Forsooth cleared his throat.
I turned to him, and he smiled at me, his dark eyes warmly friendly.
“I would very much like to see your notes, Ms. Shadow,” he said politely, the plate of biscuits now balanced on his lap. “I would very much like to see the recordings, as well, if you’re willing to share the key you mentioned, and anything you wereable to determine about the encrypted text. I imagine I’m not alone in that…?”
He glanced around the room, a faint question in his words.
At the grudging nods around the circle, Forsooth looked back at me, and winked. I barely caught it, as I was already rummaging through my satchel. I’d guessed the book might come in handy, even if I hadn’t known Forsooth already knew about me and Alaric. I passed it to Vivian Underwood, who sat to my right, who handed it on after staring at it covetously, and it passed through hands two more times before it reached Forsooth.
“Thank you so much, Ms. Shadow.” Forsooth said, taking the book reverently and tucking it into his robes. “I will discuss with you after the meeting how we might best keep this safe, so that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”
I nodded at that, and felt my face warm.
To be honest, I’d worried a bit about having it in my dormitory.
At the same time, it represented so much work, not to mention Alaric’s thoughts and observations, it felt wrong to simply hand it over to a mage I really didn’t know all that well, so he could share it with a room full of mages and witches I mostly didn’t know at all.
“Now,” Forsooth said, settling back in his chair. “I believe I have some information for you.” His eyes grew serious once more. “We think we know why Dark Cathedral has been kidnapping humans.”
I tensed where I’d just lowered my mug, my attention fully back on him.
“We have reason to believe it’s a blood ritual of some kind,” Forsooth continued, his voice cautious. “Perhaps the same ritual that worried young Mr. Greythorne, as such things are often used for dark initiations. Whatever the planned use for theseindividuals, it seems to be quite the obsession within Dark Cathedral leadership at this time. We have not yet determined the purpose of the ritual in question, and I do not have anyone close enough to provide intelligence on that, but we are working on it.”
I frowned, remembering what Alaric said about that.
I didn’t want to ask, mostly because I already knew the answer, but I did anyway.
“And my brother?” I said, swallowing.
Forsooth nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.
“We don’t know for certain, as there are a number of reasons why Dark Cathedral may have wanted him, given who he is. He contains symbolic importance, of course, as you do yourself. But it could be more than that.” Forsooth folded his arms, and his bear mirrored the pose by his chair’s leg. “To answer what Ithinkyou are asking me… yes, Ms. Shadow. It is certainly possible your brother was wanted for the same ritual. It seems to require at least one person of Overworld origins.”
I thought about that, and nodded slowly.
“And what about me?” I asked, clearing my throat. “If it’s something to do with human or hybrid blood, why haven’t they come after me?”
Forsooth didn’t lower his gaze.
“I do not know, Ms. Shadow,” he said seriously. “But I would imagine that, before, at least, it was because they believed your brother would be far easier to acquire.”
He paused, his dark eyes meaningful.
“With your brother now housed in the Sanctum Occulus,” he continued carefully. “I do not know if that is still the case. But believe me, it is a question that has occupied my thoughts, and the thoughts of many of us in this room.”
He glanced around at the circle of mages and witches.
I was a little startled to see them nod grimly back, especially Esalia and Valor.
“It is also one we will talk about in some detail tonight,” Forsooth added, a touch more lightly. “As well as measures being taken to ensure your brother’s continued safety.”
He returned his eyes to mine, smiling.
“…But first, would you like some more hot chocolate, my dear?”
26
I Don’t Know
