Page 41 of Dragon Fires Everywhere
He looks back, unfazed. “I thought that was obvious.”
And now that he’s pointed it out, it sureseemsobvious. I’m not sure why I didn’t think of that myself.
I’m sure it had nothing to do with being distracted by soaring flights and the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on.
So if we do the spell and succeed, the Joywood will know we’ve unearthed a magical creature?I ask.
Azrael nods absently, his attention on another waiter bearing a tray of what look like cheese puffs.Maybe they won’tknow.But they will surmise it, and with their black magic affinity, probably get to the bottom of things. Because the spell canonly work with a true coven.
But if we do the spell without Azrael and fail, everyone will think we’re as weak as the Joywood have always claimed we are, Emerson says to us, darkly, while smiling at another local business owner and asking after her restaurant.
“You know I love your new lunch menu, Corinne,” she says out loud, with a laugh. “I may or may not dream about your eggs Benedictsandwich nightly.”
Beside her, somehow looking as if the only thought in his head is this party, Jacob smiles too.
The rest of us try to look like we’re not shocked. Though maybe we’re not, not really. We’re so used to roadblocks that atthis point, anything easy would feel like a trap. This is almost a relief. A nice Joywood isterrifying, and I, for one, find it a comfort that they’re just being dicks.
I can tell Emerson is considering a bunch of different options as she continues to chat with all the human and witch citizenswho come to say hello to her. I can see Ellowyn’s mouth move the way it does when she’s devising new tea and potion recipes,her fingers twitching, which is a good indication she’s putting potions together from afar.
Like me, I imagine we’re all dismissing any ideas we come up with, because this is such a complicated situation.
But clearly we can’t do the spell in front of the Joywood.
And just as clearly, I think as Emerson and Jacob turn back to us, we can’t let anyone guess that we’re having a feverishprivate discussion over here.
“I’ll take the fall,” I offer.
“What do you mean?” Emerson demands.
I ignore the golden-black eyes that immediately light up the side of my face.
I’ll dramatically realize I missed something. I’ll say Happy Ambrose’s notes weren’t clear. Big smile. Silly laugh. Dumb Georgie.
“No one thinks you’re dumb,” Azrael says, with heat. Maybe with disgust—enough that everyone else kind of... blinks athim. Then exchange more of those glances I hate.
“That’s the point,” I hurry to say. “Everyone thinks I’m airy and dreamy. It’s easy to believe that I just missed one of thekeys because I was off in fantasyland. Because when am I not?” Just ask my mother. She’ll tell you I live there. “It buysus some time.”
“But how much time?” Emerson shakes her head. “We have to do the ritual tonight.”
We could do it in secret, I respond to all of them.
Emerson frowns. I can tell she doesn’t like the idea, but it makes sense to me. Wehaveto hide Azrael from the Joywood. There’s no option there.
Or, Azrael says, drawing the word out lazily,you could refrain from hurling yourself on an unnecessary sacrificial pyre and do the sensible thing.
He is now sipping from a champagne glass I’m not sure how he got. I didn’t see anyone offer him one. It’s festive, festoonedwith cranberries and little sprigs of mint. It should look ridiculous in his huge hand.
It does not.
“I’m afraid to ask whatyouthink is sensible,” I manage tosay from between gritted teeth. Gritted teeth in the shape of a smile, that is. I’m not an animal.
The artifacts, Azrael says in all our heads.
What artifacts?Ellowyn asks.Georgie is the artifact expert around here.
Azrael waves down another passing waiter and simply liberates the woman’s tray.Even before we were killed, cursed, and the like, there were witches who liked to collect things from magical creatures. Unicornhorns. Dragon tears. Fairy wings.
He pops the appetizers into his mouth without offering any around, or even acting like what he’s doing is strange. If asked,I plan to shrug and remind folks that he’s a Brit, supposedly. Who knows what they do over there?
