Page 78 of Seph

“It’ll need a key or keycard,” Emily pointed out.

“You know bloody well I didn’t survive for over a century without learning how to get into someone’s pockets, love.”

Emily tapped her chin, pretending to look thoughtful. When she leaned back, she was holding his wallet in her hand, smirking. “You know I learned it in twenty years to your century, right?”

“Show off.”

“I want her autograph! Baby! Baby, I want her autograph!”

Simeon struggled to keep from laughing. His stern, serious, never-smiling Emily was whining and hanging on him, practically climbing over his shoulder to get to a woman in a longer, more substantial Grecian dress. From his knowledge of history, he judged her dress to be more authentic, and he wondered if the staff downstairs were all dupes, juniors in the order of Mnemosyne, or a mix.

This woman, a raven-haired beauty with a soft gray streak in her hair and a glacial expression on her face, turned to look at them, sharpness in her eyes.

No funny business with her memory, Simeon thought. “Sorry, ma’am. My lady here knows I want a private audience with Circe on a little matter.”

“I want her autograph!” Emily wailed, flailing.

“You can get an autograph tomorrow afternoon, after the show,” the woman said, her frosty smile thawing slightly. “If you want to book Circe for a private event, she usually suggests you book the dining room. The front desk can help you with that. They handle the entertainmentandthe accommodations.”

“But she lives in the hotel! I wanna see hernow!” Emily squirmed forward, knocking him into the wall and brushing against the older woman.

“Can you tell us where the pool is? A swim will clear her head.”

“There’s no pool here, sir, and Circe’s quarters are off-limits.”

Emily pouted and flopped against the wall. “Fi-ine! But then I want you to take me to the roof, baby. I want to watch the sun come up over Vegas with you for our anniversary!”

The words sent a little pang through him.Never watch the sun with her. Never have an anniversary if we don’t get this right.

“Right, darling. Come on, up to the roof. Excuse me—” Simeon gathered Emily in one arm and made as if to reach past the assumed priestess to get toward the elevator.

“I’m sorry. Safety reasons. No guests can have rooftop access.” She stepped firmly in front of the metal doors.

“Circegets the roof,” Emily pouted petulantly.

“She owns the hotel—well—in trust. Please make sure you stick to the ground floor and guest floors. There’s an exercise room on the second floor if you’d like. Excuse me.”

“Come on, baby. Let’s sleep it off. Get you to bed.” Simeon herded Emily away as the woman moved in the opposite direction.

Back in their room, Emily pulled out a thin white and pink card with a black border. “Look what I got.”

Simeon pulled out their room key. Pink and white. No edging. “That’s some sort of restricted access card.”

“And the fifth floor is listed as one penthouse—but the city plans Genie sent show there are multiple structures and divisions.”

“Like a private temple room.”

“A VIP lounge where a certain power-mad creep can try to hit on a certain obsession without letting her reach the ground floor and have a chance to escape.”

“God. That’s horrible. She must be so lonely.” Emily opened her purse. “Mem’s scrying crystal is still pulsing, even brighter now. Anything on Seph?”

Simeon pulled it from his pocket. “Not a blink.”

“We should sleep. Today’s going to be a marathon.” Emily swallowed. “If I can sleep. I’m not sure I can. What if she’s there—two floors above us? Waiting...”

“We can’t get to her unless Mem gets weaker. This afternoon. Soon.”

Simeon laid back, then rose. “Don’t want to wrinkle the suit.”

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