Amelia blinked innocently. “So your servants are giving you trouble. What could that possibly have to do with me?”
“When it comes to Fantomes, things like this simply don’t happen. That is, unless you’re around for some reason. In fact, this is the second time such odd goings-on have occurred. First, you visit the de Havilland mansion. That time, one of my mages ended up dead in flames.”
Philippe stepped up to his sister’s side. “There was no sign of foul play.”
“Even worse. These mages are far too powerful to be killed by a random fire.”
“We all have our off days,” said Amelia. “Even Fantomes.” I was so proud of her calm tone of voice.
“I don’t believe in coincidences. Yet I do believe in warnings. And I gave you one, didn’t I?” The Vicomte set his fists on his hips. “So imagine my surprise when I awoke this morning to learn that one of my mages hesitated before killing a servant. I had them all looked into, and there’s something wrong with six of them. Know anything about it?”
“No,” said Amelia.
The Vicomte stepped up closer to his so-called daughter. He stared at Amelia for a long moment before speaking. “No, I don’t think you do. Genesis Rex is open to your marriage, and you seem smitten with him for some fool reason, so I don’t think you’re the one behind this.”
“Excellent,” said Amelia. “Now, if you don’t mind we need to—”
“Silence!” The Vicomte stepped up to Philippe next. Nervous energy zinged through my limbs. In all the excitement, I hadn’t considered that the possessed Fantomes would expose themselves so quickly. Who asks people to murder innocent servants anyway?
My stomach fell to my toes. The Vicomte, that’s who. I should have guessed that this would happen.
The Vicomte looked Philippe over from head to toe. “I don’t think you had anything to do with it, either. Meddling with my mages wouldn’t get you into anyone’s bed.”
Philippe pressed his lips together hard. I knew he was dying to say something. By the gods, I was dying to say something too. Philippe may be a rogue, but there was more to him than that. He’d actually been helping us all along, and for no other reason than Amelia wished it.
After that, the Vicomte stepped up to stand before me. He moved so slowly I felt like a rabbit being hunted by a fox. He stared down his thin nose at me. “Which leaves you, the one who wanted a peep at my watches.”
My heart beat so hard I thought it might break out of my rib cage.
Remember your training. Don’t reveal any emotion.
The Vicomte gripped my chin. “You look familiar, too.” He leaned in closer, and the scent of stale smoke and whiskey wafted from his breath. “Where have I seen you before?”
When I dressed in Caster leathers and sent the Tsar into exile?
“I didn’t realize you dallied in ladies,” I said coolly.
The Vicomte’s thin mouth stretched into an evil smile. “Trying to goad me, eh? It won’t work.” He dropped my chin. “Besides, I don’t have the time for this nonsense. I need all my powers of persuasion in order to ensure Genesis Rex engages himself to my wayward daughter today.” His features turned dreamy. “Imagine. I’d be in the line of succession for the Caster throne. My scouts have been all over their continent, you know. The Casters have gold mines galore. Rooms filled with diamonds. Yet they toss those riches aside to fornicate in the trees like animals. Mark my words. That place is a ripe fruit waiting to be plucked.” He glared at Amelia. “Once you’re Queen, we’ll have to take very good care of you. Wouldn’t want anything to befall you or Rex, now would we?”
Amelia’s face fell. The Vicomte basically admitted to planning to murder her and Rex so he could take over their continent. The man was insane.
The Vicomte tapped his chin. “Rex hasn’t said anything about my plans, has he?”
“He knows nothing, Father.”
“Not that you’d tell me anyway,” the Vicomte sighed. “You’re always loyal to the dullest knife in the drawer. Well, if Rex does say anything, you can tell him to stop snooping around the dungeons here. I don’t know what his people did, but I have Fantomes missing and signs of Caster magick everywhere.”
It took a force of will for my eyes not to bulge out of my head. The Vicomte knew about the signs of our battle from yesterday.
Amelia kept up her innocent face. She could make a master spy herself, one day. “I don’t know what you mean. Rex and I spoke of nothing like that.”
The Vicomte sniffed. “I suppose not. Sharing secrets wouldn’t help him put a baby in your belly. I’m sure that’s all he wants.”
Disgusting pig. If I didn’t need that vortex watch, I’d crush the man right now.
The Vicomte sauntered over to the door and pounded on it with his bony fist. “Jonas! Hannah!”