‘You’re not going to find a smoking gun. But if you can plant enough doubt in the other Chieftains’ minds…’

‘You don’t get it! Half of them will believe any lies he tells them. The other half will either already be colluding with him or will keep quiet because they’re too afraid. He’s fooled me my entire life! I’ve been working my way around the other Clans and listening to what’s going on and how they think. I need more to get them to pay attention.’

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. ‘They’re wearing clothes,’ I said eventually.

‘Huh?’

‘The Fomori demons are wearing clothes, probably as much to cover their skin from the sun as anything, but almost all the others I’ve seen were naked or as good as.’

‘The demons who attacked Aberdeen last winter apparently had some kind of gloop all over them. They were virtually naked too,’ he said slowly. ‘So why would these ones wear formal attire? Look – that one’s even got a bloody tie on.’

I squinted. Is that what it was? I hadn’t been sure. It solidified my suspicions. ‘When in Rome…’ I said. ‘They’re dressed as you would be if you were visiting a foreign country and wanted to appeal to its leader. By matching the fashion of the day.’ I considered. ‘Check their pockets.’

Byron gave me a sidelong glance then stepped into the nightmarish hole. I heard fumbling and a muffled hiss before everything went silent. ‘What is it?’ I asked.

He didn’t answer. Quelling my squeamishness, I looked into the hole. Byron was staring at a tattered piece of paper. He held it up. ‘It was in the middle one’s inside pocket.’

I peered at it. Bloody Gaelic again. I tried to translate it. ‘Arrive here for all Fomori to ask for…’ I frowned. Er… ‘A fox?’

‘We come here on behalf of all Fomori demons,’ Byron corrected, ‘to request a peaceful settlement between the Highlands and the Lowlands.’

Oh. ‘No foxes?’

‘No. But,’ he said, in a bid to make me feel better, ‘the words are fairly similar. It’s an easy mistake to make.’ It was unfortunate that the magic inside me assured me he was lying. He offered a half smile and stepped out. ‘The demons came here to petition my father for peace. And they ended up dead.’

I gave another quick glance at the three Fomori bodies. Whatever other secrets they’d held, they were never going to reveal them now. This document was all we had. ‘When they say peace, what do they mean exactly?’

Byron’s expression was cold. ‘It’s all written down here. In return for the Sidhe dropping the Veil and returning the Lowlands to their former state, the Fomori were prepared to open trade negotiations and make amends for wrongs done in the past.’

I rocked back on my heels. ‘Wow. Aifric never mentioned this to you?’

‘As far as I know, he never mentioned it to anyone. Maybe he never saw it. He might have killed these three before they got the chance to make the offer.’