Page 37 of The Most Wanted Witch

“I’ll tell if you do.”

I nearly tripped, missing a bump in the walk as my head whipped around to him. That was a mighty tempting carrot to dangle. Of all the stories to have laid out before me, Hawk’s was the one I’d pick. I’d start with asking about that strange creature that he shifted into, then the avoidance of the stone, and I had a feeling that was only the tip of the iceberg. The ninety percent out of sight was probably a binge-worthy story.

Did that mean I’d have to unfold my story for him? He might already know most of it. His sources were deep, but I wasn’t handing over the rest, and Hawk wouldn’t take a one-sided deal.

We were back at the office before I cracked.

He opened the door for me and said, “To your question, it’s extremely rare for a Whimsy witch to give birth to a Maker.”

I glanced inside but didn’t move. I needed one last answer. “Rare or impossible?”

His gaze locked on mine. “Before you? I would’ve said impossible.”

16

Mertie walked out of the building, lit up a cigarette with her finger, turned right, and headed down the street. I waited for her to get a bit farther away before I ducked out of my alley, hot on her…hooves? It was what it was.

She walked to the great grey tree with black leaves, ducking under its canopy.

I edged up slowly, making sure I wasn’t followed.

“You shouldn’t be following people in times like these. It’s a good way to get yourself killed,” she said, right before she took an impossibly long drag on her cigarette until there was nothing but a stub.

That wasn’t a threat. That was just Mertie, pleasant to the core, a regular bundle of joy.

“I need to talk to you.”

“I assumed, since I’ve never seen you sneaking after anyone else.” She reached into her back pocket, pulled out another cigarette, and lit it. “Well? Spit it out. I’m almost off break.”

“Do you have records of all the witches who’ve worked in the factory?”

“You certainly can’t imagine Marvin handling it? He can barely tie his shoes in the morning. No, I do it all. I’ve got access to every record involved with everything in that place. I have all the headaches and yet haven’t gotten a raise in a decade.”

“Could you look up someone’s records for me?”

She rolled her eyes. “I can look up anything imaginable.”

“What’s the price?”

She didn’t respond right away, looking toward the factory and taking another drag of her cigarette. She finally looked back at me.

“Is this completely confidential?”

“Did you see me waving a flag outside the factory?” I asked, using the only language she understood: sarcasm.

“If I need to get out of there, you’re going to help me. That’s my price.”

“You want to leave Xest?” It was one thing to get a witch a job with Lorinda. There was no way I could pass off Mertie in Rest.

“Rest? I wouldn’t set foot in that place. I mean out of the factory. I need somewhere else to go, and I don’t have any friends. You people keep taking in everyone anyway. What’s one more?”

“Why would you want to come to the broker building? Don’t you realize what’s going on? What’s coming for us?”

“Yes, but I want to have options. Is it a deal or not?”

“Yeah, I mean, I guess.” Hawk was going to kill me. Although he’d gotten us stuck with Gillian, so who was he to talk? Bibbi and Zab, they’d definitely kill me. Didn’t matter. What were the odds she’d even come? Like she’d said, she just wanted options.

Even if she did come, would she last more than a day? She’d hate it there. We laughed. We were pleasant. She’d be running back to the factory.

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