Deception. A.S. Fenichel

like her youth and the titled man who’d ruined her life.

      Belinda said, “They saved my life, Father.”

      “It was the wrong choice, Belinda. You might have cost us our one chance to stop this.” Shafton narrowed his eyes on Lillian.

      Lillian said, “I can imagine your pleasure if we had allowed your only child to become the master’s sacrifice. Perhaps we should have stood by and watched until the master, with his full power rose, from the depths of hell and destroyed us all. As it is, Reece Foxjohn is still recovering from battle and the rest of us might have been sucked into the demon’s realm. But by all means, my lord, go on and tell us how you know we willfully failed on our mission. I do not recall your life being in danger that day at Fatum Manor. You were safely tucked away in your castle while the rest of us faced death or worse.”

      “You are out of order, Dellacourt.” Shafton said her name as if it were a curse.

      Lillian wasn’t sure when she had stood up, but clutching the leather wrapped steel, she rounded the table toward the earl. “If you have something you want to say about my abilities, my lord, I suggest you do so. I will be happy to display them for you, and we can evaluate them together.”

      “Miss Dellacourt.” A warning came from the other end of the table.

      “You were not there. You cannot know if we could have destroyed the master. As far as I’m concerned, we made the only choice possible under the circumstances. Maybe if your intelligence had supplied us with the location of the gateway before the master had grown so powerful, we might have been able to seal him in.”

      “How dare you imply that I failed in some way? You who completely disregard orders at will.”

      She had only ever hated one man the way she despised Shafton, and he too was an earl. At least that one was dead. Steeling her nerves, she slid the sai blade through the pocket cut in her skirt. “You speak of orders that were selfish and almost succeeded in getting your own family killed.”

      “You have no right to question me or my motives.” To his credit, he faced her and stared her in the eye.

      “I have every right when you point your fat finger at me.”

      “Who do you think you are? I know where you come from Lillian Dellacourt. I know what you are.”

      Drake Cullum pounded the table. “Shafton, that will do.” The demon hunters’ leader stood rigid, narrow-eyed. He was formidable when he was calm, but enraging him was never a good idea. He was furious now.

      Had she gone too far? The idea she might have overstepped her bounds with Cullum was enough to make her relax the grip on her blade. Lillian turned and stormed from the dining room.

      Shafton yelled something about not having dismissed her from the meeting.

      Once in the hallway, she pulled her second blade and turned to go back in and finish what she’d started. It would be nothing to remove his pompous head from his shoulders.

      Cullum stood in the doorway. He smiled at her and closed the door, barring her reentry.

      Had she ever seen him smile before? No instance came to mind. She stomped toward the front entrance. She’d leave the damn castle, get her carriage, and ride like the devil back to London. Yet the one person in the world she could really talk to was a resident of Brendaligh. Holding her full skirts with both hands, she sprinted up the curved grand staircase.

      Brendaligh, the Earl of Shafton’s Scottish holding, boasted fine marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and expensive draping. To the casual observer, the entry looked like any other wealthy man’s country home, but upon closer inspection, they would find the bedchambers rather bare and the ballroom fitted for mock combat sessions. Instead of fancy draperies, shields and weapons hung on the walls. He’d converted the estate from its former grandeur into a school for demon hunter training. Of course, in Lillian’s opinion, it was also the earl’s way of shirking his responsibilities to his family.

      His wife and daughter had never been to the Scottish castle until Belinda’s life was in jeopardy, and she descended on her father unannounced to verify his part in the demons’ desire to capture and kill her. Before that, the earl had hidden his knowledge of any hunting activity and made excuses to remain in Scotland.

      At the top of the stairs, she turned right, then entered a small salon, set up as a kind of hospital. A strange little demon’s poison had turned a strapping man into the withered soul sitting in a wingback chair near the window.

      Her heart tightened painfully. It took willpower not to clutch her chest.

      Reece Foxjohn had been her constant companion for the last five years. His handsome face showed strain where there had always been joy. His bright blue eyes had dimmed.

      Elizabeth Smyth picked up the untouched food tray from the table beside Reece, whispered something to him, and turned toward the door. Slimmer from her hunter training, she looked up and smiled. “Miss Lillian, I’m so happy to see you.”

      Reece turned sad eyes toward Lillian.

      She put on her best grin for his sake. She wanted to detect his joy at seeing her, but nothing in his expression indicated he was happy she’d come. He returned his attention to whatever was outside the window.

      “It’s good to see you, Lizzy. You should just call me Lillian. No need for formality here.”

      “Thank you, Lillian.” Lizzy blushed, but her brown eyes were sharp and direct.

      “How are your studies going?”

      “Very well. I’ve never enjoyed anything more in my life. I know there will be danger, but it is still better than scrubbing pots.” She’d been a scullery maid in a wealthy home before the hunters rescued her from a ritual sacrifice in London.

      “I’m glad your finding your time here well spent.”

      “Oh yes, Miss—um, Lillian.” She appeared far fitter than when she’d joined the demon hunters, her waist small, even beneath her voluminous dress.

      Lillian wanted to learn more about Elizabeth Smyth. “You’ll get used to it. It takes time to shuck the old ways. Then you’ll have to learn when to act the part again. It won’t be easy going into society once you get used to the equality of our little group.”

      Lizzy glanced away, then back. “I imagine it will be another challenge, which I had not counted on.”

      “I’m sure you will be up to it. How is your patient doing?”

      Lizzy studied the floor. “He’s not my patient. Dr. Barns has that privilege. Whatever poisoned him left him very weak. His shoulder has healed and he is getting stronger, but he still refuses to eat much. He’s been leached several times, and the leeches die from the poison in his blood. I think that must mean they are successfully drawing it out, and he is getting better.”

      “I hope you’re right.” Lillian kept her voice low so Reece couldn’t hear the doubt in her tone.

      “He is so much better than when he first came from Edinburgh. He is a strong man, a fact he seems to have forgotten. Once he remembers, his recovery will go quickly.”

      “I can see you are the perfect person to nurse him.”

      “It is the least I can do. If not for you and Reece, I might not be here today. I would have died on that altar, and who knows what plans the master had for my soul.”

      “You owe us nothing, but I’m glad you are here to help with his recovery. I don’t know how you find the time while training to become a hunter.”

      Lizzy glanced at the clock on the mantle. “Oh my, speaking of time, I must get his tray down to the kitchen and get to my combat class. If you’ll excuse me?”

      “Of course.”

      She turned to leave, but stopped. “I almost forgot to tell you. Mei Lin asked me to give you her