Page 45 of Guild Boss

Lucy was enchanted. “She looks like an Old World queen.”

“Victoria, according to the Arcane experts,” Gabriel said. “Late nineteenth century, Old World Date.”

Otis rumbled a warning.

“She’s amazing,” Lucy said. “Just look at the detail in the clothes. I think the crystals in the crown are real, not glass.”

Lucy started to go closer to get a better look.

“Don’t move,” Gabriel ordered.

The doll’s glittering eyes got hotter. They locked onto Lucy. Gabriel sensed icy energy in the atmosphere.

Lucy shuddered and tried to scramble back out of range, but it was too late. She froze.

Otis sleeked out and raced toward the clockwork doll. He was no longer growling. All of his teeth were showing. Gabriel realized he was going for the queen’s throat.

“Hang on, Otis,” Gabriel said. “You won’t be able to stop the damn thing.”

Otis paused, but he didn’t look patient. The room was getting colder. Lucy was statue-still.

Gabriel slipped his pack off, opened it, and took out the gadget the museum curator had given him. He rezzed it and aimed it at the clockwork doll.

The device generated a beam of white light. The doll stopped moving. The energy in the crystal eyes faded.

Lucy recovered with a gasp, as if she had been underwater a moment too long. Otis dashed back to her. She scooped him up and held him close.

“Are you all right?” Gabriel said.

“Yes, I think so.” Lucy took a couple of deep breaths. “It felt as if I was being sucked down into the coldest part of the ocean. What did you do to stop that thing?”

He held up the small, hand-sized device. “Dr. Peabody, the curatorof the museum, gave it to me on the off chance the doll might have been activated. It’s designed to jam the thing’s frequencies.”

“Hmm.” Lucy glanced at the body. “Think Croston activated the doll, maybe accidentally, and it killed him?”

“That’s what it looks like.”

“Well, the good news is that it’s mission accomplished for us. We found the thief and recovered the doll.”

Gabriel walked closer to the doll and crouched beside it to get a close look at the lethal toy. “Your work is done, but I’m a long way from finished.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I doubt Croston would have taken the risk of stealing this particular artifact unless he had a buyer lined up.”

“Oh, right,” Lucy said. “I guess a Guild boss’s work is never done.”

He looked at her, unsure of her meaning.

She gave him a dazzling smile. “Let me know if you need a weather channeler for the next part of the investigation.”

He relaxed. “I’ll do that. Always a pleasure to work with a true professional.”

She turned abruptly serious. “I owe you for giving me a chance, Gabriel. Because of you, I’ve got a real shot at rebuilding my reputation. I appreciate it.”

“You don’t owe me a damn thing. I wanted the best channeler in the business. That’s who I got. Give me a couple of minutes to take some photos of the scene, and then we’ll head back to the surface with the doll.”

“What about the body?”

---