Page 36 of The Hive Queen

Once Maynand Sharpe join us outside of Hoppers, we decide to split up.

Mayn will review the evidence from the newest crime scene and compare it to the one from last night while Pen and Sharpe head out to interview the girlfriend from the first case.

I offer to go with Mayn, but Pen suggested I head to our office instead. After Berdherst’s threat, my time will be better spent making sure Lin and the kids are safe.

“Good morning, lovely Meredith.” I stop at our secretary’s desk. “Anything new and exciting going on?”

She lifts heavily-lined eyes to give me a stare full of reprimand. “Well, look what the cat dragged in. Or should I say fox? Do you still work here?”

I wince. “I deserve that.”

“And more.” She opens a jar on her desk and pulls out a dog biscuit, tossing it to Anny. She then grabs a notepad from the pile next to her keyboard and slaps it in front of me. “You’ve been making Pen do all the work around here while you’re off playing at the magic school. Shame on you.”

“Don’t worry, I’m doing my penance.” I skim over the job offers. “Should I do some haunted houses and seances to appease you?”

“Please. Leave that to the girls up front.” She snorts and takes back the list, replacing it with a stack of printouts. “Housing options.”

“Leave this to me.” I take the papers and back toward my office. “Look at me being super helpful.”

Her eyes narrow. “Don’t push it, or I’ll bring out the haunted houses again.”

I salute her with the printouts and click my tongue for Anny to follow as I turn to head down the hall.

My steps slow as I near Pen’s office and notice a light coming from under the door.

Specious that Meredith didn’t mention anyone else in the office, I peer down at Anny. “I think we have an intruder.”

She cocks an ear at me but doesn’t appear alarmed.

I’m not sure if that’s a good sign, though, or just further proof she has zero survival skills on the human plane.

Aren’t witches and their familiars supposed to communicate better than this? Do things get better as the bond strengthens? I want to ask Reese, but I’m also loathe to seek out my young apprentice for advice.

I drop my hand to the top of Anny’s head, and ley line magic rises to my call. My magic stretches through the office, curling around Meredith’s soul at her desk, and another life force within Pen’s office.

This new person reads as both familiar and expected, though I didn’t think we’d cross paths again so soon.

I turn my head back toward the front and raise my voice. “Hey, Meredith, why don’t you take a long coffee break?”

A beat of silence follows before she answers, “Sure thing, boss. Want me to bring you back anything?”

“Double tall mocha with cinnamon, please.” I wait in the hall, tracking her movements around the outer office before she disappears into the fortune-telling shop that opens to the street.

I rub Anny’s ears. “Be nice.”

Her tail wafts from side to side, and she seems to roll her eyes at me.

I reach for the handle and push the door to Pen’s office open, stepping inside.

Amalia sits slumped in one of the chairs positioned in front of Pen’s desk, one booted foot propped up on her knee, with a file spread out on her lap.

Her head turns slightly toward the door. “Hey, soul witch, mind getting your magic off of me? You’re making me itchy.”

I pull back my magic, shut the door, and walk around the desk, Anny at my side. “You’re lucky it was me and not Pen, or you could have had your skull cracked open.”

“If it was Pen, I would have been on the other side of the room, as far from the door as possible.” Amalia grins at me. “Is that mocha for me? Or have your tastes changed?”

“It’s for you, if you’re still here when Meredith gets back.” I slide the housing paperwork into the top drawer before sitting in Pen’s chair to study Amalia’s narrow face.

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