Arbitrate or Die (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 2)

by Sarah Noffke

  “She’s up there sitting on the settee,” Sophia explained, pointing to the stairs.

  Ainsley swung around. “Was that who was humming? I heard her just now, but I couldn’t see anyone.”

  “That’s because she doesn’t want to be seen by you right now,” Hiker related.

  The shapeshifter morphed into almost an identical image of Sophia, if not for the scar on the side of her head. “What about now? Think this will work?”

  Hiker’s eyes fluttered with annoyance. “Mama Jamba can’t be fooled. She’ll show herself when she sees fit. In the meantime, I want you all out on the Expanse training. This may be the last time to hone and refresh skills before things get crazy. I don’t know what to expect entirely yet, but I’m certain war is inevitable.”

  “Sir,” Mahkah began. “Things are really going to happen? The Dragon Elite will come out as adjudicators once more? We will fight?” There was a new excitement building in the old rider who had been sequestered to the Gullington for so many centuries.

  “Yes,” Hiker answered simply.

  Evan stretched. “Well, I’m ready. Pinky, would you like me to show you how to get on your dragon?”

  Sophia scowled at him. “No, I’m good.”

  “You can spar with me this morning,” Wilder offered.

  “That’s okay,” Sophia replied, keeping her eyes off of Hiker who she sensed was giving her a piercing stare.

  “I’m happy to run you and Lunis through some obstacle courses, if you like,” Mahkah said to her.

  “Thanks, but I actually can’t train today,” she answered, pretending to be inspecting a piece of ham on her plate.

  “What’s that now?” Hiker asked, leaning forward.

  “Mama Jamba asked me to go do something,” she said, keeping her eyes on the slab of meat.

  “And what would that be?” Hiker questioned.

  “It’s nothing,” Sophia answered, cutting her ham into little pieces like she was going to feed it to a kitten.

  “It’s not fair,” Evan complained. “She’s the only one of us who has gotten to meet Mother Nature, and now she gets to go on some secret mission for her.”

  “Indulge me about this nothing task Mama Jamba is sending you on,” Hiker ordered.

  Cutting her meat into even smaller pieces, Sophia mumbled, “I’ve-gotta-ge-ma-nails-done.”

  Wilder leaned in close. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite make out what you said.”

  “Yeah,” Evan added. “It’s like she’s impersonating Quiet all of a sudden.”

  The gnome’s eyes flicked to Evan as he muttered something.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with your men’s ears,” Ainsley stated. “I heard her just fine.” She patted Sophia on the shoulder. “And good for you. Well-deserved.”

  “What’s well deserved?” Hiker asked, looking at the housekeeper and Sophia.

  “Oh, really.” Ainsley shook her head, making for the kitchen. “And they say you riders are supposed to have enhanced senses. Only thing most of you bunch have is an enhanced ego.”

  “Sophia,” Hiker began, his chin down and a warning in his tone, “do tell me in a voice I can understand, what this mission is that Mama Jamba has sent you on.”

  With a sigh, Sophia resigned. “Fine. She wants me to get my nails done today.”

  “What?” Evan erupted. “We have to spend another day training at the Gullington, and she gets to go off and get pampered.”

  Hiker narrowed his eyes at him. “Do you want to go and get your nails done?”

  “Well, no,” Evan answered at once. “It’s just that it seems a bit unfair that Mother Nature is sending her on missions and we have to stick around here.” He gave her a snotty expression. “But I guess I understand. You can’t get your hands too dirty. Be sure to paint them a pretty shade to match your outfit.”

  “I was thinking of red,” Sophia fired. “That way, your blood won’t show under my nails.”

  “Would you two stop it?” Hiker ordered.

  “She started it,” Evan said.

  “I did not,” Sophia argued. “You’re the one who has been—”

  “Enough,” Hiker interrupted. “Sophia, go get your nails done. You men get to work. I want to see you in my office, first thing tomorrow morning. Get your rest. You’ll need it.”

  Chapter Five

  Sophia’s appointment with Mae Ling wasn’t for another half-hour. That wasn’t enough time to get in any training, and honestly, she didn’t really want to bicker with Evan anymore.

  With the guys out of the Castle and Hiker shut up in his office, Sophia thought it would give her an opportunity to do some proper snooping.

  She’d promised Trinity, the librarian for the Great Library in Zanzibar, that she’d search for The Complete History of Dragon Riders, which was apparently hidden somewhere in the Castle.

  “The question is where,” Sophia said, trying to clear her thoughts.

  Quiet had once, in his own strange way, advised her to clear her mind to discover secrets in the Castle.

  “How had Ainsley said to do it?” Sophia wondered aloud. “I can see the unseen and know the unknown, right?”

  Thinking that sounded right, Sophia nodded, taking off down the dark corridor. “I can see the unseen and know the unknown, Castle,” she repeated. “So just lead me to the room where you’re hiding The Complete History of Dragon Riders.”

  She half expected a door to appear in front of her, illuminating the path to the book. When it didn’t, Sophia sighed.

  “Okay, how about we make a deal?” Sophia offered to the Castle. “You probably want something, right? Like maybe some treasure that’s outside the Gullington?”

  The fire in the torches lining the walls dimmed before glowing brighter.

  Sophia’s heart skipped. “That’s it! Isn’t it? So, if I go on some adventure for you, then you’ll give me the Complete History of Dragon Riders?”

  “Or you’ll go and get it what it wants, and then it won’t deliver on its promise,” Ainsley said at Sophia’s back.

  She spun to face the shapeshifter who was in the form of Mama Jamba. Sophia tilted her head at her in confusion. “Why are you impersonating Mother Nature?”

  “Well, since I can’t meet her face to face, I figured this would have to do,” Ainsley said, turning to the wall where a mirror suddenly materialized, showing her full appearance. She bowed low to her image. “It’s an ultimate honor to meet you, Mama Jamba.” She rose. “Oh, please call me ‘Mommy.’ And the honor is all mine, Ainsley.” The shapeshifter clasped her hands to her chest. “I don’t even know what to say, Mommy.”

  “Ummm,” Sophia interrupted. “Mommy? Really?”

  Ainsley gave her an annoyed expression. “Excuse me, I’m talking to Mommy. And yes, that’s what she wants me to call her. It’s our little thing. Just between us.”

  “And that’s not weird,” Sophia muttered.

  “Says the person who gets to chat with Mommy whenever she pleases,” Ainsley fired.

  Sophia softened. “I’m sure you’ll meet her soon. She hasn’t been here for long.”

  Ainsley resigned some of her frustration. “Yes, I’m sure you’re right. And you’re looking for the Complete History of Dragon Riders.”

  Sophia nodded.

  “I’d warn you about making a deal with the Castle,” Ainsley stated, changing back to her normal appearance.

  “You think the Castle will take whatever I agree to get for it and then not give me the book?” Sophia questioned.

  The housekeeper shrugged. “Probably. The thing is, if the Castle wants you to have something, you will. If not, it can keep stuff hidden indefinitely. I’ve given up on trying to find Hiker’s books.”

  “But what if it takes another nap?”

  “It appears to be doing that when I sleep,” Ainsley answered. “Which I haven’t figured out how to avoid. Therefore, I’m a little skeptical that I’ll be able to discover where the sneaky Castle is hiding t
he books or the pairs to all my socks or the lids to my leftover containers.”

  “Oh, socks and lids just sort of go missing,” Sophia offered. “That’s a common issue even in mortal homes, from what I’ve heard.”

  Ainsley shook her head. “No, that’s the doing of Gully fairies. And guess where they originated?”

  “The Gullington?” Sophia guessed.

  “That’s right,” Ainsley affirmed. “Several centuries ago, there was a mass breakout of the Gully fairies. Apparently, some numbnuts left their cage open. They were an experimental magical creature by one of our dragonriders at the time. Anyway, a horde of them escaped and they spread all over the globe. The little buggers multiply fast and are impossible to spot.”

  “Wow,” Sophia whispered. “So this person who let them out is the reason that most people don’t have matching socks?”

  “Yep.”

  “Well, they’re a pretty hated individual worldwide,” Sophia stated.

  Ainsley huffed. “Good thing I wasn’t planning on winning any popularity contests.”

  “Oh, it was you,” Sophia said.

  “Of course it was me,” Ainsley replied as if this should have been obvious.

  “Well, I told Trinity that I’d look for the Complete History of Dragon Riders,” Sophia explained. “Do you have any idea what’s in that book or why it can’t be copied?”

  The shapeshifter shook her head. “Honestly, Hiker guarded that book more than any others. It was locked up in a case in his office. But it disappeared with the others because if the Castle wants something, there’s no stopping it.”

  Sophia tapped her chin, thinking. “Hmmm. Well, is there a way to make a deal with the Castle to ensure it delivers on its promise?”

  “Beats me,” Ainsley stated. “If you figure that out, let me know. So far, the little jerk goes back on any agreements I try and make.”

  Sophia sighed. Trinity had only asked that she look for The Complete History of Dragon Riders. She wasn’t obligated to actually find the book, but Sophia wanted to know what was in it that would require Hiker to lock it up. And why was it that the Gullington made it so it couldn’t be duplicated? There were a lot of unanswered questions, and finding that book was the only way to figure things out.

  “Ains,” Sophia said, shaking away the concerns about the book. “You told me you’d tell me more about Thad. Hiker doesn’t really seem open to discussing him. What else can you tell me about this horrible man?”

  “Oh, no, S. Beaufont,” Ainsley said, backing down the corridor. “I know I said I would, but Hiker is already peeved at me for this morning. I better not push my luck with him right now. He’s in the worst mood I’ve seen him in since…well, I can’t say.”

  Sophia deflated. “Seriously? Hiker is going to be sour no matter what. At least if you give me some information on Thad then—”

  “Maybe I will at some point,” Ainsley cut in, “but for now, go get your nails done. Hiker needs to handle this his way. I see that much clearly. And if I’m honest, it’s not my place to tell anyone about Thad Reinhart.”

  Something had shifted dramatically in the housekeeper since the night before when she seemed more open to sharing information.

  “Ains, what’s going on?” Sophia asked.

  “He made me promise,” Ainsley whispered. “And I might lie and steal and cheat, but I refuse to break a promise to anyone. Especially Hiker.”

  “Wait, Hiker made you promise not to tell me about Thad?” Sophia questioned.

  “He made us promise not to tell anyone,” she amended.

  “Us?” Sophia asked. “You mean you and…Quiet?” The last part dawned on her. “You two know about this villain, right?”

  “We don’t know much,” Ainsley stated. “I assure you of that.”

  “And did you just admit to lying, stealing, and cheating?” Sophia tilted her head, blinking at the elf.

  “Did I?” Ainsley asked. “I really don’t recall. Now hurry off, would you? It won’t be good to miss your appointment.”

  Cautiously, Sophia nodded at her as she backed away, wondering what Hiker was hiding. And why was the Castle hiding the Complete History of Dragon Riders? She had so much to figure out, but it would have to wait since Mother Nature was making her go get a pedicure. Her life was indeed very bizarre.

  Chapter Six

  The smell of chemicals was so strong that Sophia was forced to immediately cover her nose. She found it ironic that she could handle flying at high speeds on Lunis and fighting robots, but striding into a nail salon made her want to flee.

  Maybe I’m not as girly as I believed, Sophia thought, realizing she’d never had a real pedicure.

  The line to get into the busy shop was nearly out the door. Sophia was going to take it as a sign that she should return to the Gullington to train with the guys and was about to head back out the door when a small hand grabbed her arm.

  “You’re here for your appointment?” a small woman with short black hair in a small ponytail asked. “You’re Sophia Beaufont?”

  She nodded. “Yes, you’re Mae Ling?”

  Sophia, like most of the women in her family, was small in stature. Mae Ling was at least a head shorter, making her seem like a small child.

  “I am,” the woman said, tugging her through the crowded shop, surprisingly strong for her size. “I’ll take you to my station. Are we doing the works? Mani? Pedi? Brows? Neck massage?”

  “No, I’m thinking just a pedi, please,” Sophia stated, thinking how strange it was for a dragonrider to get her nails done. She felt as though she should be at the Gullington preparing for the missions that Hiker was going to assign tomorrow. She should be sparring with Wilder, riding Lunis, or doing something that made her feel like a rider. Being in a crowded shop of women getting pampered didn’t do that at all. It made her feel…normal.

  “Everyone needs to get their nails done,” Mae Ling said, pushing Sophia into a reclining chair with surprising force. The woman had Sophia seated before she was fully aware of what was going on.

  There was a bowl under her feet, connected to the recliner, which was already vibrating under her back. Sophia realized it was an attempt to get her to relax, but it only made her tense from the strange sensation.

  “What’s that?” Sophia asked as Mae Ling began to fill the basin at her feet with warm water and bath salts.

  “Don’t worry about those boys and tomorrow,” Mae Ling stated. “You need to be here.”

  “How did you know that I was worried about that?” she asked, wondering what had happened to her boots. Her pants were already rolled up to the knees, although she didn’t remember doing it.

  “Your friend told me,” Mae Ling said, tapping the side of her head and winking.

  “Do you mean Mama Jamba?” Sophia asked, pulling up her toes, nervous about dipping them into the water.

  “Sure,” she said, pushing Sophia’s feet under the warm suds, submerging them completely.

  “You are the one who Mama Jamba recommended, right?” Sophia asked.

  The small woman nodded, pulling a small rolling chair over and taking a seat in front of Sophia’s feet.

  “How do you know each other?” Sophia asked.

  “We go far back,” Mae Ling said casually, drawing a cart over with a bit of magic.

  “Back?” Sophia asked cautiously. “How far back?”

  Mae Ling waved her off. “Not really that important.” She pulled one of Sophia’s feet out of the water and began trimming nails and pushing back cuticles. It wasn’t as weird as Sophia would have expected, and before long, she found herself relaxing into the chair, allowing the slow vibrations to soothe her into a more relaxed experience.

  “You’re very tense,” Mae Ling observed after a few moments of silence.

  Sophia’s eyes popped open. She hadn’t realized that she’d closed them. “Huh? What?”

  “You’re very tense, aren’t you?” Mae Ling repeated. “The pedicure will help, but you
have other problems that a massage can’t fix.”

  Sophia laughed, thinking of her problems with Thad Reinhart. “No, a massage can’t fix my problems. But Mama Jamba thinks it might put me in a better frame of mind.”

  Mae Ling nodded, lathering a handful of lotion onto Sophia’s feet and starting to push into various pressure points, pressing away tension. “Now, you know where to look for this Thad Reinhart, right?”

  Again, Sophia’s eyes popped open again. “What? I didn’t mention his name. How did you know about him?”

  “Well, of course, you did,” Mae Ling said with a laugh. “We’ve been talking about him for half an hour and how you went to his facility, Chainley.”

  “We have?” Sophia asked and then straightened. “Chainley?”

  “Yes,” Mae Ling said, beginning to set Sophia’s feet on the front of the basin, preparing them for nail polish. “That’s where you freed those slaves. Where Adam was investigating and died.”

  “I told you about that?” Sophia asked, at a loss for what happened over the last half hour.

  A bottle of nail polish that was Sophia’s favorite shade of pink materialized in Mae Ling’s hand. “Well, of course, you did. How else would I know about it?”

  “Right,” Sophia said, drawing out the word. “And that color…”

  “You picked it when you came in, remember?” Mae Ling questioned again.

  “Of course,” Sophia said, wracking her brain for the memory but unable to find it.

  “Anyway, I think you’re absolutely right,” Mae Ling began, painting Sophia’s toenails. It was a nice, soft feeling that was both relaxing and sort of tickling. “You should go to one of Thad Reinhart’s other small facilities. That one on that island off the coast of California seems like a good lead.”

  Sophia jerked, nearly making Mae Ling mess up. “The one off where?”

  Mae glanced up at her. “Remember? You were just telling me about that facility on Catalina Island off the coast of your hometown of Los Angeles?”

  “I was?” Sophia questioned. “I mean, I guess I was.”