I cocked an eyebrow. “You can buy drugs from an app?”
“You can buy anything from an app, dude! Where the hell have you been?”
Clearly not somewhere fun enough where I could be buying drugs from an app, but I didn’t know why I was surprised. “I just need this done ASAP. I’ll pay double your rate if you make this your top priority.”
He whistled between his teeth and started typing. “Ronan, my man, you gotta stop making these demon deals. They’re literally going to kill you one day. You know that, right?”
I heard a sound outside and peeked behind my curtain to find a witch dropping off my rut suppressant. She took a picture of the package on my doorstep and then left just as I got a notification that it had been delivered.
Pretty cool.
“Obviously. Just let me know as soon as you get anything. Name and location if possible, but either-or is also helpful.”
“How about you send me my new, doubled first-hour rate now? You know, for motivation?”
I rolled my eyes and went to my RunePay app, sending him one thousand with a demon emoji as a note.
The sound of a bell chiming on the other end told me he’d received it. “Much appreciated. I’ll keep you updated on my progress.”
He hung up and I opened the door, grabbing the bag the witch had left and taking a look inside at the three plain glass vials with a note that read:
Thank you for your order! Thisrut suppressantwas made just for you, with your Magik and requested add-on(s) in mind.
To match yourdemonpower, Ibrewed thisat an extra high heat and included a pinch of salamander root. To combat the feelings ofunrequited love, I steeped the potion in heartmoss for twenty minutes.
Instructions:Take each dose on a full stomach, six hours apart. Think of the one you cannot have and imagine yourself walking away from them for full effect.
Please leave me a five-broomstick review on the app if you liked my product, and enjoy the attached fifteen percent off coupon for your next purchase!
I couldn’t help but smile, because the whole thing was unbelievably charming. I didn’t know Sage at all, but this had been her idea, and it really felt like something significant.
She’d taken her entrepreneurial spirit and spread it around to other witches, helping them become independent, freelance workers. Elven magic centered around healing, and there was no knocking their power, but as Kit had suggested, maybe sometimes we needed something that approached our problems from a different angle. Something that was a little more personalized to get the job done.
Or, like Arlen, maybe sometimes we just needed to get really high.
I followed the prompts on the app to leave a good review and extra tip, then took the first vial.
Liquid fire burned down my throat, followed by a feeling of cool acceptance. The ache in my groin immediately began to subside, and for the first time in days, my head didn’t feel foggy.
Well, now I kind of hoped Sage hadn’t made this app, because I’d hate for it to go away once I turned her in to the Premier.
I tried to follow the instructions, but it was hard to imagine walking away from her, considering it was currently my job to find her. I still had one more lead I hadn’t followed yet, and I took out my phone to dial the number for the cardiologist who’d treated Sage so many years ago.
“Thank you for calling the office of Dr. Dorian Fenwick. We are located in the cardiology department on the fifth floor of Orithiel Blessed Hospital, at 1675 Oakmoss Boulevard in Elmaris. For office hours, press one. To make an appointment with our automated system, press two…”
I spammed the zero button until I began to hear ringing, and a real-live Magik answered the phone in a clipped tone. “Dr. Fenwick’s office.”
“Hello, this is Laurent Graves. I’m with the Records Department here at Noctis General. I’m calling regarding a patient of ours, Sage Hexwood. We’re updating our file and just need to confirm and obtain any relevant cardiology records.”
“Okay, have you sent us a copy of the release form?”
Shit.
“I faxed it this morning.”
The woman on the phone sighed. “Sir, we don’t accept release forms by fax anymore. Everything is done online by InkBind. Upload it there and send it to our office. We’ll transfer the records in three to five business days.”
“But—”
