Page 46 of Heir of the Beast

The headmaster hates me, but Destiny is the real infiltrator and is willing to help on behalf of Fairy Godmother Inc.

She has gotten to know Apollo, being around his family, and says she will do anything for him because he’s a remarkable guy.

Eye roll.

But if she is helping us out, then that makes my job easier. I’m getting the impression that no one cares for Laura, which will hopefully be her downfall.

“We are two hours out,” Mort says and looks up at me, getting off the ground. “I will be back in an hour, I hope. Destiny’s agent should have the create-barb for me.”

I feel like a captain saying goodbye to my most trusted soldier. We look each other in the eye and nod. “Don’t get caught—and stay away from cats.”

She salutes me and sings, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”

***

I am sweating, pacing. I wish I had a clock. This waiting is not good for my blood pressure, and it is starting to become a health concern. I know it’s been over an hour and the party has begun.

I can hear the rush and commotion among the servants outside my door and on the floor above me. I can even feel the deep vibrations of music penetrating the cold ground.

“Mort,” I plead with my eyes squeezed closed, “please hurry.”

Another thirty minutes or so passes and I start to panic, praying nothing has happened to Mort. Why is it taking so long? Was she caught? Eaten by a cat? I don’t know what to think at this point.

Right when I am about to lose my shit, I see a white butterfly fluttering from the door.

“Mort!” I jump off the bed so fast I almost twist my ankle.

She appears and sits down on the ground, out of breath.

Pale.

“What happened?!”

“I did i-it,” she gets out between breaths.

“Take a deep breath and tell me what happened,” I try to say calmly.

“They put twelve guards watching your door. We did not have enough sedation for them all. Laura really does not want you out.” She breathes and leans her head back against the wall. “So I had to improvise.”

I feel like something always happens to Mort. “How?”

“I had to sting like a bee.”

My eyes widened. “Why didn’t we think of that before? That’s brilliant! You stung them all?”

She lifts her head and glares. “You owe me, human.”

I tilt my head and bite my inner cheek so as not to grin. “Why? Was it hard?” I ask innocently.

“I shape-shifted into a wild Sirona bee. They inject poison—no stinger, more like a scorpion.” She continues, “The first two were not hard, but they all started swatting and trying to hit me with their weapons.”

“Oh.”

That sounds dangerous.

“I was almost squashed like ten times,” she hisses and levels her gaze at me.

“The only downfall is that we have to hurry, they will only be out for thirty minutes,” she says, sitting down and starting to type. “I am logging on. Pierce is ready for our cue.”

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