“You went to the Wolfes’ first?”
She did not sound happy about that.
“Uh…yes?”
“I suppose you took something from them too, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
She pursed her lips and shook her head, curls jiggling.
“What was it? A claw? A bell? A little tuft of fur?”
“The Heartwood.”
She sat back in her chair, and her hands went to the edge of the desk, fingertips perched there like birds on a line.
“I see.” She dropped one of her hands and opened a drawer beside her. “And the Feather? Why did you steal it again? A demon, you said?”
“Avnas. He wants me to break a contract for him and thinks binding us together will make that happen.”
“And where is Avnas?”
“In jail. The strong one with the magic cell that even a demon can’t break out of.”
The corner of her lip quirked slightly. “You locked him away?”
“I sent the dragon to put him there and keep watch on him.”
Her eyes were sparkling, as if I were letting her in on a delightful little secret instead of just reporting on doing my job.
“He is the King’s Knight, you know.”
“I know. Bathin’s uncle, brother-in-law-ish to Xtelle. We’re keeping our demon scourge all in the family, apparently.”
“You are here to arrest your sister?” she asked Jean.
“I will if you want to press charges. She stole something from you.”
“Which could not have been stolen by any other living creature in Ordinary,” Bertie said.
“Wait,” I said. “You knew? All this time you knew I had your Feather?”
“Of course.”
I swallowed back the groan and managed a reasonable tone. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Sheblink, blink, blinked. “Tell you that you stole something from me? Why was I to assume you didn’t know what you’d done? I’m not your guidance counselor, Delaney.”
“But it was your property. Weren’t you…worried?”
“You are the only person in Ordinary who could have moved it. That speaks of the trust I have apparently misplaced in you.”
It was the nicest thing she’d ever said to me.
Jean snorted, then cleared her throat.
“Thank you?” I asked.
