“Don’t!” Molly said sharply. “Don’t start doubting your own judgement, just because one battle went against you. You did everything right. There was no way you could have known about all those other demons, hidden inside the tower.”

She broke off as Harry strode over to confront me. He held his head high, striding like a soldier, his every move full of the arrogance of the utterly self-justified. He knew all the family was watching. He slammed to a halt right in front of me, struck a condemnatory pose, and raised his voice so everyone could hear.

“This is all your fault, Edwin. All of it. I told you your attack force wasn’t big enough. I told you we all needed torcs, if we were to defeat the Loathly Ones. But no, you wouldn’t listen. You knew best. You just had to prove yourself as leader. And now, because of you, because of your pride and arrogance, all those good men and women are dead. Sacrificed on the altar of your ambition!”

“Nice speech, Harry,” I said. “Been practicing it all the way home, have you? I had to go with the information I had. None of this could have been predicted. We’ve never faced anything like this before.”

“Just what I would have expected from you,” said Harry. “Excuses! Face facts, Eddie; you’re just not up to the job. You never were. Even as a field agent, you were deemed so second-rate you were never allowed outside London! If you had any real pride, if you really cared about what was best for the family, you’d step down and let someone more qualified take over.”

“Got someone in mind, have you, Harry?” I said. “Yourself, perhaps?”

“Typical of you, Eddie, to try and make this about personalities,” Harry said grandly. “I don’t want to lead this family; I just want you gone. The Matriarch knew all about you. Knew you weren’t to be trusted with anything that really mattered. That’s why she let you run away from home, because you wouldn’t be missed. We should have hunted you down like any other rogue.”

“I was never a rogue! I worked for the family!” I stepped forwards, my hands clenching into fists.

“Don’t,” Molly said quickly. “It’s what he wants.”

“Yes, listen to your better half,” said Harry, sneering openly now. “You showed your true colours when you shacked up with her. When you had the sheer nerve to bring the infamous Molly Metcalf into our home, the bitch in heat of the wild woods!”