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choice, I would do nothing until someone better came along.”
    A sly look came over Eagan’s face. “You see, Nigel. That’s why I wanted Grey. He has a unique ability to think outside the box.”
    Nigel stood. “If something happens to you and there is no successor, you will throw the Guild board into chaos.”
    Eagan smiled sweetly. “Then the High Queen’s Herbalist has an enormous responsibility in not letting something happen to me, don’t you think?”
    “I have done my best to advise you, Manus. I have business elsewhere,” Nigel said. He nodded, a bare courtesy, and walked stiffly out the door.
    Eagan waited until the door closed before laughing. “I do love throwing wrenches in his plans.”
    “What are his plans?”
    Eagan shrugged. “Nigel has plans within plans within plans. He’s off to Ukraine or Russia or some such. That’s why Maeve sent her spy to replace him.”
    That was interesting. “Nigel spies on you for Maeve?”
    “To a point. He tells both of us enough to keep him close but not enough to trust him fully.”
    “Then why did you have him as your alternate at the Guildhouse?” I asked.
    Eagan showed his trademark self-satisfied grin. “Because I knew the last thing Nigel Martin wanted was to be Guildmaster. Why do you think he lets macGoren run the day-to-day operations? Nigel, at least, is one knife that I knew wasn’t pointed at my back.”
    Eagan struggled into a seated position and waved his hand toward a large vase on a nearby dresser. “I have a flask in that vase.”
    I reached into empty space. “Empty.”
    He pointed at the bookcase next to the dresser. “Try behind the Bible. Tibbet won’t touch it.”
    I slid the large volume out and found an antique silver flask behind it. Danann fairies had a weakness for alcohol to the point of addiction. I didn’t know if Eagan was an alcoholic, but he liked his whiskey. I handed him the flask. He took a deep draft and handed it back. “I’d offer you a glass, but the house staff will tell Tibbet if they find it.”
    I took a swig. “Sounds like you have spies all around you.”
    Eagan chuckled. “Indeed, I do. It’s the nature of my life. Which brings me to why I asked to see you.”
    I held the flask out, but he waved his hand back toward the bookcase. I hid it again. “I had a feeling you didn’t need my advice on a political decision.”
    Eagan smiled. “Don’t underestimate yourself, boy. I actually do like the idea of doing nothing. Right now, though, I need information. The human civil authorities are closing ranks against the fey. I need to know what their thoughts are, what they fear, and what they’re planning to do about it.”
    “Why ask me? I’m not privy to that stuff.”
    “Leonard Murdock is the son of the police commissioner,” said Eagan.
    The statement didn’t exactly rock me back on my heels. Eagan lived in a world of intrigue. For all his comments about Nigel’s plans, he had more than a few of his own, and exploiting resources was second nature to him. “Murdock’s a friend.”
    Eagan nodded. “I’m not asking you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with, Grey. I’m saying if an opportunity arises that might allow you to pursue a line of inquiry, that you take it. If you learn something in a way that doesn’t violate any of your moral qualms about loyalty and friendship, then you might feel the need to share with me what you hear.”
    I raised an eyebrow at him. “And why might I do that?”
    A languid ripple flowed through Eagan’s wings, a sluggish movement that revealed how weak he was. “Because I see beneath your attitude, Grey. You don’t like the Guild. You don’t like Maeve, but you still care what happens to the fey. You even care what happens to the humans. You could have walked away from the recent catastrophes, but you stayed. Because you care. Nigel’s a fool for thinking that’s worthless.”
    I pursed my lips. “I’ll think about it.”
    Eagan closed his eyes