The spy eye buzzed again like it was desperate for attention, and I rolled my eyes.
“Chill, Tiny Tim. You’ll get your fanfare.”
Reaching the security center, I braced one hand against the doorframe, breathing hard. The vertigo was getting worse. Like my brain hadn’t fully settled back into my skull yet. Fang-rotted,moon-damned deep-dives. Always felt like I’d just wrung my mind out like a wet towel, and my body was saying, “Hey man, we’re shutting down now, bye.”
“Your turn, Murder Machine,” I rasped as I finally stumbled through the door.
Koa looked up from where he’d been lovingly sharpening his stabby girlfriend. He practically salivated with anticipation, like a dog who just heard the magic wordwalk.
The spy eye buzzed off my shoulder and onto his, hopping around like it was excited. I half-expected it to start foaming at the mouth like, “Finally someone’s gonna commit some hands-on violence!” Judgy bitch.
Cas didn’t even glance up from his tablet, his blond hair pulled back in a messy bun that somehow still looked more put-together than my entire existence, energy completely unbothered.
“And no need to spare the witch-bitch any mercy, Ko,” I added, voice scratchy as I plopped my ass into a chair. “Got it all up here.” I tapped my temple with my middle finger for emphasis.
Koa was already halfway to the door, knife in hand.
“Can we watchyourfeed?” I asked mockingly, slumping dramatically in my seat. “Like a front-row ticket toTexas Chainsaw Massacre. Popcorn and all.”
In one fluid, dead-eyed movement, Koa ripped the spy eye off his shoulder and crushed it. Tiny gears and magical sparks oozed between his fingers like metal blood.
“Guess that answers that.” I blinked.
Cas didn’t even flinch. He just tossed me a legal pad and pen like a bitchy HR rep.
“Start unloading details before you pass out.”
The door slammed behind Koa. Eluned’s future was about to be violently, horrifyingly rewritten.
I almost felt sorry for her.
I managed to scribble down a few notes while fighting off the full-body comedown shakes. My brain felt like it’d been put in a blender, but adrenaline kept me moving. Sort of.
“Not much to write,” I admitted, cringing at my own penmanship. “Mommy Dearest doesn’t trust Eluned with the full plan. Smart, honestly. Her brain’s basicallyFifth Circle of Hellmaterial. If David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, and M. Night Shyamalan had a movie baby?Boom. Eluned’s psyche.”
“Colorful.” Cas gave me a long, flat stare. “Helpful? Not especially.”
“Fine. I’ll beboring.” I exaggerated a sigh, scrawling faster. “Arabesque siphoned Seri’s magic weekly after Papa Bell died. Still after a crown. Still rounding up rogue wolves. Standard evil witch nonsense.” Cas made a quiet hmm noise, and I hesitated for dramatic effect. “But here’s the fun part.”
“Are you going to do jazz hands?” He didn’t look impressed.
“YES, FUCK YOU, I AM.” I did jazz hands like I never did jazz hands before. “Arabesque stored it. Seri’s magic. In vials. Hundreds of ’em. Like a wine cellar, but instead of merlot, it’s magic. Pretty sure she’s got Papa Bell’s too. Maybe others.”
Finally,finally, Cas looked mildly impressed.
“Location?”
“Linen closet in what I’m betting is Seri’s old house. We should ask Foster how often Eluned leaves the homestead.” I massaged my temples, trying to ignore the static under my skin. “Might help narrow it down.”
Cas jotted that down calmly, then finally turned his attention to me.
“And how areyoudoing?”
“Huh?” I blinked.
“You look like a manticore chewed you up and spit you out.Twice.”
“Yeah, well.” I waved him off. “Telepathic deep-dives are like getting mentally curb-stomped. This is normal.”
