Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files #8) - Jim Butcher Page 0,4

he said. That they called up Outsiders and assaulted us within the realm of Faerie itself.

Bad move, so Ive heard. The Faeries are going to take it out of their hides.

So we all thought, the old man said. In fact, Summer declared war upon the Red Court and began preliminary assaults on them. But Winter hasnt respondedand Summer hasnt done much more than secure its borders.

Queen Mab didnt declare war?

No.

I frowned. Never thought shed pass up the chance. Shes all about carnage and bloodshed.

It surprised us as well, he said. So I want to ask a favor of you.

I eyed him without speaking.

Find out why, he said. You have contacts within the Courts. Find out whats happening. Find out why the Sidhe havent gone to war.

What? I asked. The Senior Council doesnt know? Dont you have an embassy and high-level connections and official channels? Maybe a bright red telephone?

Ebenezar smiled without much mirth. The general turbulence of the war has stretched everyones intelligence-gathering abilities, he replied. Even those in the spiritual realms. Theres another level entirely to the war in the conflict between spiritual spies and emissaries of everyone involved. And our embassy to the Sidhe has beenhellip; He rolled a weathered, strong shoulder in a shrug. Well. You know them as well as anyone.

Theyve been polite, open, spoken with complete honesty, and left you with no idea what is going on, I guessed.

Precisely.

So the Senior Council is asking me to find out?

He glanced around again. Not the Senior Council. Myself. A few others.

What others? I asked.

People I trust, he said, and looked at me directly over the rims of his spectacles.

I stared at him for a second and then said in a whisper, The traitor.

The vampires of the Red Court had been a little too on top of the game to be merely lucky. Somehow, they had been obtaining vital secrets about the dispositions of the White Councils forces and their plans. Someone on the inside had been feeding the vampires information, and a lot of wizards had died because of itparticularly during their heaviest attack, last year, in which theyd violated Sidhe territory in pursuit of the fleeing Council. You think the traitor is someone on the Senior Council.

I think we cant take any chances, he said quietly. This isnt official business. I cant order you to do it, Harry. Ill understand if you dont want to. But theres no one better for the joband our allies cannot maintain the current pace of operations for long. Their best weapon has always been secrecy, and their actions have forced them to pay a terrible cost of lives to give us what aid they have.

I folded my arms over my stomach and said, We need to help them, sure. But every time I look sideways at Faerie, I get into deeper trouble with them. Its the last thing I need. If I do this, how

Ebenezars weight shifted, gravel crunching loudly. I glanced up to see the Merlin and Morgan emerge from the building, speaking quietly and intently.

I wanted to talk to you, Ebenezar said, evidently for the benefit of anyone listening. Make sure Morgan and the other Wardens are treating you square.

I went along with him. When they talk to me at all, I said. About the only other Warden I ever see is Ramirez. Decent guy. I like him.

That says a lot for him.

That the Councils ticking time bomb has a good opinion of him? I waited for Morgan and the Merlin to leave, but they paused a little way off, still talking. I stared at the gravel for a long time, and then said, much more quiedy, That could have been me in there today. I could have been that kid.

It was a long time ago, Ebenezar said. You were barely more than a child.

So was he.

Ebenezars expression became guarded. Im sorry you had to see that business.

Is that why it happened here? I asked him. Why come to Chicago for an execution?

He exhaled slowly. Its one of the great crossroads of the world, Harry. More air traffic comes through here than anywhere else. Its an enormous port city for shipping of any kindtrucks, trains, ships. That means a lot of ways in and out, a lot of travelers passing through. It makes it difficult for any observers from the Red Court to spot us or report our movements. He gave me a bleak smile. And then theres the way Chicago seems to be inimical to the health