Eternal Night

(II) Chapter 31: A King without His Queen

Three Weeks Later

The impressive blaze in the hearth not three feet away did nothing to ward off the chill in the room, nor the shadows that lingered just on the fringes. The air was heavy and still, a tremendous weight left to settle unseen; a nagging hint of worry lightly scratching at the back of the brain, warning of danger, though it never seemed to come.

Basilio shifted in his chair as if doing so would dispel his own discomfort, but the movement offered him no reprieve. Marcus Augustine was still seated across from him in his seat, leaning back with an elbow on the armrest as he absently ran the side of his forefinger over his lip. His brows were furrowed in a pensive expression as he scanned the chessboard between them, considering his next move. The spider cleared his throat, returning his attention to the faintly illuminated tablet in his hand as he continued in his review of the latest state of affairs. Basilio did his best to keep his voice as disinterested as possible while he read aloud, belying the well of frustration and unease that resided just beneath the surface.

"That's it?" he asked, holding the tablet up as if to show the leader seated before him, his expression pure incredulity. "That's all you have on her? Just a rumored siting in a cemetery? No evidence? No other alliance members? Not even a bloody picture?"

Marcus said nothing, still considering his next move.

Clearly, he was more invested in their game of chess than he was with the issue at hand.

Basilio's uneasiness gave way to his growing irritation with the incompetency before him and in a display that was more childish than intimidating, he snarled and violently tossed the electronic device into the fire. The sound of the tech shattering in the blaze was deafening in comparison to the persistent silence of the room. Still, Marcus' gaze never wavered from the board, his expression impassive, indifferent to his counterpart's temper tantrum. The spider stood, furious at his sovereign's disinterestedness.

"It's been months since the incident at the blood factory, Marcus, and even after calling her out directly – which you assured me would be enough to bring the bitch out into the open – your spies have still had no sign of her! Of anyone in the alliance!"

"Sit down, Basilio," Augustine answered evenly, moving only to adjust one of his pieces on the board between them. When the Spaniard neglected to obey, Marcus finally looked up at him, his expression sending a chill down the man's spine. Angry, but not enough to remain obstinate, Basilio returned to his chair with an overly dramatic display of concession. He even bowed a little as he did so.

Augustine rolled his eyes a bit, but said nothing more.

"I don't understand how you can be so calm about all of this."

Still nothing.

"The outrage you had hoped to inspire with your little exposé barely lasted 48 hours before petering out again. And while the woman herself hasn't come out of hiding, I know how pernicious she can be. No doubt she's planning her next move with the alliance. If we don't get out in front of their retaliation soon, Marcus, if we don't double our efforts and squash them now while we still have the upper hand..."

"There's no need. Your move."

"No need?" Basilio repeated in disbelief. He then barked out a hollow laugh. "Wasn't it you who stated rather emphatically that we shouldn't underestimate the Duchesse de Chacier?"

"Yes – and we shouldn't."

Basilio moved a pawn rather haphazardly, missing the look of triumph that sparkled in Marcus' eyes when he was able to overtake it with one of his bishops.