Chapters (44)
- Title Page
- One: Into the Storm
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Two: London Calling
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Three: The Malignant Seven
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Four: Squirrels and Cats
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Five: Revelation
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- About the Author
“Oh, indeed,” Lash replied. “I have taken the liberty of plucking two constables off the streets. Two small men whose disappearance will hardly be noted.” As Lash was speaking, Matthew saw the arrival of the Owl and a pair of servants; one of the servants held a drum and the other a penny whistle. The Owl took a seat between Lash and Cardinal Black but the servants remained standing nearly side-by-side at the top of the gallery.
“I have come to despise dumb authority,” Lash was saying. “Over the course of years, I have seen how small men destroy large—and great—ideas. If I had my way, all the small men would be trussed up in that pit. It would be better for London, and for the world, to be rid of the stumbling-blocks to true progress. I realize also that you gentlemen and madam have had your own misfortunes with such men, whether they represent a tainted law or a tainted house of royalty. And also … I have a companion who needs … shall we say … proper expression every so often, therefore I have used this pit several times in the last few years. It is a release for her, and I believe you will all enjoy the spectacle.” He waved toward the two servants. The one with the drum started a steady beat with the palm of his hand while the other began a weird, lilting melody on the whistle.
“I give you the hidden animal within Elizabeth Mulloy,” said Lash. “In this arena, known as RakeHell Lizzie.”
One of the guards, on cue, opened the door down in the pit.
A few seconds passed. The drumbeat and the weird melody kept going. Then suddenly a completely nude Elizabeth Mulloy came through. Her lithe body glistened with oil under the lantern light. Her eyes were sunken in pools of dark purple makeup, and black lines had been drawn on the angles of her face as if to resemble a painted doll. As she took appraisal of the hanging man it seemed to a dazed Matthew that he could see in her eyes the leap of a red spark, like a tinderbox just about to birth its flame.
She had removed the elegant gloves that she’d remarked were her style of fashion, yet had replaced them with elbow-length gloves of another nature.
These were made of black leather and bore long curved talons of blue-edged steel.
RakeHell Lizzie advanced upon the helpless constable, and Matthew realized he was about to witness murder on a scale beyond the horrific.
Nineteen
Nineteen
The creature that had been the demure hostess was gone. In its place was another killer to add to the list, and RakeHell Lizzie wasted little time in displaying her talents.