hawk & sable

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN,

HAWK & SABLE | SEVENTEEN

  GUI YAN GONG was full once more. Everyone gathered around. Rhys had taken much longer than expected, and it was already dinner time when her horse had returned. The Iron Wolf had only given the slightest nod when Irina immediately summoned everyone here. Lady Kuroki included, a necessary, supervising evil.

"It's the same," Rhys said, still slightly breathless from riding. She pulled down her bun, long, dark hair spilling over her shoulders. "Same knife model, though the engravings were completely gone. Hell, same place, right under the sternum, according to reports. The body's already buried."

"Do you have the report?" Lady Kuroki asked, frowning. Rhys flipped open the bag she was wearing and took out a blue book, placing it on the table and flipping it open. Once she was done, she pushed it towards the baroness.

Io leaned over her shoulder, trying to read. After she almost tumbled down, she growled and took a step sideways.

Lady Kuroki looked up and nodded. "You've found your trail."

Everyone in the room exchanged glances. Laurence had somehow found his way behind Ciri and muttered, "Good job. Heard you were the one who found this out."

She shot back, "The power of friendship, Dumont."

He grinned, and she smiled back before tearing her gaze away. That was what they'd fallen into, this careful little dance, with small promises that were buried away as quickly as they came to mind. Ciri didn't mind. She'd played this game before.

But she came crashing back into reality when Danna said, "Now what?"

"Now," Irina drawled, "we know where to look."

"Not a plan," Rhys murmured. "Let's try something more concrete."

"First off, we heighten security. Danna, you're on that. Make a list of anyone who matches that criteria and keep an extra eye out on all of them." Irina glanced around the room. "Asteria, could you handle that?" The girl in question nodded. "Good. I think we need to do some prodding into this case. Rhys? Dominic?"

"Consider it done," Dominic smiled, though it wasn't cheerful. This was his predatory side, when he had a mystery to solve. He was a born predator, and in moments like this, that side was on full display. Rhys looked deceptively nonchalant.

"I want someone to look into any other cases that might match up." Irina in her default state, in power, overseeing a group of operatives. "Myrina. Io."

"Ciri, I want you to befriend as many people who fit the criteria as you can. Work with Asteria on that."

"And me?" Laurence asked from behind her, leaning against the wall.

Irina fixed him with an appraising glance. "You... I'm sure you have something to do. Make friends. Do some diplomatic stuff. You're not under my orders, so stop acting like you are."

Laurence's reply was a wolfish grin.

✢

HIS FIRST COURSE of action was to write that report he'd been meaning to and send it off to Cadieux. He was only surprised a few dozen hadn't arrived from the Arecian Secret Service yet, hounding him for every tidbit of information. Perhaps Cadieux had expected this to be lengthy. Probably, that wily old dog.

Written reports had ever been his strong suit. He'd always preferred verbal ones, but he managed. Because there was no way he'd be able to handle a Saian calligraphy brush pen, he'd taken his own quill with him. He dabbed it in the bottle of ink he'd brought as well and started writing.