Page 80 of Crown of Tides and Fury

A woman stood in a side doorway and followed his gaze. She hissed and sucked on her finger. "Sliver," she explained, then sucked again.

I took the lead. "We're looking for Felicity Orley?"

She forgot her finger, stepped forward, and gave us all the once-over, lingering an extra second or two on Urban’s kilt. "Scotland.” She braced her feet apart and took a deep breath. “I’m guessing you’re witches?"

"Not all," Wickham said, and stepped forward, hand out. "I'm Wickham Muir."

She shook his hand and forgot the rest of us. I figured she’d just heard that gong Persi talked about—the one that made Annag and Rinky curtsy. But this woman played it cool, cocked a hip, and leaned against the desk. "You're some sort of...something,aren't you?"

"I am...Seanair.It means grandfather or chieftain...of the Muir Witch Clan...of which ye are a part."

"Right," she nodded. "Genealogy. I figured, when I saw the kilt..."

Her jeans were full of holes—not all fashionable. The shoulder of her dark blue shirt was smeared with dust. And more dust clung to her hair, pulled up and back by a bandana, like she’d used her hair to clean away cobwebs.

I wondered if those three receptionists at Orley Place would recognize her like this.

Wickham wasted no time. "I need ye to come with us, Felicity. It has to do with...yer powers."

"My powers?" She laughed. "You wouldn’t know anything about my powers--"

"I know a wee bit. But I wonder how much ye know yerself--"

"Nope. Not going to happen. I don't know if you're aware, but Detroit has a blight problem and I'm the one who's going to save them from it."

He nodded. "Aye, and there is a blight headed for thisworld, Felicity, and vacant buildings will be the least of yer people's problems if ye dinnae come with us. Now."

It was thenowthat set her off. I saw her defiance snap into place the second he said the word.

Wickham saw it too and signaled for us all to gather close.

Felicity pushed away from the desk and put her hands on her hips. "You can kiss my--"

Wickham reached for her before she could finish.

* * *

“Ass!”Felicity’s voice rang out in Engineering, but the texture of the wallpaper and the thick carpet absorbed the sound.

She looked past us, at the walls, at the floor, then pulled her arm from Wickham’s hand. "I don't know how you did this but take me back!"

He lowered his chin and swung his head from side to side. "Not the now, Ms. Orley. But soon enough."

"I have a delivery to make tonight!"

"Yer men cannae make that delivery without ye?"

She bit her lips together, which made it clear she was lying.

The windows were dark. I estimated the time around midnight, and I wondered if Brian and Flann were still explaining things to Rinky. Personally, I was too tired to last much longer, no matter what time zone I was in.

Wickham pointed to the door. "Have ye had supper?"

She gave him a dirty look, then lifted her chin. "I could eat."

"Ye may not like our tactics, Ms. Orley, but ye will love the food.”

* * *

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