“Who cares about Karl? That boy is such a bore.”
“Is not!”
“Oh, so you like him?” Floressa readjusted her shades. “I know he was having issues with Olivia. I can set you two up. Um…are you pretty underneath that disguise?”
Set me up. This girl was classic. “I’m good, thanks.”
“I’m still not convinced. They have yummy cheesecake here, you know.”
“Fine. Stay, then,” I said. “Eat your cheesecake and I’ll go back to Barrett.”
“What?”
“Well, if you never go back, I’m not going to be able to hold him off forever. He’ll think you don’t like him anymore. So I guess I’m going to have to kiss him. To maintain appearances, of course.”
Floressa gave me an appraising look. “You’re good.”
“Thanks.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll go back. Let me go find the lady who signed in with me. Miranda.”
“Meredith?” I asked, searching the pool deck. Meredith had been here all along? Was that why she wasn’t answering my pleas for help? Someone needed a scolding from Miss Poppins, that’s for sure.
“Yeah, although she’s someone else now. There’s not too many people checked in. You could try the spa…Maybe the pool bar.”
The bar was far enough away that I couldn’t make out the two people sitting there. I stood. “Why don’t you relax while I arrange your ride home?”
“Uh-huh. Hey, you’re blocking my sun.”
I opened up my umbrella for shade. Too bad I couldn’t make it fly. That would be some entrance.
When I was close enough to see who it was, I smiled.
Grace Kelly was laughing loudly at something Frank Sinatra, her costar in Meredith’s favorite old movie, High Society, was whispering in her ear.
Frank Sinatra was a dreamboat, huh? Oh, she was so easy to figure out. I closed my umbrella and took a seat next to them.
“I’ll have a strawberry lemonade, please,” I said to the bartender. “And can you add a spoonful of sugar?”
Grace and Frank ignored me, absorbed in their own intimate world. I leaned over and said, “Top of the morning to you, Meredith.”
Meredith swiveled in her chair, Grace Kelly’s ice blue eyes wide. “Who are you?”
“Mary Poppins. Lovely to meet you.” Ha! Disguises were fun.
Meredith pursed her lips. “Lilith?”
“Do you really think Lilith would go for Mary Poppins?”
“Desi.” Meredith exhaled. “What are you doing here?”
The bartender brought me my drink and I took a sip. “That’s a great question. Why don’t you answer it?”
“I told you I had things to do.”
“Right. And to only contact you in case of emergency. Which I did three times.”
“What emergency?”
“Oh, just your classic case of Royal Deciding She’s Never Coming Back. Ever.”
“And you’re here…”
“Via emergency bubble. To bring her back.”
“What? DESI.” Meredith glanced anxiously around the pool deck. “You’re not supposed to do that.”
“And you’re not supposed to leave your subs stranded. I’m guessing the agency looks down on that too.”
Meredith flopped her head down on the bar. “I forgot the charger for my manual.”
“Uh-huh.”
“And the reception is awful.”
“Sure.”
“This is why I never take vacations.”
Frank rubbed Meredith’s back. “Is everything going to be all right, darling?”
So, I knew Meredith had been talking to her prince, but I had no idea they were having secret vacations. It explained her recent behavior. It also made her incredibly human at this moment, even if she wasn’t in her own human image. I would never reveal her secret—Meredith was a friend, in a tells-me-what-to-do-and-can-be-rude-and-sometimes-I-think-she-might-hate-me kind of way. But this was a situation I could fully use to my advantage, and I was not about to miss the opportunity.
I stretched my hand across the bar and offered it to Frank. “Hi! You must be Meredith’s prince. I’m Desi, her favorite substitute.”
Meredith shot up. “How do you know who he is?”
“You just told me.”
Meredith grabbed my ruffled blouse. “If you ever tell ANYONE this, your career at Façade is over. My career at Façade would be over. Please, Desi. This is the only way we can meet.”
“I’m not going to tell anyone.”
She loosened her grip.
“I’m not going to tell anyone, but you are going to tell me everything you know about magic.”
Meredith fumed. “You know I can’t do that.”
“Oh, I think you can. And you will, in exchange for my silence.”
“There’s a reason you don’t know things yet, Desi. You’re safer that way.”
“Safe from what? Doing some good? Just like what Façade should be doing instead of wasting it on Marilyn Monroe costumes.”
“That’s a big issue you’re poking at,” Meredith said.
“Well, I already poked enough to figure out my own magic.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Did not.”
“Did too.”
“Did not.” Meredith rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Stop. We’re not going to argue about that now. This is what we’re going to do. We’ll take Floressa back. Genevieve’s party is tonight, so everyone will be busy and I’ll have an opportunity to show you some things. That’s the best I can do.”
“I’ll take it.” I hopped up from my seat. “Come find us when…when you’re ready to go.”
Meredith nodded miserably. I waved to Frank Sinatra, who gave me a quick bow. I’d covered half the pool deck when I turned back around. They were in the middle of a sweet farewell kiss, one that was movie worthy. I felt a pang of sympathy for Meredith, loving someone she couldn’t be with. I would say it was the same with Karl, but it wasn’t. My stint as Floressa showed me how little I really knew him. Karl was a great guy, sure, but he was Elsa’s. I was okay with that. The next boy I liked would live in my country and actually know I existed.
The lovebirds pulled apart, and Meredith wiped at her eyes. I left them to their moment while I searched for Marilyn. Now I could ditch the emergency bubble for the luxury of Meredith’s office. And rest my feet for a bit. Because, seriously, Mary’s button-up shoes were killing me.
Chapter
22
We dropped Floressa off in Tharma, and Meredith flipped on her reception room TV. In the three hours since I’d jumped into the emergency bubble to find Floressa, the story had blown up. The king had sent out a search party, and every channel was filled with shots of the rescuers slashing through the jungle. Another station featured a hysterical Gina—“There were dozens of people on the set. How could she disappear? This is all my fault!”
One camera zoomed in on a blur. Floressa picking her way down a hill. Someone from the rescue party caught her and wrapped her in a blanket. A cheer went out. Brenda Waters rushed over with a camera. “Floressa! Floressa! What terrors did you see in that jungle?”
Floressa pushed the camera aside and gave her mother a hug. They sobbed, holding each other, a shot that would be rerun on every news station for weeks to come.
Meredith clicked off the screen. “The king didn’t completely disown her if he’s sending out a search party. There’s hope there. You’re going to get a strong PPR on that one.”
“I didn’t rescue her for a strong PPR.”
I followed Meredith into her office. The red message light on her phone was beeping angrily. Every inch of desk space was covered in notebooks and paper. Meredith sighed. “This is why I don’t take vacations. This work will have to wait—Genevieve’s party is going on, so I guess it was best to leave…the resort when I did. It’s a costume ball, so that fairy thing you have on should be fine. As for me…”
Meredith pulled out a small black masquerade mask.
“Awesome! This will be my first agency event.”
“No, it won’t. We aren’t going.” Meredith snapped her mask over her face. “It’s a cover. You wanted me to tell you more? Well, I’m going to show you. Step out of the bubble.”
The lobby was vacant. “They’re in the ballroom,” Meredith whispered. “Follow me.”
We twisted through hallways, away from the ones I recognized and into darker corridors. The royal decor thinned out until only an occasional tapestry hung along the stone walls. Finally we came to a white door. Meredith lifted a chain tucked around her neck, revealing an antique brass key. She slipped it into the lock and turned. She cut me a severe look. “Showing you this could get both of us fired. Got it?”
I made a sealed motion across my lips.
The cafeteria-size room was white. Like, come-into-the-light white. A few lab tables were spread out across the shiny floor. Nothing was on top of them. No one else was in the room.
“Is this…is this where the subs get sanitized?” I asked.
“No. This is.” Meredith tapped the wall twice, and it rolled away, revealing rows and rows of built-in shelves crowded with hundreds of multicolored jars pulsing like lava lamps. In the middle of the rainbow was a vanity, similar to the one in my grandma’s house. And like Grandma’s, the counter was cluttered with crystal perfume bottles, a bronzed hairbrush and…Rouge. Meredith picked up the silver compact and rubbed the jade beetle on the lid. The same beetle I’d seen on Genevieve’s card. “It’s a scarab beetle. The Egyptian symbol of renewal.”
“So is that, uh, age-defying makeup?” I asked. I knew that wasn’t the answer. I wanted it to be, though.
“No. If you put this makeup on, your magic is…”
“Poof.”
Meredith and I whirled around. Lilith lounged against a table, all smiles. She wore a purple dress with bell sleeves, a smocked bodice, and one of those heavy medieval headdresses. “I assume you have your reasons for showing Desi this room.”
“Obviously, Lilith.”
“And those would be…”
“Like I’m going to tell you.”
“Level Twos don’t come in here anymore.” Lilith pushed back a lavender curl. “Unless they’re being sanitized.”
I widened my eyes. “Mer, you aren’t going to—”
“Of course not. And I told you not to call me Mer.” She shot a look at Lilith. “We both know Desi isn’t your average Level Two. She was given Genevieve’s card.”
“Seriously?” Lilith let her mouth drop before covering it with a sneer. “Well, you can explain it all to Genevieve. I’m going to report this right away.”
Meredith rolled her eyes. “You are such a snitch.”
“Are you trying to get on my good side? Because I must say you’re failing.”
“I’m tired of playing sides. And I’m tired of you. We’ll come back when we can be alone. Come on, Desi.”
Lilith blocked the door. “Of course you’ll understand if I don’t let you go. This information should guarantee me a promotion.”
“Promote this.” Meredith grabbed Lilith’s sleeve and yanked down. The fabric ripped, and we all gasped. Lilith lunged for Meredith’s mask, and within seconds they were clawing at each other on the floor. I wanted to help, but I couldn’t risk my costume tearing. I grabbed the compact from the shelf and held it in the air.
“If you both don’t stop right now, I’ll…I’ll throw this makeup.”
Meredith and Lilith froze. Meredith inched toward me. “You have no idea what that can do—”
“Put it down,” Lilith said. “Please, I won’t tell.”
They untangled themselves. I couldn’t believe they were acting so, as Reed would say, junior high. Ripped clothes, messed-up hair…Lilith even had a scratch on her arm. My superiors. The scene would have been funny if it hadn’t been so serious.
Of course, I wasn’t going to do anything with the makeup, but I felt powerful holding it. So this was where they’d brought Fake McKenzie. This makeup took away her magic, took away a promising future. What did the other containers do, then? And what was with the rainbow jars? Was that the real secret Meredith was going to disclose? “I’ll put down the makeup if you two…make up.”
“Sorry.” Meredith patted her hair. “That was uncalled for. I’m very passionate about my clients and work, and I lost it.”
Lilith ripped off her other sleeve to match, and straightened her headdress. “I’m sorry, too.” A wicked smile spread across her face. “Sorry you are both two seconds away from being fired.”
She cracked open the door. Genevieve, dressed as Cleopatra, in a white robe with gold jewelry and a heavy headdress, was seething in the doorway. Her usually warm brown eyes blazed. “I sensed activity in here.”
“So did I.” Lilith pointed at us. “I found Meredith showing a Level Two the sub-sanitation room.”
“I’m sure she had good cause.” Genevieve shifted her piercing gaze from Lilith to Meredith.
“I did. But I would rather discuss that in private,” Meredith said.
“Oh, please,” Lilith said. “It’s all out there now.”
“Lilith, why don’t you join the festivities downstairs? Tell them I’ll return shortly. Specter arrived and they’re already mucking up the place.”
“But they were—”
“Thank you, Lilith.”
Lilith stomped out of the room. Genevieve crossed the white space and motioned for me to hand her the compact. I did so, wordlessly, and she set it back on the shelf, which disappeared into the wall. “You don’t want to touch that.”
“I know. It takes away magic.”
Meredith stepped forward. “She figured it out herself. I just filled in the cracks.”
“That was a risky move, Meredith, especially if you believe the rumors of my retirement. Your promotion could be on the line.”
“You gave her your card.” Meredith shrugged. “You’re obviously aware of her capabilities. She’s the most accelerated sub I’ve ever had. It wasn’t that much of a risk.”
“Hi! Me! Here!” I pushed past them and sat on the white tabletop. “Would someone tell me what is going on?”
Genevieve touched a wall, and a doorknob appeared. Meredith looked as surprised as I was. Genevieve led us into a grandiose office, with thousands of crystals hanging from the ceiling. The windows looked out on the Paris night, the moonlight dancing through the crystals. Genevieve motioned to two chairs—make that thrones—facing a desk the size of Michigan. “I’ve allowed very few people into my office. I trust you’ll keep its whereabouts to yourselves.”
Meredith’s eyes were the size of a Rouge compact. “I thought this place was a fable.”
“We’ll have to save the tour for another time.” Genevieve waved her hand. “Now, Desi, I can make you a deal. You may inquire about that room if I may ask you about your magic. No lies.”
“No lies?” I repeated. Genevieve tipped her head to the side. She could find out anything she wanted on her own. We both knew that. I wanted answers. “Deal. What was in those jars?”
“You don’t mince words, do you?”
Meredith reached across her throne and patted my hand. I looked at her, but she was intent on Genevieve.
“Those jars are magical storage vessels,” Genevieve said. “Once we sanitize sub hopefuls, we liquefy their magic until it can be synthesized into another material. That magic powers our bubbles, hides Façade within this building, runs central command…You get the idea.”
“So, Façade is run on stolen magic.”
“Stolen is a harsh word.” Genevieve spread her hands across her desk. “Some of the magic is borrowed. Donated. When you become an agent, you don’t need as much, so we have magic drives. But, yes, some of it is stripped from sub hopefuls.”
“And you don’t think that’s evil?”
“There are many things in this world that are evil. Dictators.
Genocide. Hate. I’ve seen what happens when a magical person uses her abilities to hurt others. So channeling unused magic to a worthier outlet? No, I don’t find that evil.”
I sat back and chewed on a nail. Okay, so evil was extreme. But bad. This was at least bad, right?
“Again,” Genevieve said, “I trust this information will be kept quiet.”
“You don’t usually learn all of this until you’re an agent,” Meredith said softly.
Right. Who am I going to tell?
Genevieve leaned forward. “And now I have some questions. Have you had any tingling or buzzing since we last spoke.”
“Yes.”
“And why didn’t you use my card?”
Meredith coughed.
I ran my hands along the arms of the throne. “I did try—at the end. Before that, I wasn’t sure what was happening. You told me that subs cannot use magic without Rouge. That my experiences at home had nothing to do with magic. Remember?”
“I wasn’t being deceitful. You’re still very new with the agency, and this wasn’t intelligence you were classified to know yet. But, as Meredith said, you have very strong MP, and so you’ve obviously learned a bit of magic’s possibility on your own.”
“We don’t have magic potential, do we? It’s magic. Straight magic.”
“No, for most it remains simply potential. Some subs can’t ever use magic without a boost provided by Rouge—alone, their MP isn’t enough to transform. And until you master your emotional talent, it’s not fully-fledged magic.”
“I think I know mine.” I told her about the play tryouts, about the realization at Floressa’s interview. “That’s when it clicked for me. My connecting emotion is—” I paused before saying the word, not sure if I should share everything. I looked to Meredith, and she gave me a slight nod. “My emotion is empathy.”
“Yes, I suspected as much.” Genevieve rubbed her chin. “It practically drips off of you. I haven’t seen anything like it in a long time. I’ve been watching you ever since Dorshire and…you’re a very exciting substitute.”
“Why?” I asked. “You guys keep talking like I’m the promised child. What makes empathy so special?”
The Royal Treatment Page 18
