Sir Godfrey opened his mouth, and then closed it because he didn't know what to say. He moved his eyes back and forth in confusion. “Well, he is with the army much of the time. Can't you just alert the sirdar and let him take care of the problem?”
Mamoru said, “General Anhalt will be no help to us. The sirdar would say the sun was the moon if the empress wished it. He knows everything about Greyfriar. He has the vampire under his protection and expressly forbade me to harm the thing on penalty of my own life.” He continued to stalk the room. “Obviously he must be killed. However, nothing can be done in a way that might publicly embarrass the empress or reveal that she was aware of this abomination.”
“This debacle just keeps getting better and better,” Nzingu laughed. “It certainly won't do for the empire to learn their witch queen was consorting with a vampire. Although I would enjoy seeing that debated in Commons.”
Sanah asked, “Are we sure that killing him is necessary? It doesn't appear that he has prevented her from moving forward in her practices. She struck Grenoble.”
“When he is about, she suspends her studies, out of fear for his health,” Mamoru retorted. “That is unacceptable. She is growing more independent and headstrong, and powerful. She is even beginning to question whether she should use her abilities against the vampires at all. I can't allow her to stop me now. I have forged her into a perfect weapon and I intend to use her.”
Sanah whispered, “Surely you don't mean to sound so harsh toward your student.”
“I mean all I say.” The priest glowered with anger and fire in his face. “She is hardly my student any longer. I will finish what I started.”
“And what of the Greyfriar?” Sir Godfrey asked. “Are you saying all those exploits of Greyfriar in the north were the work of a vampire? For what reason?”
“I have no idea,” Mamoru replied. “Nor do I care.”
Sir Godfrey pointed out, “Greyfriar means much to the people of the north, and south. How can we remove him?”
“There is no more need for the Greyfriar,” the samurai snarled. “His day is done.”
“I will kill him,” Nzingu said suddenly.
All heads turned to her.
“Who else could?” she stated without pride. “It must be quiet and it must be sure. Of us four, only Mamoru or I could possibly manage it, and Mamoru is otherwise engaged training the world's suddenly reluctant savior. So I will kill this monster and save the poor empress from its loving clutches.” She turned to Sanah at the sound of the Persian woman's uncomfortable sigh. “Do you object?”
Sanah replied in a hesitant voice, “No.”
Mamoru nodded eagerly, rubbing his hands together. “You will serve admirably, Nzingu. It can't happen here in Alexandria near the empress. He will soon be here with us in the city. So we must wait for him to journey again to Europe and you will pursue him back to his lair in Scotland where he inevitably returns. Our network in the north will speed your travel somewhat. It won't be an easy task. He is a dangerous foe. He is skilled with weapons and has the natural cunning of his kind. We will discuss it in more detail later.”
“Fine,” said Nzingu, then more to herself, muttered, “No young girl should venture into womanhood untouched by the loss of her love.”
This was about the future, not the past.
“LET ME UNDERSTAND this. You told Flay that you would kill Simon?”
“In so many words, yes.”
Adele shook her head slowly as she selected a cutlass from a rack of weapons. She swung the sword several times, appreciating the whisper it made in the air. Greyfriar waited nearby, twirling his rapier in his fingers to practice dexterity. An early-morning wind off the Mediterranean flapped the ends of the scarf wrapping his face. Their makeshift fencing strip on the roof of Victoria Palace overlooking the sea could be quite blustery. She took up a position ten feet away from the tall swordsman.
Adele always counted on Greyfriar for comfort and relief from the pressure, and was happy he had returned to Alexandria today. While she knew it was irrational to expect him to wipe away the numerous problems that surrounded her, the memories of those days in Europe when he seemed to have every answer she needed swelled immense at times. The young princess had depended on Greyfriar utterly then, but those days were far behind the empress now. She had to stand alone and only lean on him in private, and content herself with his occasional partnership.
“Well, what's one more unsolvable problem?” Adele said with a quirky smile. Her hair was plaited into a thick braid against the wind.