7

      SERPINE

       efarian Serpine had a visitor.

       The Hollow Men bowed deeply as he strode through the corridors of his castle. They looked real from a distance, but up close they were nothing more than cheap imitations of life. Their papery skin was a mere expressionless shell, inflated from within by the foulest of gases. It was only their hands and feet that were solid and heavy – their feet clumped when they walked and their hands weighed down their arms, so they stood with a perpetual stoop.

       Their number increased the closer he got to the main hall. They were simple creatures, but they did what they were told, and they hadn’t known what to make of the visitor. Serpine entered the main hall, the crowd of Hollow Men parted and a man in a dark suit turned to him.

       “Mr Bliss,” Serpine said politely. “I thought you were dead.”

       “I heard that too,” Bliss responded. He was an elegant man of muscle and mass, as tall as Serpine, but whereas Serpine had black hair and glittering emerald green eyes, Bliss was bald, with eyes of the palest blue. “In fact, it was a rumour I started. I thought it might make people leave me alone in my retirement.”

       “And has it?”

       “Unfortunately, no.”

       Serpine motioned for the Hollow Men to leave them and then led his guest into the drawing room.

       “Can I get you a drink?” Serpine asked, heading to the liquor cabinet. “Or is it too early in the day?”

       “I’m here on business,” Bliss said. “Elder business.”

       Serpine turned, gave him a smile. “And how are the Elders?”

       “Worried.”

       “When are they not?”

       Serpine went to the armchair by the window, watched the sun as it struggled to rise then settled into the chair, crossed his legs and waited for Bliss to continue. The last time they had been in the same room together they had been trying to kill each other while a hurricane tore the place down around them. The very fact that Bliss remained standing right now told Serpine that he was thinking the same thing. Bliss was wary of him.

       “The Elders called me in because, five days ago, two of their people went missing – Clement Gale and Alexander Slake.”

       “How very unfortunate, but I don’t believe I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting either of them.”

       “They were assigned to… observe you, from time to time.”

       “Spies?”

       “Not at all. Merely observers. The Elders thought it prudent to keep tabs on a few of Mevolent’s followers, to make sure no one strayed from the terms of the Truce. You were always at the top of that list.”

       Serpine smiled. “And you think I had something to do with their disappearance? I’m a man of peace these days, not war. I seek only knowledge.”

       “You seek secrets.”

       “You make that sound so sinister, Mr Bliss. As for the missing ‘observers’, maybe they’ll turn up safe and well, and the Elders can apologise for dragging you out of your retirement.”

       “They turned up yesterday.”

       “Oh?”

       “Dead.”

       “How terrible for them.”

       “Not a mark on their bodies. No indication at all as to how they died. Sound familiar?”

       Serpine thought for a moment then arched an eyebrow and held up his gloved right hand. “You think this did it? You think I killed those men? I haven’t used this power in years. When I first learned it, I thought it was a wonderful thing, but now I look on it as a curse, and a reminder to me of my many mistakes and transgressions in my servitude to Mevolent. I don’t mind telling you, Mr Bliss, that I am deeply ashamed of what I have done with my life.”

       Bliss stood there and Serpine almost spoiled it all by laughing, but he managed to retain his look of mocking innocence.

       “Thank you for your co-operation,” Bliss said, turning to leave. “I shall be in touch if I need to ask you more questions.”

       Serpine waited until Bliss was at the door before speaking again. “They must be scared.”

       Bliss stopped. “What makes you say that?”

       “They sent you, didn’t they? Why didn’t they send the detective, I wonder?”

       “Skulduggery Pleasant is busy with another investigation.”

       “Is that so? Or maybe they thought I would be intimidated by you.”

       “They thought you’d listen to me. This Truce will hold only for as long as both sides want it to. The Elders want it to hold.”

       “That must be nice for them.”

       Mr Bliss looked at him like he was trying to read his thoughts. “Be careful, Nefarian. You might not like what’s at the end of this road you’re on.”

       Serpine smiled. “You’re sure you won’t join me for a drink?”

       “I have a plane to catch.”

       “Going somewhere nice?”

       “I have a meeting in London.”

       “I hope that goes well for you. We’ll have a drink some other time then.”

       “Perhaps.”

       Mr Bliss inclined his head in a small bow, and left.