No Quest For The Wicked

“Oh, right. Sorry. I’m really tired.”

He gave me a squeeze. “I know. But you’re doing great. I’m not sure I could have pulled the trigger the way you did.”

“I didn’t hit anything.”

“But I couldn’t do that much.”

He stopped abruptly, his arm tightening around my shoulders to force me to stop, as well. I started to ask him what was wrong, but then I heard the rustling sound in the plants on the other side of the park wall. We were close to a park entry, and the rustling was heading toward the wall’s opening. Moving as one, Owen and I slowly backed away. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but I figured that since all the magical and nonmagical wild things in the park had been drawn to the gemstone in my pocket, I wasn’t being paranoid or egotistical to think that rustling was coming after me.

The rustling grew louder as it drew closer. It sounded like a herd of wild rhinoceroses was heading my way. I was on the verge of turning and running when a figure shambled out of the park. At first, I wasn’t sure it was even human. It was covered in leaves and other debris and looked like it had risen from the floor of an ancient forest. Then I saw something shimmery beneath the leaves and wondered if it was some magical creature of the park. And then I realized it was a woman in an evening gown.

It was Mimi. She looked like she’d cut straight through the park to reach me, not bothering with footpaths and climbing up, through, and down any trees that got in her way instead of going around them. “There you are,” she said when she saw me, sounding remarkably friendly. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Now, what have you done with my brooch?”

Chapter Seventeen

Mimi didn’t have the level of extreme crazy I would have expected of her in this situation. She seemed almost reasonable, more reasonable than her usual self, actually. I knew from many a staff meeting that the reason wouldn’t last long. Things would get ugly soon.

Our best hope was to maintain the calm as long as possible. “Mimi, you’re wearing your brooch,” I said. “See, there it is on your dress, just under that leaf.”

She glanced down and brushed the leaf away, then frowned and looked up at me as she gestured at the brooch she wore. “This isn’t my brooch.”

“It looks just like the one you had back at the museum. I saw you take it out of your jacket pocket and put it on.”

“Someone switched it—and it could only have been you.” She jabbed an accusing finger at me.

I forced myself not to react defensively, remembering her talent for sensing fear or weakness. “What do you think is different about it?”

She hesitated, then said with a shrug, “It’s just different. The real one made me feel strong. People obeyed me. This is nothing more than a piece of jewelry. It doesn’t do anything for me.”

“Maybe you’re tired. You can’t feel powerful all day.” I kept my voice kind, calm, and soothing, the way I had after the gargoyle attack in the museum. “You’ve been through a lot. That would sap anyone’s strength. Did everyone stop doing what you told them to do?”

She frowned. “No, not really. But they had to do what I said because I was in charge.” She actually seemed to be listening to me. She certainly didn’t have the crazy gleam in her eye that everyone else got around the brooch. “You could be right,” she added with a sigh.

“I am right. You should go back to the museum before you miss the rest of your party. You’re having a big gala tonight, aren’t you? You put in so much work. You deserve to take credit for it. Drink some champagne, dance a little, enjoy yourself.”

She nodded. “Yes, I should do that.” Then she frowned at me. “What on earth happened to you? You look awful. Come on, you should come back to the museum with me. You both look like you could use a drink.”

Now I was suspicious. Mimi was never this nice. She’d been bearable when she was in shock after the gargoyle attack, but she still hadn’t really been nice to me. When I worked for her, I could have come to work missing a hand and she’d have criticized my typing speed. Not to mention the fact that she didn’t seem to have noticed what a mess she was. This was a woman who practically had to be tranquilized when she snagged her tights. Something was definitely wrong.

“No, thanks,” I said, taking a big step backward and pulling Owen with me. “We’re on our way home so we can relax. We’re not really up to a party right now.” And that was the absolute truth. I wanted nothing more than to take a long, hot bath, put on my pajamas, get in bed, pull the covers over my head, and stay there for about a week.