Crystal chandeliers dripped wax onto nobles below like weeping angels.
Alex counted seventeen concealed weapons before the orchestra finished tuning.
"Countess Maribel strangled her husband with pearl embroidery thread," Alicia murmured, her gloved hand possessive on his arm.
"The Viscountess prefers arsenic in perfume."
Across the room, Duke Klaus raised a wineglass—the same man who'd orchestrated Leo's downfall in Crimson Dynasty.
[Threat Analysis: 92% Lethal Intent]
When Klaus "tripped," splashing burgundy across Alex's waistcoat, the EW-Library overlaid the room with glowing markers:
Salt cellar (electrolyte source)
Candle wax (sealant)
Silver fork (conductor)
Ten minutes later, Alex's jury-rigged still produced 90-proof alcohol.
He lit a match.
Klaus's sleeve went up in blue flames.
Alicia's laugh curled around his ear:
"Adequate."