way he kidnapped her, furious for the way he was behaving now. There was nothing of the old Henry in him.

‘I don’t want you to go at all,’ he said off-handedly. She couldn’t believe the change in him. It was as if he didn’t care. For her or for anything else. He’d been so dominant, so aggressive as they left her uncle’s mansion. But since they arrived here he hadn’t moved.

‘I’m hungry!’ Blue told him loudly, hoping for a sensible response.

‘There’s no food,’ Henry said. ‘But they’ll come for us soon.’

Who’ll come for us? Somehow she was afraid to ask the obvious question. She couldn’t believe Henry might be working for Lord Hairstreak – it was unthinkable. But he had to be working for somebody . And they were coming soon.

Nothing made any sense. If her uncle planned to move against her – planned to kidnap or kill her, let’s not mince words here – why involve Henry at all? Hairstreak already had her in his power. No guards at all at first, and later no better protection than one injured Trinian. He could have -

She stopped mid-thought. Hairstreak didn’t want it known he’d kidnapped her. He couldn’t do the deed in his own mansion. That was why he involved Henry! It was all so simple.

Blue suddenly realised she was thinking the unthinkable. All the pieces fitted. Henry had betrayed her to her uncle. She looked over at him and felt sick to her stomach. What had Hairstreak offered him?

She wondered what he’d do if she attacked him. He was stronger than she was – there was a bruise on her arm where he’d gripped it at the mansion – but he didn’t look very alert. Every so often he closed his eyes. He wasn’t asleep. It looked more as if he was concentrating on something, almost listening. But all the same…