—I wasn’t sure which one worried me more.
Chapter Twenty
When the movie ended,Than insisted on doing my nails. “Sleepovers require it.”
My nails were now “Sugar Bunny” pink. I gleefully applied the polish to Than’s nails telling him: “Twinsies. It’s a sleepover thing.”
Afterward, he bade me a goodnight and retreated into his bedroom, spiders scrabbling at the edges of the doorjamb before being thrust into the darkness. The door closed behind them with a quiet click.
Tired as I was, I didn’t sleep, my thoughts returning again and again to the problems at hand: Xtelle and the never-ending chaos around her, Amy and the bond he’d forced on my soul, Mithra using Ryder as a puppet. And Ryder. Why hadn’t he told me what Mithra was doing? Why did he think he had to fight the god alone?
Spud was up before dawn needing a bathroom break, so I took him for a walk, then left a note on the kitchen table thanking Than for the sleepover.
Spud came with me to the station, where I changed into the clothes I kept there.
“Long night?” Hatter asked as he squinted at the screen and hunt-and-pecked his way through a report.
“And long morning. What’s the update on the High Tea Tide?”
“Starts at eleven, but folks are already out getting early bird deals on breakfast and hitting the beach. Did you know there’s a petting zoo at the candy shop?”
“I did know.”
He grunted and went back to pecking.
I filled my travel mug with coffee. “Myra’s coordinating personnel,” I said, even though he already knew that. “Come on, Spud, let’s go.”
Hatter looked up. “Where are you going?”
“Need to check on a demon. Don’t get up. I’m not going to see him until I have Jean and Myra with me.”
“They’re already out there waiting for you.”
I gave him a look.
“It’s not that we don’t trust you on your own around demons, Boss. We know you’re completely capable of going hours, maybe even days without being possessed.”
“Consider stowing the smart remarks. You have a yearly review coming up.” I snapped my fingers, and Spud stopped nosing around in the garbage can and bounded my way.
“Wait,” Hatter said. “I take it all back. We’ve seen you go whole minutes at a time without being possessed.”
I lifted a finger in response and shut the door on his laughter.
* * *
The magic jail was out beyond the parking lot behind the station in an unimproved wooded area that sprawled across a few blocks. It didn’t take very long to walk through the grass and weeds, then under a few trees, following the dirt path that wasn’t visible to most people.
It was cool this morning, but the breeze still carried the softness of a summer that had been holding on extra long this year. Perfect weather for an outdoor event. Bertie had, once again, planned impeccably.
Myra and Jean were leaning against the front of the cruiser at the edge of the field where it gave way to thicker clumps of trees and viney undergrowth. My sisters had a box of Puffin Muffin pastries propped on the trunk.
Jean waved.
“Ladies,” I said, as Spud bounded around Jean, whining and wriggling for scritches.
“How are you feeling today?” Myra asked.
“Good. How about you?”
