“You’re responsible for all this destruction?” I said.
He shrugged quickly. “I got the word out. To the Drood they don’t like to talk about. And he did what I couldn’t.”
“Hundreds of good men and women died here!” I said.
He shrugged again. “If you can’t hurt the one you hate, hurt the ones you can reach. Did he die with the others? Did the Regent die? Talk to me! I need to know!”
“The Regent was my grandfather,” I said. “I found his dead body, right here in this office. He was a great man!”
“To you, maybe.” Marcus was breathing hard now, his eyes wild. “But then, you’re just as bad as he was. Eddie Drood . . . I’ve read your file. All the lives you destroyed to get your own way. To serve your nasty little family. And you dare look down your nose at me? He probably gave you all the breaks I never had. The breaks that should have been mine!”
“Why?” said Molly. “Why should the Regent have given you all these breaks?”
“Because he was my grandfather too!” shouted Marcus, his face crimson. “Oh yes! The Grey Fox wasn’t the only one who left a trail of bastards behind him. I . . . am a bastard’s bastard. Never good enough for a torc, only a quarter Drood . . . And never good enough for dear old Grandpa. But I showed him . . .”
“You’re really claiming you’re responsible for the Regent’s death?” said Molly. “For everything that happened here? Why would you say that when you must know people will be lining up to kill you for it?”
“Because I want the world to know! I want them to know what he was really like, to his own grandson! I’m not afraid of anyone. I’m not afraid of you! Screw you! I fixed him, and I’ll fix you too! I didn’t just find Kayleigh’s Eye; I went back and found another Eye!” He ripped open his shirt, to reveal a glowing gem fused to his bare chest. “See? You can’t touch me!”
Molly looked at the gem thoughtfully, then snapped her fingers loudly. The gem stopped glowing, and fell away from Marcus’ chest. It hit the floor with a dull thud.
“Fake,” she said. “Not even a little bit convincing.”
Marcus stumbled back a step, snarling and clawing at his chest. His eyes were wide and unblinking.
“How did you get in here?” I said. “Past the policemen on duty?”
“I have my ways!” said Marcus. “Special ways! Secret ways! You can’t stop me!”
Molly ignored him, looking at me. “What are we going to do with him? Slap him down, drag him out of here, and hand him over to the authorities?”
“I suppose so,” I said. “Even if he really did do everything he claims, he’s just too pathetic for anything else.”
“I am not pathetic!” shouted Marcus, actually stamping one foot in his rage. “I am a Shadow! And I came here armed!”
His right hand came forward, suddenly full of a heavy, glowing blade. It burned with a sick yellow flame. He swept the blade back and forth before him, grinning widely as it left crackling trails of unnatural energy on the air behind it. He laughed breathily.
“This is the Devil’s Dagger! I found it! It can cut through anything, penetrate any defence. Even your amazing armour, Drood. I was going to use it on the Regent if he had survived . . . but you’ll do. Or your bitch!”
He lunged forward, the glowing blade aimed right at Molly’s heart. I armoured up and put myself between him and Molly. And as the glowing blade shot forward, I punched my armoured fist through his chest, and out his back. He stopped dead, looked down, and made a small sound. And then all the light went out of his eyes, and he just hung there, dead, transfixed on my golden arm. I pulled it back, and he fell limply to the floor. Blood dripped thickly from my fist. The Devil’s Dagger was still in his hand, but it wasn’t glowing any longer. It didn’t look like much. Molly leaned over for a quick look.
“Another fake,” she said. “No real threat, after all. Don’t feel bad, Eddie. You did what he wanted. He wanted to die.”
“I know,” I said.
* * *
I looked at the Armourer, sitting opposite me. “And that is why I’m so determined never to kill again, Uncle Jack. Don’t you see? It doesn’t matter what he