I remained where I was and tilted my head up. Fitzroy didn't seem to detest this man as he did Gillingham, so I assumed the general wasn't as willfully cruel as the lord.

"It is," Fitzory said, looking down at me. "Charlie, this is General Eastbrooke."

I crossed my arms. "Another committee member?"

Eastbrooke's thick gray brows lifted. "You're supposed to say it's nice to meet you, sir."

"But I don't know if it's nice to meet you or not." I was being deliberately irritating, but I didn't care. The more people I annoyed during my stay, the less likely they were to keep me when they realized I wouldn't help them. "You could be an arse, like him."

Gillingham raised his walking stick, but lowered it upon a glare from both Fitzroy and Eastbrooke. "I don't know why you protect him," Gillingham snapped.

"He's valuable to us," Eastbrooke said.

Fitzroy's gaze slid to the general's. Gillingham snorted. "For the time being," he muttered.

"How old is he?" Eastbrooke asked.

"Thirteen," Fitzroy said.

"Gilly tells me he's tried to escape."

"He has."

"And yet you allow him outside?"

"He needs exercise."

I needed exercise? Ha!

The general regarded me. "He'll try to escape again while he's free."

"Then I'll catch him."

"I'm sure that will not be a problem for you. He looks rather scrawny."

"Street urchins usually are."

"Hmmm." He paced around me, hands at his back, then came to a stop in front of me again. He thrust his chin forward. "Show your face, boy."

I backed away and kept my gaze down.

"You're going to defy me?" He clicked his tongue. "I don't think you're in any position to do that, do you?"

"I'm ugly," I said. "My ugliness embarrasses me."

Gillingham snorted, but the general simply continued to regard me with his cool eyes, his out-thrust chin. If he ordered Fitzroy to hold me while he swept my hair back, I would not be able to resist.

"Time is running out," Eastbrooke said. "You have this necromancer, but what of the other? If the girl is found by V.F, he will succeed. We need to win her to our side first or the battle is lost."

"We'll find her through Charlie. I'm sure of it."

Hearing Fitzroy speak about his suspicions of a link made my heart stop in my chest. How much did he know, and how much was a guess? He gave nothing away.

"And how will you do that?" Gillingham sneered. "He doesn't care what we're trying to achieve. He only cares for his own skin."

"I can't blame him for that, considering how he's lived."

"You're too soft, Fitzroy. Never thought I'd hear myself say that, but there you have it."

"Enough, Gilly!" Eastbrooke snapped. I wasn't sure if a lord outranked a general but Gillingham shut his mouth. Perhaps he was as awed by Eastbrooke's military bearing and powerful frame as I was.

"Do not forget what we're trying to achieve here," Gillingham muttered to Fitzroy.