“It was necessary.” Eloïse’s mouth curved in a smile that held no warmth. “A princess who appears foolish and romantic is far less threatening than one who asks uncomfortable questions. People talk freely around those they consider beneath their notice.” Her eyes glinted. “I’ve learned a great deal by playing the fool.”
Something in her tone resonated with what Viggo knew of Ginny’s own methods. Different approaches, perhaps, but the same fundamental principle: power lay in being underestimated.
“Your Highness,” Evander said formally, “perhaps you could share with us what you’ve learned from your investigation?”
Eloïse nodded curtly. “A few months ago, Lina Velghe, a woman I consider my closest friend and who also happens to be a researcher at the Brussels Institute for the Arcane, came to me with troubling news. She’d discovered evidence of something dangerous happening in the world of magic. Experiments that violated every ethical principle our society holds dear.” Her voice hardened. “She was frightened. She wanted to go to the authorities, but she feared the conspiracy reached too high.”
Viggo’s blood ran cold. “Something happened to her, didn’t it?”
“She disappeared.” Though her words were flat, Viggo caught the flash of pain beneath the princess’s controlled exterior. “Three weeks after she came to me. One day she was there, the next—gone. No trace, no witnesses, nothing.”
Victoria’s expression turned sympathetic. “You’ve been looking for her ever since.”
“I have resources. Connections. Access to places and people that others don’t.” Eloïse’s chin lifted. “I’ve been gathering intelligence for weeks, following threads, building a picture of what we’re facing. I finally came across Comte Beaulieu’s name during my enquiries aboutLes Prophètes Illuminésand contacted him when he returned from London. When he told me about the events in England and the disappearances of mages and researchers across Europe, I knew we were dealing with something larger than any single country.”
A muscle jumped in Evander’s jawline. “You sent someone to Paris. To investigate further.”
Surprise danced in Eloïse’s eyes for a moment. “Yes. One of my most trusted aides, Pieter. He was like a brother to me. I sent him to follow a lead and then he—” She stopped, visibly gathering herself. “He vanished too.” The princess pinned Evander with a hard stare. “You know something about his disappearance, don’t you?”
Viggo and Evander exchanged a troubled look.
“Your Highness,” Evander said gravely. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this. A young Belgian man was found dead in the Seine three weeks ago. He’d been investigatingLes Prophètes Illuminés.”
The colour drained from Eloïse’s face, her composure finally cracking.
CHAPTER 28
Evander felta wave of commiseration for the princess.
Because for a moment, she looked not like a royal or a spymaster, but simply a young woman who’d lost someone she held dear.
“Pieter,” she whispered.
Victoria guided her gently to the loveseat next to the window.
They gave the princess a moment to recover her composure.
“We believe he was murdered because he got too close to the truth,” Evander finally said, his tone kind but firm. “His death wasn’t in vain. He left a notebook with one of Lady Hartley’s contacts. The information he gathered will no doubt prove invaluable to our mutual investigation.”
Eloïse was silent for a long moment. When she spoke again, her voice was steady, though Evander could see the effort it cost her.
“Then we must ensure his sacrifice means something.” She straightened, the mask of composure sliding back into place. “What have you learned in Paris?”
Evander gave her a concise summary of their findings—Molyneux’s murder, the letter mentioning the Mercier journal, Brassard’s operation, the magical conduit devices being shippedacross Europe. Eloïse listened intently, occasionally asking sharp questions that revealed the depth of her own intelligence gathering.
“The convergence,” she said when he finished. “So Molyneux believed its location might be in Brussels too. But I’ve spent weeks investigating that possibility.” She shook her head. “I’ve found nothing to support it. No unusual ley line activity, no gathering of dark mages, no evidence of ritual preparation to unlock it. If Brussels is the target, they’ve hidden their tracks extraordinarily well.”
Evander’s stomach sank at this news.
“Maybe Brussels isn’t the target at all,” Fairbridge said.
Everyone turned to look at him.
“Misdirection,” he continued with a shrug. “If I were planning something of this magnitude, I’d want my enemies looking in the wrong place. Brussels may be a feint.”
Evander’s pulse quickened. Fairbridge was onto something.
Viggo narrowed his eyes. “If not Brussels, then where?”
