Even if one had stolen it.
She was the second-biggest threat—Victoria’s true living heir. Alexandria had never truly believed Elizabeth would reign for as long as she had. She had been preparing to remove her for years. Yet, while Victoria had taken the mantel of the longest-ruling monarch of the crown, Elizabeth had now surpassed that record by three years.
Which was a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it was nice to have avoided the sticky situation that had occurred with Elizabeth’s father and grandfather, but on the other…
“Oh, how cruel a fate that we must live a life dictated by the rules of others,” Alexandria murmured. “How twisted that our lives should be superseded by yours. How ill-met that one must take control of the forces of nature to ensure their own survival.”
Alexandria imagined how awful it must have been for the queen. The year Victoria had been crowned into specter-dom must have been one of the most overwhelming experiences of her life. To take over the paranormal court during a time of war and instability, and to pull the country and the empire back together with her bare hands…
That would have been a tough cross to bear. The removal of her forebears had made the process easier to consume, and the elimination of those thereafter had finally given the monarch a chance to stabilize the empire and bring the whole deal to rest.
Not without a little help, of course.
Alexandria chuckled. “History is written by the victors. You’re welcome, Your Majesty.”
Alexandria shifted form, her lithe, slim figure taking on the additional weight of her target, and swept out of the room. The house hadn’t changed all that much in the time since she had been living there. Some of the decorations had changed, but for the most part, everything remained as it was.
She met Porter, deep in thought, in the reception room. When she called his name, he started as if awoken from a dream.
“Oh, Victoria.”
“Your Highness,” Victoria emphasized.
Porter scowled. “There’s no one here. Do we need to keep up the façade?”
“It’s in your best interests, isn’t it?” Alexandria grinned. “I was told you were looking for me?”
“I have a…” Porter hesitated.
“Well?”
“I have a prisoner who might have some information on the whereabouts of Rogue.” Though Porter declared it boldly, his hesitation remained.
“Is there a problem?”
Porter shook his head. “No. No problem.”
“Good. Lead the way.”
Chapter Seventy-Two
Buckingham Palace, London
George huddled in the corner of his little cell and shivered. His body was battered and bruised from the instruments used to try to extract information from him. Even now, lying alone in the dark, camera flashes came to him as swift reminders of the pain he had endured.
But they hadn’t broken him.
George held his chin high and rested his head against the wall. He couldn’t believe such brutality could exist in the spectral world, yet there it was. The brutes had beaten, they had peeled, they had scratched and threatened to slice, but still, he would not budge.
“Time is the greatest weapon,” Victoria had said, standing in the corner with folded arms and a stern expression on her face. “They all wear down with time. Take him back to his cell. We’ll try again in a few hours.”
George was flooded with relief at those words. Although, he knew he’d soon have to go back to the chamber once more for another round, and even he knew he wouldn’t last forever.
“This is the right thing to do,” George muttered to himself. “Rogue is telling the truth. That the queen is doing this to one of her subjects demonstrates it.”
A bang on the door. “Quit your whining.”
George held his tongue and waited. He waited for the time to pass, hoping Rogue would come and rescue him, but realizing it might not come in time.
Sooner or later, they would break him.
No mountain can last against an endless sea.
George slept.
Westminster, London
Porter walked briskly, glancing in all directions.
Specters had followed him with their eyes, watching with curiosity as he dragged along the whimpering specter they had seen him, not too long ago, drag into Buckingham Palace.
Luckily for Porter, since he stood as the queen’s right-hand man, there were few who stood in his way and questioned his behavior.
He raced across Westminster Bridge and toward the meeting destination, arriving just several moments after Big Ben had struck the hour. He reached the back wall of the London Dungeon, and melted through, dragging George with him.
George was ominously silent, but that was perfect for Porter. He didn’t want to have to waste any more words on the worthless excuse of a specter.
Following the shapeshifting specter’s instructions, Porter made his way into the lower levels, feeling oddly at home amongst the dark, heavy brickwork. Enjoying the sight of the methods of torture which mortals had long ago abandoned as he made his way ever down, down into the forgotten realms.
“You better be worth the risk,” Porter muttered as he was about to melt through the final door. “With any luck, this should lead to her actual capture.”
George grinned back. “Oh, I know it will.”
Jennie was ready when Porter appeared at the doorway. She had Carolyn, Baxter, Feng Mian, and the Order of the Obake surrounding her. She raised the Big Bitch and aimed it at Porter.
“Bring him inside,” she commanded.
Porter grinned. “Funny. You look much different when you’re not being imitated by a specter.”
Jennie turned to Angus. “You turned into me?”
He nodded.
Jennie wrinkled her nose. “Ew…”
Porter chuckled. “Before we proceed, I need to see that you’re not lying. Show me Yasmine is safe and we can proceed.”
Jennie stood firm, her eye trained down the barrel of the gun. “You know I could just blow your head off if I wanted to?”
“I’m sure of that,” Porter replied. “I also know I took a big risk in coming here, and you’re a woman of honor. Show me your side of the bargain, and we can talk.”
He held her gaze, unblinking.
Jennie gave the signal, and several specters dragged a wriggling Yasmine to the front. Without looking, Jennie drew her pistol and aimed it at Yasmine’s head. “So much as one sudden movement, and neither of you will be able to speak, kiss, or fuck for a month.”
To her surprise, Porter smiled. “How little you think of us! All these years we’ve known each other, and this is your opinion? At least we’re not bending over for Uncle Sam, you traitor.”
Baxter took a step forward, anger on his face. Feng Mian stopped him by holding out an arm.
“Hit a sore spot, did I?” Porter crooned. “How about you lower your weapons and we talk this through like real specters?”
“How about you take me to Victoria?” Jennie shot back.
Porter put a hand to his mouth. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot you weren’t a specter. You must accept my apologies. Only specters should fall under the jurisdiction of Her Majesty. In fact, I’m not sure why visitation rights were ever granted to a mortal.”
“You know very well why,” Jennie replied, not taking the bait. “Because I get the job done, which is more than can be said about half your order.” She thought for a moment, then placed her guns back by her side. “But you’re right. Let’s talk this through like gentlemen, shall we?”
Porter’s face straightened. “Okay, then. Say your piece.”
“Very well,” Jennie agreed. “The paranormal court is failing.”
“Failing!” Yasmine laughed. “Please! It’s stronger than ever.”
Jennie continued, unperturbed. “Rebel forces are rising across the world. We’ve seen it firsthand in New York, and I can’t believe it took so long for me to see the truth
. The world has changed, and the court has struggled to keep up. Her Majesty’s Empire has been built on a lie. A system which once worked, and which doesn’t anymore. Specters shouldn’t be pitted against each other, forced to pick a side to align with. They should be free to roam and choose the afterlife they want. This is a sick and diseased dictatorship, and I’ve seen first-hand evidence that Queen Victoria will do anything to stay in power. Murder her descendants, employ criminals to serve her cause, and even go so far as to manipulate all those around who believe they are serving a better system.”
Jennie straightened up and lowered her guns. “The paranormal court is corrupt. If you don’t see it by now, then you both must be blinder than I originally thought.”
Porter cocked his head, looking as though he was debating her words. The other specters in the room were quiet, each one mulling over everything Jennie had just said. If she could just get through to Porter and Yasmine, if she could just make them see the queen for what she truly was, then maybe they’d have a real shot at getting to her.
Unfortunately, that was not what happened.
Porter clapped his hands slowly. “That was a rousing speech, Rogue. You almost brought a tear to my eye.” He advanced on her until she raised her gun, and he paused. “You are right about one part, though. It did take you a long while to realize what was going on.”
Yasmine began to chuckle beside Jennie. She trained her pistol back toward her, a twinkle of uncertainty in her eye.
Jennie thumbed the safety. “Bring George inside. Now.”
Porter moved to the doorway and dragged a disheveled-looking George into the room. His suit was askew, and there were shadows across his face.
“Now hand him over,” Jennie instructed.
George made a move to run over to Jennie, but Porter held his shoulder firmly. “Before he goes, there is something you should know.”
Jennie returned his stare, her mouth a thin line.
“There was never a way you were going to infiltrate the palace,” Porter bragged. “No matter what method you tried, someone was always going to outsmart you. I mean, it makes sense when you’re surrounded by the most talented specters in the country.”
“Jennie, what’s he talking about?” Carolyn asked.
Jennie didn’t look away from Porter as a brimming smile filled his face.
“I mean, you knew this was a bad idea, didn’t you?” Porter goaded. “You knew I would bring an entire force with me, and you’d be trapped by the end of this conversation.”
Baxter, Lupe, Feng Mian, and the other specters turned their gaze to the ceiling, wondering if what he was saying was true.
“I told you I would destroy your lover if you played any of your games,” Jennie ground out through gritted teeth. “I hold true to my promise. So, tell me. Are you telling the truth, or are you just trying to rattle my cage? Either way, it’s going to hurt you. I’m done with your games.”
Porter pulled George back toward him and used him as a spectral shield. “You shoot me, you shoot him.”
Jennie shrugged. “It’ll be worth it.”
“Porter?” Yasmine complained. “You haven’t seriously gone against your word? We’re specters of the crown. Our word is sacred.”
“Shut up, Yasmine,” Porter snapped. “You don’t know what you’re messing with.”
Yasmine’s mouth fell open. “You don’t give a shit about me… You’d rather suck up to Her Majesty than ensure I go unharmed!”
Jennie shot the floor near Yasmine, causing her to jump and scream when the sudden movement sent a jolt of pain from her ankle stump.
“Speak now and speak the truth,” Jennie commanded. “Have you summoned the Royal Guard to this location. Have you gone against your word?”
Porter allowed a long pause before a single word seeped from his mouth. “Yes.”
Jennie exploded with rage. She latched onto George with her spectral power and pulled him toward her, yanking him into her arms as though he were on the other end of a bungee cord.
She hooked an arm around him and held him tightly while she loosed the Big Bitch on Porter.
Yasmine screamed when one of his arms exploded. The other shots grazed his side and took big chunks of flesh from him.
Porter fell to the floor and grabbed at the stump of his arm. Silver slivers of blood leaked from his mouth as he coughed and spluttered.
Jennie stood over him with the gun aimed at his face. “Tell me why I shouldn’t just end you now.”
Despite everything, Porter began to laugh.
“Think that’s funny?” Jennie’s eyes grew dark. With her free hand, she drew the sword from its sheath. The silver of the blade shone with its own light.
Porter’s face straightened. “A sword?
“Not just any sword,” Jenny informed him. “A sword that has the ability to exorcise any specter I cut with it. It took a bit of tracking down, but I was able to get there with a little help from my friends.”
Porter stared intently at Jennie. “I call bullshit.”
“You want to try it?”
Porter swallowed. “Fine. You wanted the queen. There she is.”
A chill ran down Jennie’s spine as the specters behind her gasped. The specter she held tight in her arm began to transform. Jennie let go, and standing in the place where George had been a few seconds ago was Queen Victoria.
“Is this some kind of joke?” Jennie asked.
Victoria took a few steps back and shook her head. “How funny that you should ally against me with the order of the Obake, yet none of them even recognized one of their own.” She smiled at Jennie. “Surprised?”
Jennie let out a whistle. “You could say that.”
Victoria raised a hand. “Guards! Seize them!”
Before Jennie could so much as move, specters flooded the room.
Jennie had been in war zones before. She’d been in invasions and raids, and she knew the intensity with which those operations went down.
This took all past situations to a whole new height.
They came in from everywhere, filling the room with the glow of specters. There were shouts from ex-soldiers, ex-cops, everyday specters, coupled with the cries of distress from the Obake, Carolyn, Lupe, and Baxter.
Taken by the sudden swarm of specters, Jennie closed her eyes and tried to channel their energy so she could use their power against them. She felt their power flowing through them and imagined the whole swarm exploding outwards, sending specters flying. She strained her muscles, put all of her thought into the action and—
A body knocked into her.
Then another.
Jennie saw special forces entering the room, passing through all of the specters. She realized she was still in human form and that the black uniforms the mortals wore had the initials SIS.
Jennie’s heart dropped. The Spectral Investigation Squad were cut-throat humans brought into the circle of spectral intelligence. Founded in 1953, after the great spectral disturbance of Hammersmith, the SIS was an elite force trained to deal with the mortal side of spectral activity.
“Genevieve King, by order of Her Majesty the queen, we order you to freeze.”
Jennie was caught. If she became spectral, every surrounding specter grabbed her and held her still. If she went human, the SIS was waiting for her. She fired off several shots and swung her sword, initiating great blazes of painful white light, but the light only served to blind her temporarily.
Jennie was blinking away the afterburn when a sudden shock of pain blazed in her shoulder.
She gasped and grabbed at the place where the SIS captain’s bullet had made a deep gash in the top of her shoulder. Blood swelled to the surface, and she dropped her pistol to the floor. “You son of a…”
The captain pointed his gun at her and indicated the troops surrounding her. “I wouldn’t be so hasty, sunshine,” he told her with a sickening grin. “Sixty years of technological developments, and we’ve finally managed to duplicate yo
ur steampunk-inspired weapon. Want to test us? Go ahead. These bullets will take you down whether you’re a human or a specter.”
They stared at each other a long moment before Jennie lowered her shooting arm and spat on the floor. “Congratulations. You’ve finally caught me. Well done, all. Now, what?”
The SIS officer nodded for one of his subordinates to cuff her. “Now, we hand you over to Her Majesty—”
The room fell into sudden darkness, and a powerful wind whipped up out of nowhere as though a hurricane had suddenly brewed in the very center of the room.
Cries of panic and alarm rang out from everywhere as some unknown presence tore around the room. Guns fired, illuminating a harrowing sight in the strobe light flashes of the muzzles.
A thick, dark fog had entered the room and cloaked them all in its power.
“Your Highness! To the stairs!” Porter’s voice called.
Another muzzle flash showed specters fleeing from the room in droves. Another flash and several large, smoky figures hovered in the center of the room.
Jennie looked at the space where the figures hovered in front of her. She reached across the floor for the Big Bitch, squinting against the rushing wind.
She nodded when she felt her fingers close around the grip, then she was carried away from the chaos.
Chapter Seventy-Three
Buckingham Palace, London
Disguised as Victoria, Alexandria stormed through Buckingham Palace with Porter and Yasmine following closely.
Her anger was unlike anything she had ever felt before. She’d had Rogue within her grasp. She was moments away from capture or destruction—she didn’t care which—and now she was gone.
Not only that, she was gone with the knowledge of what Alexandria truly was, which was an incredibly dangerous thing to have.
Guards moved out of her way without a word, standing to attention as she passed.
Rogue, Renegade And Rebel (In Her Paranormal Majesty’s Secret Service Book 1) Page 55