“I know what to do,” Jo announced. “I just need time to doit.”
“How much?” Eslarasked.
“Here? A few more hours. There? Maybe thirty minutes,tops.”
“That’sall?”
Jo nodded. “Look, I know I messed up with Paris.” The shadow of a grimace that tugged on Eslar’s mouth affirmed he thought it was far more severe than “messed up.” “But it offered a bit of an opportunity for a test-run of my magic. I know what I can do here will take in the real world. It can give me a head start. . . Once I get there, I’ll only need a short period of time. That’s why I think an hour will be more thanenough.”
“Then I will take youthere.”
“Are you sure it won’t upset King Snow?” Jo’s hands paused long enough for her to ask the question, looking over her shoulder at theman.
“I’ll smooth it over,” he assured her. “This is onme.”
“You’d better be right. Or I’ll show you why hell hath nofury.”
“Hell. . . hath no fury?” he repeatedslowly.
“Don’t you know that expression?” It was old, old enough that a few other members should have known it in someform.
“No?”
“Well, I guess the only woman you interact with on a regular basis—” Jo wasn’t counting the weird presence that was Pan out of misplaced spite, “is pretty stoic and even. Hell hath no fury like a womanscorned.”
“Woman can indeed be terrifying.” Eslar folded his hands and leaned back in his chair. “Terrifying enough to stand up toSnow.”
That sounded almost like praise. And her cheeks almost caught fire atit.
“It’s not about standing up to him.” Jo cracked her knuckles. “This is redemption and fixing my error. This is for myteam.”
“Your team?” His voice noticeablysoftened.
“Who else?” Jo dared a smile, one Eslar met with a small nod. “All right, give me three hours Eslar, and then we can make this happen in the real world. I shouldn’t need more than that toprep.”
“I’ll entrust you with it.” Hestood.
“Wait, before you go. . .” Jo held up the plate. “Would you like apastry?”
“I would, thankyou.”
They chewed in silence, a sort of breaking-bread moment of peace between them. It was a silent treaty, leaving Jo to hope he felt ittoo.
Chapter 27
Hospital Room
THE DOOR CLOSEDbehind Jo and Eslar with the echo of a hiss, drowned out by the beeping, talking, and general buzz of thehospital.
“Huh.” Jo made the soft noise of appreciation while glancing behind them at what was now, ironically, another supplycloset.
“What?” She hadn’t expected him tohear.
“Oh, sorry, just. . .” Jo looked around herself, at the men and women bounding by without so much as an acknowledgment in their direction. “It’s almost getting normal. Appearing out of nowhere, being nowhere. . . It’s less disorienting to use the Doornow.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Nothing in his voice indicated anythingglad.
“How long did it take you?”They didn’t have time for small talk, a voice in her mindscolded.
