I showed up at the AMF the next day with a boost of confidence. Dani and Bryn kept me focused on sundials for hours yesterday and I felt armed with knowledge to present to Nick and Lucille. I made it through security with minimal hoopla and Nick met me in the lobby.
“We’re in the blue room,” the werejaguar said. “Percy’s in there now.”
“He still hasn’t given the name of his buyer?” I asked.
“No, he’s more interested in complaining about aches and pains today.” Nick rolled his eyes. “He seems to think that will somehow distract us getting answers. Amateur.”
Percy didn’t strike me as an amateur, but I kept my opinion to myself. Part of me was glad Percy was tightlipped. Maybe my sundial research would help during the interrogation.
We took an elevator to the fourth floor and I followed Nick down a narrow hallway. He placed the palm of his hand on a metal door, which promptly slid open. I spotted Lucille first, seated opposite Percy at a table. Percy's wrists and ankles where restrained in silver cuffs that prevented him from using his vampire abilities. There would be no impressive leaps to the ceiling while in custody.
Percy seemed relieved to see me. “Waterspout girl, tell them I need a healer. It isn't right to try to interrogate me when I'm in this weakened condition.” I noticed a sheen of sweat across his forehead.
“You'll have to try harder than that,” Lucille said. “At least offer a couple of coughs and a moan for good measure. I don't feel great either, but you don't hear me whining about it.” She glanced at us. “We have a severe case of man flu over here.”
I started to smile but stopped short when I noticed Lucille's forehead. She seemed to have the same sheen of sweat. Maybe she wasn't kidding about feeling unwell.
Nick took a seat at the table beside Lucille and gestured for me to join them. He seemed oblivious to Lucille’s appearance.
“What's so special about the sundial?” Nick asked.
“You think I know?” Percy replied.
“You stole it out of a museum with thousands of artifacts,” Lucille said. “Why did you think this particular item was the one to take?”
I thought of the sea of wealthy vampires at Nonesuch. All that money and power. Although he was a vampire, Percy didn’t carry himself with the same sense of importance and entitlement as the other guests.
“He stole it because he was told to,” I said. “Percy didn’t choose the sundial. He was paid to obtain that specific item.”
Percy shrugged. “I don't get paid to research, only to steal.”
“You were paid in advance?” Nick asked.
Percy wiped sweat from his brow. “Yeah, paid well, too.”
“Have you done any other jobs for this contractor?” Lucille asked. She fished a tissue from her pocket and patted her own brow with it.
“No,” Percy replied. “This was the first time. I would've been happy to do another job for them. The sundial wasn't hard to get. That museum is never wholly secure.”
“Too bad you're going to be spending so much time in prison or we could’ve hired you as a consultant to improve the security of the museum,” Nick said.
Percy tried to stretch out his arms, but was limited by the restraints. “I can tell you where all the museum security flaws are. Maybe we can work out a deal.”
Nick and Lucille exchanged glances. “We’ll speak to someone about that option,” Lucille said. “In the meantime, I'm sure if you gave us a name, they’d be more amenable to your request.”
“I know you don’t care about the things you steal,” I began, “but we really need to track down that sundial. If you just give us the name of your buyer, you’re going to save a lot of lives.”
Nick's head swiveled in my direction. “Lives? What did you find out, Mia?”
“I did a little digging yesterday,” I said. “That sundial is more than just a pretty artifact of an earlier time. It counts down to an event.”
“What kind of event?” Lucille asked, concerned.
“It's like a doomsday clock,” I said. “If someone starts that sundial, then we have a problem much bigger than a missing museum piece.”
Nick slammed his fists on the table. “You want that kind of blood on your hands?”
Percy smirked. “I’m a vampire. I want that kind of blood in my mouth.”
Gross.
“We’re willing to work with you on the consultancy deal, Percy,” Lucille said, “but you need to work with us. The other option is more time alone in a cell. You’ve had a taste of that already. What did you think?”
Percy tried to appear nonchalant. “I thought the decor was a bit outdated. There's also a damp smell that I couldn't identify. You should talk to the maids about that.”
Nick stood and pushed back his chair. “I think we’re done here, Lucille. Percy obviously doesn't want to help out, so we should stop wasting our time.”
Lucille managed a smile. “Fine. We’ll send him back to a cell, but not alone. We've got a nice vengeance demon locked up in cell C. We can help Percy make a new friend while he’s with us. Everybody needs friends on the inside.” She coughed into her tissue.
Percy held up his hands. “Okay, you win. If you promise not to put me with the vengeance demon, I'll give you a name.”
“Deal,” Nick said.
Percy moaned softly and clutched his stomach. “It was the hostess, Sela. She hired me to steal the sundial.”
“Sela?” I asked, gobsmacked. “But she’s the one that organized the event to raise money.”
“Did she say why?” Nick asked.
“No, and I didn’t ask,” Percy said. “Questions like that mean you don’t get hired.”
I thought of the demon mask and the sunrise painting. “Maybe that’s how she acquires her silent auction items,” I said.
Percy gripped the edge of the table. “I answered your question. Now I need to lie down.”
Nick snapped his fingers and two guards came in and escorted Percy from the room.
I looked at Lucille. “Are you sure you're feeling okay?” I asked.
“To be honest, I feel like minotaur shit,” she replied, and clutched her stomach. “Did you eat the crab? I usually do okay with shellfish, but maybe this one is out to get me.”
“I ate the crab and I feel fine,” I said.
Nick examined her closely. “Maybe stop in the healer’s office.”
She waved him off. “I’ll be fine. Nothing a pint of blood won’t cure. Besides, we have a doomsday clock to track down.”
My cheeks grew warm. “Oh, about that. I made it up.”
Nick and Lucille seemed equally taken aback. “You what?” Nick asked.
I shrugged. “I made it up. I couldn’t find any research on that specific sundial and most of what I did find talked about the monetary value of ancient sundials.”
Lucille laughed weakly. “You even had me going there for a second.”
“To be fair, it's still possible it's a doomsday clock,” I said. “I just haven't come across that yet in my research.”
Nick clapped me on the back. “Well, keep digging. We need to find out why Sela wanted the sundial. I'll follow-up with some contacts and see what I can find out about her. Report in tomorrow.”
Lucille dragged herself to her feet. “I think my work here is done for today. You don't mind if I go home, do you?”
“Go for it,” Nick said. “Hope you feel better.”
Lucille left the room, walking more like a zombie than a vampire.
“If you discover anything important, will you send me a message?” I asked.
“I don't want to distract you from your other studies,” Nick said.
“This is way more important,” I said. “As long as the sundial is still out there, the assignment isn’t finished.”
Nick offered a sympathetic smile. “Listen, I get that you’re working hard to prove yourself. I was in your shoes only a decade ago. I remember how it feels.” He walked toward the door.
“I was someone who had to prove himself. Most of my pack went to work for the League, but I wanted to be a warden.” He spread his arms wide. “As you can see, I managed and so can you.”
Thanks, Nick,” I said. “I’ll speak to you tomorrow.”
I left Nick in the doorway before he could escort me to the lobby. I had a quick stop I wanted to make on the way out. There was someone here with superior research skills and I happened to know exactly where his office was located. I took the elevator to the seventh floor where former Spellslingers prefect Robin Chambers sat at a desk. His lean body was hunched over a book as thick as a brick. He was so lost in the text that he didn't hear me approach. Then again, I was used to not making an entrance.
“Hey, Magic Robbie,” I said, invoking his childhood nickname.
Robin’s whole body jerked at the sound of my voice. “Stars and stones,” he cried. “I wasn’t expecting to see you, Mia. How are you?”
“Good.” I sat on the settee against the wall and made myself comfortable. “How's it going? Is it all the late nights and heavy research that you dreamed of?”
He smiled. “Actually, it is. I feel that I’m finally using my talents and it's very rewarding.” Robin turned his chair to face me. “I heard you’re working with Nick and Lucille. Both are excellent wardens. You get to know most of the wardens here in my position. Everyone wants their research and they want it now.”
I folded my hands in my lap. “I guess this isn't a good time to ask for help then.”
He laughed. “Just like old times, eh?”
“I’m researching a museum piece that was stolen and sold to a vampire called Sela. A sundial. I’ve checked our library and couldn’t find any solid information.”
Robin appeared intrigued. “I’d love to see a picture of it and any other pertinent information you have. Which museum. The information they have about the sundial and the when and where it was found.”
“I have all that right at my fingertips,” I said, pulling out my phone. I tapped the screen and presented the phone to Robin. “This is all my research so far.”
“I shall see what I can find out,” he said. “Listen, I know it all seems a bit scary at this stage, but I’ve no doubt you’ll settle in nicely when the time comes.”
“Thanks, Robin, I appreciate that.”
He cocked his head, regarding me. “It’s been my experience that the best way to get others to believe in you is to believe in yourself.”
I stood to go. “I’m working on it.”
“Don’t take too long,” he cautioned. “You only get one chance to prove you’re AMF material.”
I inhaled deeply. “I know, Robin.” And this was it.
Chapter Four
Nick picked me up at the academy gates the next day to take a ride to Nonesuch and speak with Sela. I was surprised to see the passenger seat empty.
“No Lucille?” I asked, getting into the car.
“She’s home sick,” Nick said. “She wasn’t kidding about feeling like garbage.”
“She didn’t look great,” I said. “But don’t tell her I said that.”
“The weird thing is Percy’s still sick, too. Their symptoms seem to match.”
“I guess if they have some kind of vampire flu, that would make sense,” I said. “We’ve already established it wasn’t the crab and Lucille didn’t eat anything else.”
“No, but she had a glass of whatever blood was being served,” Nick said. “I’d like to speak to Sela about what was in it.”
“Do we know that Percy had a drink, too?” I asked.
“He says he didn’t, but who can be sure he’s being truthful? Thieves aren’t exactly known for their honesty.”
“What would be his motive to lie about that?” I asked. “If he feels sick, presumably he wants to feel better.”
“There’s always a chance there’s a hidden motive,” Nick said. He put the car in gear and pulled away from the gates. “Just because he gave us Sela’s name doesn’t mean he’s being completely honest with us.”
“Well, I don’t mind revisiting Nonesuch as many times as it takes to get answers from Sela,” I said. “That place is incredible.”
Nick glanced at the receding view of Spellslingers in the rearview mirror. “Not such a dump where you live either.”
I craned my neck to glimpse the academy. “I can’t lie. It’s amazing.”
“I guess you’ll miss it when you graduate,” he said. “You won’t get those creature comforts in the field. Or, if you do, they’ll only be temporary for a mission.”
“I’ll miss my roommates more than I’ll miss the place itself,” I said. “My friends feel like home to me.”
“They’re not all going to be Keepers of the North?”
“No, we’ll be scattered to the four quadrants, unless Cerys decides to stay here and become a warden. She’s still debating whether she wants to go to the Eastern Quadrant.”
“Either way, you won’t be here,” Nick said.
I fell silent. I hated thinking about the future. As much as I looked forward to the next phase of my life, there was already a sense of loss.
“I’m sorry,” Nick said. “I didn’t mean to raise a touchy subject. If it’s any consolation, I thought I’d never make friends with other wardens, especially not a vampire. You know how it is with shifters and vampires.”
“But you and Lucille make a great team,” I said.
“We’re the best team,” he said. “Lucille’s made me a better agent. I thought she was this uppity, cool vampire when I first got paired with her.” He laughed at the memory. “That fell by the wayside real quick when she beat me in a belching competition. Do you have any idea how hard that is? I’m a natural.”
I laughed. “I can’t see Lucille doing that.”
He tapped his thumb against the steering wheel to a tune only he could hear. “We were on one of our first missions in a seedy bar. I was being a tough guy. Let’s just say she put me in my place and we’ve been great friends ever since.”
“I hope I’m as close with my partner as you are with Lucille,” I said.
“It might take time, but you’re young and easygoing,” Nick said. “I bet you’ll do just fine.”
By the time Nonesuch came into view, I was feeling a little brighter about the future. It helped to talk to Robin and Nick, those who’d been in my position and were happy with their current situation. I needed that optimism to feed my confidence.
Nick rang the doorbell while I admired the fountain in broad daylight. The mansion was no less impressive in the daytime. I was able to appreciate the well-tended gardens and the details of the architecture. There were stone faces carved into the wall, but not the grotesque kind that you sometimes see on Gothic buildings. These were like smaller versions of Fred and George, the gargoyle statues at the Spellslingers library. Friendly and welcoming albeit with slightly mischievous grins.
After a minute of wondering whether a servant would answer, the door inched open to reveal a slender, white-haired gentleman in metal-rimmed glasses. His angular chin sported a deep dimple and his neck reminded me of a chicken’s.
“Good day,” the man said. “I wasn’t expecting visitors. Do you have an appointment?”
“Sorry we don’t,” Nick replied. “We’re here to speak with Sela, if she’s available. We’re happy to wait.”
The man frowned. “Sela?”
“The owner,” Nick said. “She hosted an event here the other night for the Vampire Alliance.”
The man’s features relaxed. “Oh, I see. You’re mistaken. Sela isn’t the owner. She only rented Nonesuch for the event.”
“Rented?” Nick repeated. “Is that typical?”
“Why, yes,” the man said. “Nonesuch is a rental property. We offer a full catering package for weddings, inductions…rituals of all sorts. Are you interested in hosting an event of your own?”
“No,” Nick said shortly. “We need to get in touch with Sela. It’s very
important. Can you pass along her contact information?”
The man offered a friendly smile. “I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to do that. Client information is confidential.”
“Please, sir,” I said. “We were at the event the other night and I lost my mother’s ring. It’s a family heirloom. I’m hopeful that someone found it and turned it in to Sela.” The lie slid out more easily than I expected.
The man scratched his head. “I don’t believe the cleaners found anything, though I can’t say for certain they would have turned in a ring if it looked valuable.” He laughed lightly. “Or even if it didn’t.”
“It has great sentimental value,” I said. I injected a note of desperation into my voice. “My mother died when I was a child and it’s the only thing I have left to remember her by.” A lie, of course. Not to mention that had there been an heirloom to pass on, it would’ve been given to my older, more illustrious brother.
The man regarded me carefully. “Here’s what I can do. Kindly provide me with your contact details and I promise to pass them along to Sela. If she can help you, I’ll make sure she gets in touch. Sound fair?”
I was careful not to glance at Nick for approval or it would undermine my story. I wouldn’t need Nick’s blessing to try to find my mother’s ring. “That would be very helpful, thank you.” I gave him my number and tried not to look too disappointed.
“I hope there’s a good outcome for you,” the man said, and closed the door.
Nick and I started back toward the car. “I’m glad you didn’t tell him we’re working for the AMF.”
“I assumed you wouldn’t want him to tip off Sela,” I replied.
“Exactly right.” Nick glanced at me. “That was a good story. I didn’t expect you to have one planned.”
“I didn’t.”
He grinned. “Even better.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “You’ve been a real asset, Mia. The chancellor will be pleased.”
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