Page 43 of Office of the Lost

The clerk frowned.“But you’re not Aspin.Oh!You’re theother one.”

Crispin looked distinctly unhappy about that but didn’t say anything.Moments later he and Leopold were back in the corridor, now moving at a much faster pace.

“What was that clerk?”asked Leopold, slightly breathlessly.

“A merman, of course.”

“But he didn’t have a tail or fins or….”

“He’s one of the amphibious kinds.”

Leopold didn’t know what to make of that.

A few seconds later they turned down another hallway, this one with thick carpeting and gold-colored lighting fixtures that continued the phallic cactus motif.In front of a set of double doors stood a large person in a dark suit.He had tusks and a long snout like a boar.

“Crispin Eladrin Moss’caladin and guest.”Crispin sounded slightly imperious.

The guard gave a little bow, stepped aside, and held one of the doors for them.

“Where are we?”whispered Leopold into Crispin’s pointed ear.

“The high rollers’ lounge.”

It didn’t look like Leopold’s idea of a lounge, more like the type of casino that James Bond or Cary Grant might hang out in.Everything was luxe and glittery, including the people, who wore what Leopold assumed was designer clothing on their worlds.Waitstaff in tuxedoes or cocktail dresses glided around with trays of drinks and food, and there was also a large bar at one end of the room.No jangling slot machines here, and the conversations, although steadily flowing, were quiet, as might be heard in a fancy restaurant.

“Oh, Oberon’s golden balls.”Crispin was staring across the room, but Leopold couldn’t tell at what.

Leopold blinked.Byballs, did he mean parties, or…?He scanned the room desperately, certain the Chaos fog was about to start chasing them again.Although he didn’t know what would happen if the fog caught him, he was certain he didn’t want to find out.But there was no sign of it, and nobody but Crispin seemed alarmed.

“What is it, Crispy?”

Instead of answering, Crispin squared his shoulders, muttered something unintelligible, and took a few deep breaths.He marched forward as if to certain doom, shoulders squared, Leopold trailing behind him.

Their destination soon became clear: a large table at which about a dozen people were playing a game involving twelve-sided dice, a deck of cards, and jewel-toned beetles that toddled along the arcanely-marked felt.Leopold assumed that this group was all fae because they resembled Crispin: slender, pretty, sharp cheekbones.

At the center of this crowd stood a woman with a distinctly regal air.She wore a black leather motorcycle jacket over a short black dress, and her auburn hair was arranged in an elaborate braided bun inset with what were probably rubies.She was stunning.

To her right stood an unusually tall man with piercing eyes and lush lips.His long tresses—the color of butterscotch—were drawn back from a perfectly chiseled face and tied behind his back by an engraved leather thong.Beneath the tuxedo was an obviously trim, athletic body.He looked as if he’d stepped straight off a romance novel cover: a roguish duke, perhaps, or a naughty billionaire.

The entire group stared at Crispin and Leopold, and then the woman spoke.“Crispin Eladrin Moss’caladin.Whatare you doing bringing ahumanhere?”

“He’s not, um, exactly human.This is Leopold Lane.”Crispin’s face had flushed slightly.

The Queen of the Fae visibly blanched, becoming, if possible, even paler than she had been before.

Leopold didn’t know what to do.Should he bow?He settled on an awkward nod instead.Man, that guy in the tux was gorgeous.It was hard not to drool.

Crispin turned to look at Leopold and frowned.“Leo—uh, Leopold Lane.Please meet Her Majesty, the Mother of Fae, Cerillia Ailedrin Moss’caladin.”Then he added, rather quickly, “And my brother Aspin.”

17

Crispin

As Crispin stared at his brother, a complex stew of emotions worked its way through his gutand made him fear he’d throw up.

He had always harbored a curious blend of feelings toward Aspin, theperfect faewho was everything their mother expected Crispin to be.

“Aspin.”He nodded at his sibling rival, but Aspin’s attention was tightly focused on Leo.

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