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Back Cardinal Black Save as PDF
Chapters (44)
  1. Title Page
  2. One: Into the Storm
  3. One
  4. Two
  5. Three
  6. Four
  7. Five
  8. Six
  9. Seven
  10. Two: London Calling
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Twelve
  16. Thirteen
  17. Fourteen
  18. Fifteen
  19. Three: The Malignant Seven
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-One
  26. Twenty-Two
  27. Twenty-Three
  28. Four: Squirrels and Cats
  29. Twenty-Four
  30. Twenty-Five
  31. Twenty-Six
  32. Twenty-Seven
  33. Twenty-Eight
  34. Twenty-Nine
  35. Thirty
  36. Thirty-One
  37. Thirty-Two
  38. Five: Revelation
  39. Thirty-Three
  40. Thirty-Four
  41. Thirty-Five
  42. Thirty-Six
  43. Thirty-Seven
  44. About the Author

Fell smiled ever so slightly. “I’ve never thought of it in that way. But it does make sense.”

“It is insane!” Matthew had nearly shouted it. “The mirror does not exist! Even if there is a mirror that Valeriani created … it’s just a mirror, and that’s all! It’s no damned passageway from Hell!”

The professor’s expression returned to solemnity. “And you are absolutely and positively certain of that? So certain that you would defy the belief of centuries that there does exist the realm of Hades? You would defy the Holy Bible itself? You would attest that the descriptions of the seventy-two demons in that book amount to simple folly? Or someone’s madness?”

“Someone’s bad oyster, most likely,” said Hudson as he continued to turn through the book.

“I’m not going to argue theology with you,” Matthew replied. “I’m saying the idea of a magic mirror that can call up a demon to do the bidding of a human being is insane.”

“Your opinion. My opinion is that where there is smoke there is usually fire, and where there are nets thrown down there are usually fish. Or, in this case … these bizarre—and in some ways quite beautiful—creatures of the depths. Now what has saved your life, Hudson, is the fact that in exchange for letting Matthew go with Julian to retrieve the book of potions he has agreed—agreed, I said—to go to Italy and find a man named Brazio Valeriani, whose father Ciro created the mirror. If at all possible, the mirror can be found as well if it still exists. And after thinking this through I have decided that not only is Matthew going to Italy to find Valeriani, but I am going with him.”

“What?” Matthew asked. “I thought you’d be sending some of your men with me!”

“Those as well. But I wish to be present when the objects of our search are found.”

“Damn, what a mug on this one!” Hudson said as he appraised one of the more vicious gentlemen of Hell. He closed the book and returned it to Fell’s desktop. “I tend to agree with Matthew about this, but the sun of Italy will be a welcome pleasure.”

“Ha!” said the professor. “You’re going back to New York with Miss Grigsby. I mean to say … when she is able.”