The Sweet Scent of Blood

Chapter Forty-Four

‘Good evening, my dear.’ The Earl bowed his head, his blond hair flopping forward. Power gave his skin a translucent sheen, which matched the embroidered blue hearts that entwined in pairs down the front of his navy velvet coat. The coat cut away around his knees to show the tight leather boots that encased his legs. Whatever image he was going for, it wasn’t one I recognised.

‘I do appreciate the effort you’ve made to attend our little soirée.’ He stroked his silk lapels as he cast an appraising glance over my outfit. ‘And you look as delightful as ever.’

I stuck my hands on my hips, my chest heaving as I struggled for air. The corset was so not made for breathing, let alone running. ‘Not sure I can say I’m pleased to be here,’ I gasped. ‘I’ve better things to do with my nights than participate in your little spats.’

For a moment he inclined his head as if listening, only there was nothing to hear. The noise from the crowd was gone, held behind the containment-spell I’d come through. The place was as quiet as the proverbial grave.

I so hoped it wasn’t a bad omen.

‘Shall I enlighten you as to the rules, my dear?’

‘Please do,’ I said, relieved my voice sounded calm, if a bit breathless, despite the anxious thudding of my heart.

‘Rio has issued Challenge to me, as is her blood-right.’ The Earl strolled towards the fight-ring, indicating that I should follow him. ‘She wishes to usurp my position. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem.’ He waved a dismissive hand. ‘I gave her the Gift, and I would not hesitate to take it from her, except that she has something I want.’

I snorted. ‘The spell.’

‘Correct, my dear.’ His smile leaked charm. ‘Under pre-Challenge negotiations, Rio decided which of the various facilities at her disposal she wished to utilise; she elected the satyr. I have chosen the troll.’

‘All very interesting, but why don’t you tell me something I don’t know?’

‘Certainly.’ The Earl inclined his head. ‘The troll came calling earlier and I managed to convince him to take up my standard.’

‘You mind-locked him, in other words.’

‘Partly true, but there were other factors involved. He had some colleagues with him—he appeared to be very protective of them.’

Fuck. Hugh had walked right into a trap—no, I’d sent him. I clenched my fists. And what had happened to Katie, was she caught too?

The Earl carried on, ‘I fear that the troll will be no match for Rio, not with the magical back-up the satyr is providing for her.’ He held his wrists out as though checking his nonexistent shirt cuffs. ‘I wish you to remove the spell from the satyr. I understand that should be a piece of cake for you.’

Who did he think he was kidding?

‘Then what happens?’ I asked.

‘That should be enough to allow the troll to succeed.’

Surprise made me stop. ‘You want Hugh to kill Rio?’ I’d sort of thought he would want to fight her.

‘I believe that is what I said.’

‘What about Hugh?’ I asked.

The Earl brushed a speck of fluff off his sleeve. ‘What about him?’

‘It’s going to take some time to obtain the spell. I want an assurance that he’s going to be okay while I do it.’

‘He is a troll. They are solid, dense creatures, usually very difficult to damage irretrievably.’ He held a hand up as I began to speak. ‘But I have a vested interest in seeing him victorious. I will “keep an eye on the situation”, as I believe they say.’

Yeah, right. I pressed my lips together.

We reached the edge of the blue-floored dome. From the audience the fight-ring looked small, barely twenty feet across, but from the entrance it was more like a hundred-acre field. Hugh and Rio were small figures in the distance and Finn was still nowhere to be seen. I frowned, then realised the disparity had to be something to do with the magic containing the dome. I hurried forward.

The Earl caught my arm. ‘Not so fast, my dear. We have other things to discuss first.’

Oh yeah, the blackmail bit.

‘Once you have the spell, Genevieve, please bring it to me. I would hate to find my concentration slipping, thus allowing Rio to win her fight.’

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. ‘I thought you said she couldn’t win without the aid of the spell.’

‘My dear, I can encourage the troll to fight, but I can also make him—what shall I say? A sitting duck.’ He smiled.

Fear fluttered inside me. Did he really have that much power? To make Hugh just stand there while Rio killed him? Well, that worry was for later; first I had to find Finn.

‘You’d better point me in the right direction,’ I said finally.

‘Try not to take too long.’ The Earl gestured towards his left. ‘And one more thing. Please try not to injure the witch. She could still be useful.’

Of course, Toni the witch, my ex-friend, would be there. Who else would be guarding Finn while Rio, her sucker sweetie, was fighting? Only never mind not injuring the witch, how was I going to stop her harming me? After all, she was the one with all the spells hidden up her sleeves.