Amusement flickered through his expression. “Constantly, but we’ve placed a notification alert for any unusual activity and are monitoring all services brokers.”
A fact that would no doubt thrill them, given many had a booming business brokering off-the-books and often illegal services.
“We have asked for a summary list of stolen items,” the convener said. “But I suspect many will not be forthcoming about all that their boxes contained.”
Undoubtedly those who were storing illegal goods or blackmailing information. Both branches of elves did enjoy the odd bit of extortion.
“You’ll pass that on—along with anything else we might need to know—when you get it?”
“Indeed, though to repeat what was said earlier, I dare say you two will be able to gain that sort of information far quicker than any of us.”
I pushed to my feet. “You have met Sgott Bruhn, have you not?”
The convener frowned. “Yes, of?—”
“Then you’ll be well aware he is a stickler for rules and not one to discuss ongoing investigations with anyone outside the investigative team, even if that person is considered family.”
Ruadhán was a different matter entirely, at least when it came to his son, but I refrained from adding that. I doubted anyone beyond Sgott knew just how complete Mathi’s access was. I picked up my tea, gave them a polite nod, and left. A chair scraped as Mathi rose and followed me out.
“Thoughts?” I asked, as we clattered down the austere concrete stairs to the ground floor foyer.
“I have several.”
“Color me unsurprised,” I replied, amused. “There’s generally a whole lot happening under that inscrutable façade you present to the world.”
The security guard opened the front door as we approached, and Mathi touched my back lightly, guiding me through andthen around to the left. His car—a silver Mercedes—was parked just in front of a delivery van. Henrick was studiously ignoring the van driver’s verbal rampage about illegal parking as he stood beside the vehicle’s rear door and waited for us to arrive.
I climbed in and scooted across to the driver’s side, but Mathi paused, got out his wallet, and handed the van driver a couple of notes. I had no idea how much, but the abuse instantly stopped.
“Devious,” I said dryly as he climbed in.
“My middle name,” he replied. “Are you up to heading over to the bank? Or do you need to go home and hide in a dark room for a few hours?”
“I need the latter, but we’d best do the former if we want any chance of finding whatever magical residue remains.”
“I’ll ring my father and inform him we’re on the way and why. Henrick, could you please drive over to the Tylwyth Teg Bank.”
“Immediately, sir,” he replied implacably, then raised the noise barrier between us and him.
Mathi took out his phone and made his call. I placed my cup in the center console, then leaned my head back and closed my eyes. I didn’t sleep, as such, but I certainly lost any real awareness of my surrounds for the short time it took us to get over to the bank, which was located on the corner of Eastgate and St Werburgh Street, and only a few buildings down from the tavern I called home.
The two streets were taped off either side of the building, and there were double yellow lines for a good distance in both directions, so Henrick stopped in a delivery bay, then opened my door and offered me a hand. I accepted the assistance gratefully, then stepped away from the car and drew in a deeper breath of air. There was a storm coming, and its electricity was sharp and vibrant, dancing enticingly across my skin. But that storm didn’t just come in the form of weather threat. It was deeper, more dangerous, and far more encompassing than that. It was comingfor me, for my life, and it was going to turn everything I knew upside down. Prescience? Or simply the fear of knowing what now lay ahead of me and how little room to maneuver I truly had.
But maneuver I would. I didn’t want to die.
And if there really is no other choice?an inner voice whispered.
I shivered and rubbed my arms. Mathi immediately took off his coat and draped it around my shoulders. “Do you need more tea? I can ask Henrick?—”
“I’m fine, Mathi, but thanks.”
“Knowing you as well as I do, I recognize the lie, but I will ignore it for the moment. Shall we continue?”
“The sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can both get home.”
“And, more importantly, the sooner we can start the evening activities.”
He kept close as we walked down to the bank, obviously meaning to catch me should the migraine overwhelm me. I didn’t often get them, but he’d seen the consequences often enough in the ten years we were a couple. It was tempting to tell him that wasn’t going to happen today, but in all honesty, between the light hurting my eyes and the growing wash of weariness, it was better to be safe than sorry.
