as bad this morning.”
“Stick to the point, bud. Stick to the point.” I wrinkled my nose. “I’ll be getting the deodorizer from Luke today. But seriously, what do you guys think about tracking down the spirit seal first?”
Camille sucked on her lip. “That’s a tempting idea. Only then we have to turn it over to Queen Asteria, and with her new idea to use them with the Keraastar Knights, I’m afraid of what’s going to happen.”
“What do you think she’s doing with the seals?” I asked. Camille was the only one who Queen Asteria had told about it, and I still wasn’t clear on the plan.
“She’s up to something. Like I mentioned before, she’s gathered Venus the Moon Child, Tam Lin, and Benjamin to her to form the basis of what she’s calling the Keraastar Knights. From what I can tell, she’s giving them back the seals and means to create some magical warrior force to fight against Shadow Wing. I’m not sure what prompted her to do this, but whatever it was, it had to be big. I’m almost afraid to find out.”
“That’s right.” I almost wished I hadn’t asked. The idea was insane, but you don’t tell an Elfin Queen she’s nuts.
“She shook her head. “The whole thing scares me, actually. But back to the matter at hand. Vanzir and Roz, can you spend the day researching any potential place where we should begin looking for the next spirit seal?”
She paused, then looked at the Demon Twins. “By the way, what happened to the Tregart we captured?”
Vanzir looked her straight in the eye. “He’s dead.”
She nodded. I said nothing. There was nothing more to say about that particular matter. We all knew there was no other choice.
I pushed back my chair. “Sounds good. Okay, Roz, Vanzir, take a hike after you eat. Be careful; don’t let anybody know what you’re looking for. Camille, let’s get dressed and head down to the bar and get me de-stinkafied. While we’re there, remember to ask if Luke has a picture of Amber’s husband Rice. Then we’ll hit the hotel and find out what we can about her.”
Camille and the others stood. As we waved to Iris and headed out of the kitchen, I could feel life shifting and turning. Off one roller coaster and onto another.
CHAPTER 6
Luke was at the bar early, mainly because we’d called and asked him to meet us there. He handed me a spray bottle with a homemade label on it.
“Go into Menolly’s office, strip, and spray yourself with it from head to toe, including your hair. The smell should dissipate for the most part.” He waved me off, and I headed for Menolly’s office.
I pulled off my clothes and squirted myself silly with the stuff. Immediately, I noticed a difference for the better as the skunk smell faded. After a moment, I decided to spray down my clothes, too. Wonder of wonders, it worked, and a whole lot faster than I thought. I might still have a cool punk do, but at least I didn’t reek. I slipped back into my clothes, then stopped. On Menolly’s desk was a cream-colored envelope with a large crimson dagger printed on it and Menolly’s name written in large, sloping letters across the front.
Peeking out the door, I made sure Camille was busy with Luke, then slipped into Menolly’s chair and gingerly picked up the letter. It had already been opened, so all I had to do was slide the pages out and look at what it said. My conscience tweaked a little, but I figured hell, she’d do the same if she was worried about me. And the dagger on the front of that envelope worried me.
A note card slid out—the fancy ones invitations were sent on—and I held it by the edges and flipped it open. The card simply read:
To Ms. Menolly D’Artigo,
I summon the pleasure of your company, to be spent as my companion for the Winter Solstice Vampire Ball, to be held at the Clockwork Club on the evening of December 17th. My limousine will arrive for you at precisely eleven P.M., at your home, to bring you to the club. No RSVP
“Stick to the point, bud. Stick to the point.” I wrinkled my nose. “I’ll be getting the deodorizer from Luke today. But seriously, what do you guys think about tracking down the spirit seal first?”
Camille sucked on her lip. “That’s a tempting idea. Only then we have to turn it over to Queen Asteria, and with her new idea to use them with the Keraastar Knights, I’m afraid of what’s going to happen.”
“What do you think she’s doing with the seals?” I asked. Camille was the only one who Queen Asteria had told about it, and I still wasn’t clear on the plan.
“She’s up to something. Like I mentioned before, she’s gathered Venus the Moon Child, Tam Lin, and Benjamin to her to form the basis of what she’s calling the Keraastar Knights. From what I can tell, she’s giving them back the seals and means to create some magical warrior force to fight against Shadow Wing. I’m not sure what prompted her to do this, but whatever it was, it had to be big. I’m almost afraid to find out.”
“That’s right.” I almost wished I hadn’t asked. The idea was insane, but you don’t tell an Elfin Queen she’s nuts.
“She shook her head. “The whole thing scares me, actually. But back to the matter at hand. Vanzir and Roz, can you spend the day researching any potential place where we should begin looking for the next spirit seal?”
She paused, then looked at the Demon Twins. “By the way, what happened to the Tregart we captured?”
Vanzir looked her straight in the eye. “He’s dead.”
She nodded. I said nothing. There was nothing more to say about that particular matter. We all knew there was no other choice.
I pushed back my chair. “Sounds good. Okay, Roz, Vanzir, take a hike after you eat. Be careful; don’t let anybody know what you’re looking for. Camille, let’s get dressed and head down to the bar and get me de-stinkafied. While we’re there, remember to ask if Luke has a picture of Amber’s husband Rice. Then we’ll hit the hotel and find out what we can about her.”
Camille and the others stood. As we waved to Iris and headed out of the kitchen, I could feel life shifting and turning. Off one roller coaster and onto another.
CHAPTER 6
Luke was at the bar early, mainly because we’d called and asked him to meet us there. He handed me a spray bottle with a homemade label on it.
“Go into Menolly’s office, strip, and spray yourself with it from head to toe, including your hair. The smell should dissipate for the most part.” He waved me off, and I headed for Menolly’s office.
I pulled off my clothes and squirted myself silly with the stuff. Immediately, I noticed a difference for the better as the skunk smell faded. After a moment, I decided to spray down my clothes, too. Wonder of wonders, it worked, and a whole lot faster than I thought. I might still have a cool punk do, but at least I didn’t reek. I slipped back into my clothes, then stopped. On Menolly’s desk was a cream-colored envelope with a large crimson dagger printed on it and Menolly’s name written in large, sloping letters across the front.
Peeking out the door, I made sure Camille was busy with Luke, then slipped into Menolly’s chair and gingerly picked up the letter. It had already been opened, so all I had to do was slide the pages out and look at what it said. My conscience tweaked a little, but I figured hell, she’d do the same if she was worried about me. And the dagger on the front of that envelope worried me.
A note card slid out—the fancy ones invitations were sent on—and I held it by the edges and flipped it open. The card simply read:
To Ms. Menolly D’Artigo,
I summon the pleasure of your company, to be spent as my companion for the Winter Solstice Vampire Ball, to be held at the Clockwork Club on the evening of December 17th. My limousine will arrive for you at precisely eleven P.M., at your home, to bring you to the club. No RSVP
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