Lycans and Legends

Chapter 19: Workroom Blitz

I rushed up the steps to the next level, Records, which was entirely silent. I knew that Constantine was somewhere. And, I hoped, Agent Rose. Something told me that if anything happened to her, the vampire might start a war with the entire Unseelie race. Not a warming prospect. I slipped down a hallway and into the narrow passage that led up to a servant’s entrance to the main workroom.

As I neared the top steps, I heard shouting. Then shooting.

“There, over there,” Harper screamed.

The sound of terror in her voice made my blood run cold.

I opened the door a crack.

Everywhere was dark, but I heard the tell-tale growl of the manticore—or manticores. The room was black, the lamps extinguished. I could smell the scent of lamp oil in the air. I could see some agents moving in the brief snatches of light as gunshots were fired. And when I did so, I saw bodies on the floor, including Agent Martin Fox. Clenching my jaw, I pulled on my night optic goggles.

“Harper, look out,” I heard Hank call followed by gunshots.

Grasping the faerie dagger in one hand, my pistol in the other, I kicked open the door.

The first of the manticores spotted me. Distracted by the noise and the glow of my night optics, it turned toward me.

“Everyone get down,” I said then started shooting.

The monster wasted no time. He rushed across the desktops then leaped toward me. I hoisted a chair and bashed the monster to the side. Dazed, he struggled to get up. I moved fast, the star metal dagger glowing, then slit the beast’s throat.

“Clemeny, another one,” someone called. Was it Cressida?

I heard grunting and the sound of breaking glass as another monster rushed me. Dammit, this one was bigger than the others. And it had wings.

The monster jumped off the table and pounced at me. I slashed with the dagger, but not before the beast caught me with his claws. The sharp nails raked my arm. I gasped but swallowed my scream. He knocked me to the ground. Surprised, it took me a moment to regain my senses, which I did just seconds before the scorpion-like tail whipped at me.

“Here, here,” Harper called, and something came hurtling at the monster.

Was that a coat rack?

Her move distracted the beast long enough for me to get to my feet.

“Clemeny, move,” Agent Keung called from somewhere in the darkness. A moment later, I spotted the agent rushing across the desktops, a sword in hand. He slashed at the monster’s tail, but the beast’s back leg shot out, batting him away before he could swipe. Agent Keung flew back and hit the wall hard.

It was my chance. I raced forward then plunged the dagger deep into the monster’s eye.

It let out a great howl.

Its tail struck at me, a last ditch effort to take me out, but the beast was weakening.

I moved back, nearly tripping over the scattered pieces of broken furniture on the floor. The monster tried to knock the weapon out of its eye, but it was too late. The manticore crumpled to the floor a moment later.

Across the room, someone struck a match.

“Careful. There is lamp oil everywhere,” Hank said.

Cressida lifted a lamp. The orange light illuminated her face with weird shadows. Blood trickled down her cheek. Though the place was dimly lit, I could see that the agency workroom had been destroyed.

Panic on her face, Harper looked from me then scanned the room.

“Edwin?” she called. She rushed toward a heap of overturned desks. “Edwin? Edwin,” she called pushing the broken furniture aside. “Someone help me.”

There were five of us still standing. Other agents lay dead or unconscious on the floor. Hank, Cressida, Agent Keung and I rushed to help Harper.

“Where is Melwas?” I asked as I started moving broken furniture.

“We haven’t seen anyone. Just the manticores,” Agent Keung replied.

“What about Agent Rose?” I asked.

“Haven’t seen her,” Cressida answered.

We slowly lifted an overturned desk. There, we found a badly bruised and bloodied Agent Hunter. My heart skipped a beat.

“Agent Hunter,” Hank called.

He didn’t answer.

Harper pushed the remaining debris furniture away. “Edwin? Edwin,” Harper called, shaking his shoulder gently.

I stared at her. Could it be?

Harper set her head on his chest. She listened for a moment. “He’s alive,” she said with a huge sigh.

“Elaine?” Edwin whispered softly.

“I’m here,” Harper replied, taking Edwin’s hand.

Well, well, well.

I saw Cressida look at me, but I didn’t meet her gaze.

Dipping into my vest pocket, I grabbed a scarf. The manticore scratch stung like hell. I quickly wrapped my arm.

From the back of the station, I heard a crash.

“Clemeny,” Agent Keung said warningly.

“Go upstairs. Make sure the townhouse agents are safe. We need to send an alert. All field agents must meet at the secondary station at once. We’re in trouble. We also need to get an airship aloft. Send a messenger to Willowbrook Park. Call the Pellinores…and Miss Pendragon,” I said then turned to Harper. “Harper, did you find Gothel?”

She didn’t answer. She merely held Edwin’s hand.

“Harper,” I said again, my voice sharp.

“Clemeny?” She looked up at me, a confused and guilty expression on her face. There was no time for that. Whatever had blossomed to life between Edwin and Harper since the incident at Cabell Manor didn’t matter—much, or at least, I couldn’t think about it right now.

“At Willowbrook Park, did you find Gothel?” I repeated my voice sharp.

She shook her head. “No, but Rapunzel was going to try to contact her.”

“We need the Pellinores,” I told the others.

Hank huffed, half-laughing. “Why?”

“Because if we are going to do battle for this realm, I want the only living descendant of King Arthur front and center. And she is with the Pellinores,” I said, then turned back to Agent Keung. “Make sure Miss Pendragon is on that airship.”

He nodded.

The Pellinore division had been the butt of a running joke in our office. Their division monitored dragon bloods, descendants of Mordred, bastard son of King Arthur. Most people thought that being a Pellinore amounted to babysitting a handful of thugs. But last summer, the Pellinores uncovered a dragon caller, Rapunzel, a true heir of King Arthur, and her faerie guardian, Gothel. Her arrival was ominous. I should have known that old blood was stirring and something big was on the horizon. But like everyone else, I also discounted the Pellinores. Now, however, I was beginning to see how all the pieces of the puzzle fell together.

I turned to Hank and Cressida. “Agent Greystock is in Artifacts. She’s hurt. Other agents have been…killed. You’ll find a boggart tied up down there. Agent Rose and Constantine are around here somewhere. And Melwas.”

“Is it true? An Unseelie Prince?” Cressida asked.

I nodded. “I think I’ll go find him and have a little chat.”

“Clemeny,” Edwin whispered, motioning for me to come close.

I knelt beside him. “Don’t try to talk. Just rest.”

“No,” he said. “My office. Inside Tinker’s Tower. On my desk. He can’t find it.”

I nodded. Whatever we Red Capes had been hiding, Melwas was dangerously close to uncovering it.

“I’ll take care of it,” I reassured Edwin then turned to Harper.

“I should come,” she said.

I shook my head then set my hand on Harper’s shoulder. “Take care of him,” I said then rose.

That faerie was going to pay.