The Maleficent Seven. Derek Landy

“They had a Sensitive named Jerry. Just to let you know, I did not have a relationship with Jerry. Let’s be clear about that. He was a rubbish Sensitive, but that’s not why I didn’t have a relationship with him. For a start, he wasn’t my type. Reason number two, I was already in a relationship with Billy-Ray here, and I was trying my best to be monogamous.”

      At that, Sanguine frowned. “You were trying?”

      “Please don’t interrupt, darling,” Tanith said. “Back to Jerry. As I said, he was a rubbish Sensitive, and I cut his head off. If he’d been any good at looking into the future, he’d have ducked. But he didn’t, so... off with his head. Anyway, what Jerry did do was give us a list of possible locations where three of these weapons are being kept. We have since had these confirmed. We got the fourth from Christophe Nocturnal before he tragically died when I killed him. I’ll miss Christophe, I don’t mind telling you. Was he boyfriend material? Probably not, but we had a moment.”

      “The four locations,” Sanguine prompted.

      “Yes,” Tanith said, focusing on the task at hand. “The first weapon we’re going after will be the dagger, which is in the possession of Johann Starke. I know what you’re thinking – Johann Starke, Elder with the German Sanctuary, how can we possibly sneak in and steal what we’re there to steal? Well, let me just reassure you – I have a plan, and I’m fairly confident it stands a chance of not failing, if we’re lucky.”

      “I have a question,” said Jack.

      “Questions later.”

      “You keep sayin’ sneak in and sneak out and stuff. My question is—”

      “No questions.”

      “—once this Starke bloke realises he’s been robbed—”

      “I’m pretty sure I said no questions.”

      “—the owners of the other weapons are gonna heighten security, so won’t that mess up our mission?”

      “First of all,” Tanith said, “we have a no question rule. I literally just established it, like right there. I know you were here for that because it was two minutes ago. Now, I understand that you’re used to being my enemy so your natural inclination is to do the opposite of whatever I say, but you’re just going to have to get over that. Agreed?”

      “I’m just askin’ a—”

      “Jack, please. Wait till I’m finished talking.”

      “You were finished talk—”

      “Please stop interrupting me. We’re a team. We’re a squad. We’re a gang. There is no I in any of those words.”

      “There’s an I in menagerie,” said Annis.

      Tanith looked at her. “What?”

      “We could be a menagerie,” Annis said. “Then there’d be an I. A menagerie of, you know... criminals.”

      “We’re not a menagerie,” said Tanith. “What are we even talking about any more? We can’t afford to get sidetracked here, OK? A menagerie is for animals and birds. We’re not birds, Annis. We’re people. Birds have wings. Birds fly. Also, they’re birds. But, seeing as how the question has been asked, let’s answer it. If it’s so important. If you simply cannot live another moment without knowing the answer. By all means, let’s waste some more time on this. Sabine.”

      Sabine looked up. “Yes?”

      “Explain.”

      Sabine looked at her. “Uh...”

      “Your power,” Sanguine said. “Tell ’em what it is.”

      “Oh, yeah, OK. Well, I’m a Magiphage.”

      Jack frowned. “A what?”

      “A Leech,” said Dusk.

      Sabine almost glared at the vampire before she thought better of it. “Uh, yes, I... I’m what is commonly referred to as a Leech. I can temporarily drain a sorcerer’s power.”

      “And how does that help us?” Annis asked.

      “Because there’s another aspect to being a Magiphage that not a lot of people know about,” said Sabine. “I can transfer – again, temporarily – a portion of magic to another person or... object.”

      Tanith leaned forward on her elbows, that bright smile back again. “You see? I’ve already had forgeries made, exact copies of these weapons – or as exact as we could get based on a couple of photographs.”