Typically, the King of the Vampires ignored him, his gaze locked on the female Were.
“On edge,” Styx grudgingly admitted. “Please tell me what you know about the vampire who is claiming I intend to enslave everyone.”
With a concise efficiency, Brigette revealed the fact that the female vampire named Maryam had assembled a large collection of misfit demons who had little in common beyond their desire to create as much chaos as possible.
“Maryam.” Styx furrowed his brow. “The name is vaguely familiar, but I don’t recall ever doing anything to cause such animosity.”
“You can annoy a creature without even trying. It is one of your greatest talents,” Levet offered.
“You…” Styx took a step toward Levet before Xi smoothly distracted him.
“How could someone use your seal?” the Raven asked.
Styx closed his eyes, as if he was counting to ten. He did that a lot. At least when Levet was around. Darcy swore he wasn’t so bad-tempered when they were alone. Levet wasn’t sure whether to believe her or not.
With jerky motions, Styx moved to his desk and pulled open a drawer. Then, digging toward the bottom, he at last pulled out a small object with a wooden handle and a flat, golden tip.
“This is my official seal.”
Xi moved to hold the scroll next to the seal, studying the design. “It isn’t the same.”
Styx leaned forward, his eyes suddenly narrowing. “No. That seal belonged to the previous Anasso. Darcy had a new one created on the off chance that I might need it. A waste of money.”
Xi nodded, as if he’d already suspected the answer. “Who would have access to his belongings?”
Styx took time to consider his answer. “I presume there was one in his stuff that I left in the caves.”
Xi’s lips twisted into a humorless smile. “No one could get past the Ravens.”
Levet pursed his lips. It was true. He’d tried a few times to sneak past the Ravens to investigate the caves. He was certain they were filled with all sorts of forgotten artifacts from the former Anasso. But he’d been blocked before he could even enter the caves. Annoying leeches.
“It’s possible he had more than one,” Styx pointed out.
They all looked at the scroll, but Levet didn’t just look. He looked forward to take a sniff. There was something…
“Fish,” he at last announced.
Styx looked confused. “What?”
“I can smell fish.” Levet repeated slowly. Vampires weren’t always the brightest crayons in the box.
Styx’s lips parted, as if he intended to share one of his rude remarks. They were tediously predictable. But, snapping his mouth shut, he lifted the scroll to his nose. He sent Levet a glare before turning his attention to his Raven.
Aggravating leech.
“It’s faint, but there’s definitely the stench of fish, and it’s old,” Styx told his companion. “These scrolls were written centuries ago.”
Xi glanced down at the box he still held in his hands. “Could Maryam have stumbled across a pile of old scrolls and decided to use them to her advantage?”
“That seems the most likely,” Styx agreed.
“No.” Brigette intruded into the conversation.
Styx arched a brow. “You sound certain.”
“Not certain, but Maryam believes the scrolls came from you. The revolt she’s leading isn’t just a power grab. She sincerely fears you’re trying to enslave the vampires.”
For once, Styx didn’t argue. Perhaps he sensed that Brigette was telling the truth. Or, more likely, he understood that the female Were was ready and willing to walk away to leave him to deal with the rebels.
As she’d said, this wasn’t her battle.
Tossing the seal onto his desk, he considered her words. “If she believes the scrolls are real, that means she found them and assumed that they belonged to me. Or…someone is manipulating her.”
Levet tilted his head to the side. “Who would want to manipulate her?”
Styx flashed a smile that had lots of fang showing. “That’s what you’re going to discover.”
“Moi?” Levet folded his arms over his chest. “This is leech business.”
“You’re the hero, aren’t you?”
Levet scowled at the arrogant vampire. His position as official knight in shining armor was supposed to impress and delight the females, not put him in constant danger. Clearly, he hadn’t fully considered the consequences of the title.
“Why does being a hero suddenly seem like a curse?”
Styx shrugged his indifference. “All you need to do is travel to London and examine our old lair there.”
Levet perked up. Usually his duties included creepy, slimy, evil places filled with muck, not one of his favorite places in the world.
“Why there?”
“For centuries, the Anasso lived in tunnels beneath the White Tower that stretched all the way to Billingsgate.”
Levet had spent considerable time in London after his family had kicked him out of Paris. Indeed, he’d been watching as William the Conqueror had commanded the White Tower be erected. He knew the neighborhood well.
“The fish markets,” he murmured.
Styx nodded. “Exactly.”
Levet scratched his horn. That would certainly explain the lingering scent of fish on the scrolls. Back in the day, the area had a pungent aroma that wasn’t for the fainthearted.
“What am I supposed to look for?”
“We had a hidden vault built beneath the Thames where the former Anasso kept his private papers,” Styx told him. “I want you to discover if anyone has recently been snooping around there.”
Levet scowled. As much as he enjoyed his little adventures, he wanted to return to the mer-folk castle. Inga needed him there to watch her very fine backside. Non, wait. Back. To watch her back.
Unfortunately, he’d spent too much time with the King of the Vampires to bother arguing. It would be easier to poop daisies than to convince the stubborn Styx to send someone else.
“You are going to owe me,” he muttered, heading toward the door.
“Put it on my tab,” Styx smoothly told him.
Levet snorted. “If you ever bother to pay that tab, I shall be as rich as King Midas.” He paused to kiss Brigette’s hand. “Goodbye, mon amie. And be careful. I would rather Styx be overthrown than for you to be injured.”