“Would you like to come and get warm before you return?” he offered, looking at my hands.
I shoved them in my pockets. “No, I think I better get back. Everyone at the office will wonder where I am.” Bautere wasn’t much of a gossiper. Not much of a talker at all. Would he tell Hawk I’d been here if he was asked? He wasn’t much of a liar either, so probably. Still, there was no reason that Hawk would think to ask.
I turned to leave.
“Tippi.”
I turned back to Bautere.
“The magic in this place hasn’t been right in a long time. Be wary with whatever you are attempting. You might get something altogether different.”
There was a warning in his eyes that chilled my heart. He didn’t feel the goodness here.
“Thank you,” I said.
Hawk was in the back room when I walked into the broker building. His gaze ran the length of me, and then his eyes narrowed.
“Where have you been?” It seemed like every muscle on his body stilled as he waited for my response.
The tone wasn’t that far off normal, and the question was about as common as oatmeal.
“I went up to see Bautere to thank him for the other day.”
He walked over, laying his hand on my neck, feeling for my magic. I hated the way my pulse jumped at the smallest touch from him, how he could sense what his nearness did to me.
When he dropped it, I wanted to grab it and put it back. He hadn’t kissed me in forever, and as much as I dodged him, I was becoming obsessed with kissing him again and more.
“You’re off.”
Had the hill done something to me? Left a trace of something? It was true that I didn’t feel bad. In fact, I hadn’t felt this relaxed in weeks, maybe months.
“Maybe all the walking wore me out, or maybe I’m catching something. I don’t know, but I don’t feel sick,” I said, moving away from him, knowing not to tempt fate.
14
Bibbi’s head was tilted to the side as she stared at me from across the office, chewing on the end of her pencil as she did.
I ignored her as best I could, which wasn’t easy, since she was acting like I was a science experiment.
“Sign here.” I pointed to the line and handed my client a pen. She was a new Middling who’d become an independent contractor last week. She was young and green but had a real flair with romantic crushes and was a genius with surprise pregnancies. New life forms were pretty tough, and typically not under our scope of influence.
“And you’ll supply transportation to Rest until I can work something else out?” she asked.
As good as she was at her niche, she, like me, couldn’t puddle-jump worth a damn. I’d come to realize most Middlings could puddle-jump over to Rest, but not all. When they couldn’t, they usually teamed up with someone who would escort them for a small fee or cut of the commission. Considering how busy she’d be, there would be a line of witches and warlocks around the corner, willing to work with her. Until she made those arrangements, we made them for her.
“Yes. I’ll set you up with someone. If it works out well with them, most people typically negotiate a rate and continue working with each directly.”
“How much should I offer them if I like them?”
“For a reliable puddle jumper, with smooth landing and getting you to the right location without being conspicuous?” I looked down at her paperwork and fee. “I wouldn’t go over ten percent, not on the rates you’re getting. Just make sure they realize the specific niche you’re in, and they’ll gladly do it.”
“Great. Thank you so much, Tippi.”
She skimmed down the paperwork to the fee and then shifted the paper closer, as if she wasn’t seeing it right. “Wow, I get this much? Is that right?” She held it up, pointing at the number.
“Yes, that’s right.” Babies and love paid out big. Between the pay and the beneficial exchange rate, this girl was going to do very well for herself and make us a lot of coin in the process.
She stood up, smiling. “I’ll do a great job. I promise.”
I gave her a wave goodbye as she stood and left, leaving me a clear view of Bibbi, who was still staring at me. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
She finally stopped chewing on the pencil, but only so she could use it to point in my direction. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked. “You look a little off, and I can’t figure out why.”
“I feel fine.” I got up and walked into the back to make a tea and get out from underneath her microscope. She was getting as bad as Hawk with the examinations.
“You don’t look fine,” Bibbi said, because of course she’d followed me into the back room. Bibbi wasn’t just your run-of-the-mill dog with a bone, she was a mastiff with a rib eye.
“Bibbi, I’m telling you, I’m fine.” I kept my focus on the tea I was brewing, afraid to look at her in case she picked up on something else.
“You can say that, but I know you too well at this point. I’ve listened to you breathe. I know when you’re off, and you’re off. Maybe you should go lie down for a bit?” She was twisting her head this way and that, trying to inspect me from different angles.
I went utterly still as what she said sank in. “You’ve listened to me breathe?”
“You’ve done some crazy shit. How else was I supposed to make sure you were still alive? The day you came back from the hill, after trapping Dread? You looked like you were half in the grave. If I hadn’t put my ear to your face every so often, you might’ve passed on, and then what?”
If it had been anyone else…
“Okay. I guess, but I’m telling you, I’m fine.”
“I don’t think so.” Bibbi crossed her arms and tapped a foot as she continued studying me.
“Can you stop before someone else hears you and decides to drive me crazy?” I grabbed a mug and placed it on the counter a little harder than I meant to.
“I’m just saying, you look like you could use some sleep, is all.”
“I’ll go to bed early if you’ll stop mothering me.”
“Fine, but…” Her gaze shot to Hawk, who’d walked in the back door. At least she’d taken enough pity on me not to make a thing of her observations in front of him. Inquisitions from Bibbi were bad enough. I didn’t need it on both ends, and he’d already been suspicious last night.
Bibbi gave me a side glance, as if to say that if she’d noticed, no way he wouldn’t, before she left the room.
Hawk scanned me, and I turned back to my tea in an attempt to discourage closer scrutiny.
He walked over, and before he even closed the distance, his attention already seemed fixated on me. Was I putting something out? I thought I was acting perfectly normal, but I must have been doing something.
He stopped right beside me, resting a hip on the counter. “You still look off. What exactly did you do yesterday?” he asked.
Did he already know? Was this a test? I really needed to figure out what was raising a warning flag over my head. Bibbi hadn’t even touched me and she’d noticed. Now he clearly saw a good night’s sleep hadn’t fixed whatever difference he’d noticed last night.
“I told you. I went for a walk up to Bautere’s.”
He continued to stare. I went back to fixing my tea, because of course there was nothing wrong.
He laid his hand on the side of my neck before I’d realized what he was going to do. I let it rest there for a few seconds before nonchalantly turning to sip my tea, which effectively removed it.
His eyes were narrowed. Obviously even those two seconds of contact were enough for him to pick up on something.
“You’re still off. What were you doing today?”
“Working. Why am I being interrogated? I’m allowed to have off days.” He was acting like I’d committed some crime. As if I couldn’t go for a walk without coming back damaged.
“Why are you so defensive?” he asked, his tone slow and measured.
“Because I didn’t reali
ze I was a prisoner only let out on good behavior. I thought I lived here and came and went as I pleased.” I tried to match his calm tone.
He tilted his head ever so slightly as his eyes narrowed, as if the more I spoke, the more suspicious he became. He was right. I was being defensive and there wasn’t a reason for it. I’d taken a walk and stopped by the hill. So what? I should just tell him. It shouldn’t be a secret.
I stirred my tea, ignoring him, or attempting to.
“Not for nothing, but you do look a little shitty today, not that I care,” Mertie said, walking over and stopping on the other side of me.
“Thank you. So nice to hear.” I was gritting my teeth so bad I might chip a tooth.
“Any word?” Hawk asked, turning his attention to Mertie as she walked in.
“Yes. Was just coming in here to tell you people. I’ve got someone that might be able to help with luring Lou over to the hill,” she said as she helped herself to a cup of my tea and then groaned. “This is almost as bad as Bertha’s stuff. No wonder you have me running out for cocoa five times a day.”
I didn’t care what she said about my tea. The only thing bothering me was: did I want to mess with the hill? I didn’t know what happened when I went there, but it felt right. Maybe I was coming to a truce with it, and them, or whoever. It was hard to know, but I did not want to change anything.
“When?” Hawk demanded.
“Any moment now,” she said, then sipped on the tea she’d complained about.
“Good,” Hawk said, nodding.
Shit. How was this happening so fast?
Bibbi bounced into the back room.
“This…person can help?” Bibbi asked, pretty much proving everyone in this building eavesdropped at all available opportunities.
“I have no idea.” Mertie shrugged.
I moved to the couch with my tea, trying to figure out what I was going to do. It was now three to one in favor of the meeting. There’d be no stopping it. It wouldn’t hurt to hear Mertie’s friend out. I might go back to the hill tomorrow and change my mind. Bottom line was that I might feel calmer today, but I still had a looming issue of massive degrees, and this might be a fix.
And why did I feel like my emotions were all over the place today?
“Is the person coming a friend of hers?” Bibbi whispered as she took a seat on the couch near me.
“I don’t think she has friends—other than us, that is,” I whispered back.
Oscar walked in. “Are we getting company?” he asked.
Hawk nodded him over to the side as Bibbi leaned in and said, “I told Zab. Zab must’ve called Oscar over. Musso and Zab are stuck with clients. I have to fill them in afterward.” Bibbi glanced around, nailing down where everyone in the room was before whispering, “You think they’re going to be from hell?”
“Mertie didn’t say, and I didn’t ask. Assuming that was the case was enough for me.” My gut said they would be. Those were the circles she’d run in. What had my life become if my best possibility for survival was joining forces with them?
“Do you think he or she will try to steal our souls?” Bibbi asked.
I got stuck on that question for half a minute before replying, “I don’t think so.”
Mertie was glancing around the room. When her glare landed on Bibbi, she rolled her eyes. “My friend doesn’t like crowds.”
“You might not realize it, but I’m a very important part of this meeting,” Bibbi said, making it clear she wasn’t budging.
There was a soft rap at the back door, almost imperceptible.
Mertie shook her head, went to answer it, and cracked the door as she spoke to whoever was in the alley. She was speaking in a language that was unrecognizable but made the hairs on my arms stand. They weren’t even quite words. They sounded like strange grunts and noises, and gave me the same feeling I’d get walking through a cemetery at night.
She took a step inside, opening the door wider. I was trying to not be impatient, even as Bibbi was practically leaning in front of me to catch a glimpse of who was here.
Hawk and Oscar had moved closer to the couch but remained standing, leaving the other empty for our guest.
I wasn’t sure why I’d assumed whoever was showing would look like Mertie: a bit red and hoofed, but nothing shocking.
A warning would’ve been nice. I took a deep breath, keeping it together. It would’ve been better if Bibbi didn’t let out a little squeak, but I wasn’t going to fault her for it. It was amazing that was all she did.
He walked in, and his skin was red, and he did have hoofs, but that was where the similarities ended. Where Mertie had a human-shaped form, this…man had the legs of a buck. His skin, or what I could see of it poking out from the dark cape he wore, was rough, like a rhinoceros’s. His eyes were solid black, not even a fleck of white to be seen, and his mouth had no lips. His nose was long, thin, and pointy, reaching down close to his chin.
“This is Zurdoch. He knows what we’re looking for.” Mertie gave us all a glare, letting us know we were walking on thin ice with him.
Zurdoch nodded to us, taking in all the occupants in the room.
“We’re not all like Mertie, who can blend so easily into society,” he said, remaining standing like he was waiting to be rejected and ordered out of the room.
It was like a light switch had been flipped. I went from leery of him to immediately feeling his pain. I’d always been able to hide in plain sight when I lived in Salem, but I’d never fit in, not until I came to Xest. This Zurdoch was a kindred soul with Mertie, but unlike her, he immediately inspired fear when people saw him. There was no softening his appearance.
“Thank you for coming. I greatly appreciate it.” While I hadn’t made up my mind whether his presence was a good thing, I felt for him on the deepest levels.
Zurdoch inclined his head in acknowledgement, his eyes flickering away from me as if he was not sure how to handle too much kindness.
Hawk nodded to Zurdoch then pointed to Mertie before asking, “Has she explained our problem?”
“I know what you’re asking for,” Zurdoch answered with a glance in my direction before facing Hawk again.
“Can you do something for us?” Hawk asked.
“Yes. I can’t do it myself, but I believe I can get you the information you need in order to know how to trap him. But it’s dangerous for me. There’s a price for my part in this.” Zurdoch leveled his gaze on me and left it there.
“Whatever it is, I’ll pay it,” Hawk said.
“You can’t pay it. She has to.” Zurdoch pointed at me.
“What is it you want?” I asked.
“I saw what you did for the immigration witch. If you can do that for her, you’re the one I need. I want a spell to look human, and not one that will run out. I’ll need to hide after I do this.” Zurdoch stood straighter.
I’d known what he was going to ask for before he said it. What he didn’t know was that I would’ve made him this potion even if he did nothing in return. What he didn’t say was that he would’ve wanted this potion even if he didn’t have to go into hiding. He was dying for any reason to change, just as I had been.
“Is there one that does this?” I glanced at Hawk.
“Yes. It’s tricky and needs a lot of magic, but you should be more than capable of making it for him.”
I turned back to Zurdoch. “I’ll get it done. You have my word on it.”
15
I turned on my side. Flopped on my back again. Turned on the other side and then exploded into a coughing fit, choking on a dust plume.
“I’m sorry. I can’t sleep,” I said between coughs.
Dusty ignored me, hopping off the bed and heading for a more peaceful place. He’d been slipping into Mertie’s room more and more often. I was losing my bunny to the reformed demon, and it burned.
I flopped around on the bed for another fifteen minutes before I gave up, got dressed, and threw my boots on.
T
he streets were quiet, but not because people were scared or worried about going out. It was because it was the middle of the night or early in the morning, depending on your preference. Sane people were sound asleep in their beds. I no longer counted among the sane because of where I was heading.
As I walked alone, heading to the outskirts of Xest, all the reasons to go to the hill seemed silly. I’d checked it out the other day. I’d touched it, connected with it. Other than feeling more relaxed and calmer than ever, there was no reason, right?
Or maybe wrong. What if connecting with it was fixing something? Why else would I feel so good when I did? Something was happening. Could I really tinker with the hill anymore, try to trap Lou in it if I didn’t know what was going on? I’d go up one more time and just see what happened. Try to get something concrete with which to know the way forward.
By the time I got there, I was near shaking with impatience to lay my hands on that spot, figure out what was going on.
It had nothing to do with the way it made me feel. Nothing at all. This was a fact-finding mission only. I’d touch it, connect with it, and figure out the best way forward.
I fell to my knees in the snow, not caring how cold it was. Touching my hands to the ground, I let the feeling of the hill course through me, the warmth, the love. I’d never experienced anything like it in my life. It didn’t matter what anyone told me. This couldn’t be a bad thing.
The passage of time seemed to stop until I noticed the sun lighting the sky. I jerked my hands off the hill, knowing I wasn’t going to make it back to the broker building before everyone was up, no matter how hard I tried. But try I did.
I entered through the front, knowing Bertha might be in the back room already, as she tended to rise with the sun.
Hawk had also apparently decided to rise early today, as he was standing in the office when I walked in.
Witch of All Witches: Tales of Xest #4 Page 9
