“Spoken like a true fae!” Grove proudly said.
The rest of the team nodded or gave murmured expressions of “understood,” except for April.
She pressed her lips flat and furrowed her eyebrows. “Are they really going to get off with no punishment for the library?”
“For now,” Hazel cracked a smile. “But they won’t get out pain free.” She held up her gigantic stack of paper. “I’ll bury the Wizard Board and House Tellier in paperwork—noise complaints, a failure to care for the front sidewalk, using magic in public, there’s at least a dozen violations we can throw at them between the human government and the Curia Cloisters.”
It was something, but I wasn’t the type who was clever enough to use paperwork to mete out justice so it still felt hollow to me.
April briefly raised her hand. “Should Blood, Binx, and I lodge a complaint about House Tellier’s conduct the night we went to speak to them?”
Hazel tilted her head. “It’s not a bad idea, but I’d like to keep House Tellier’s ire focused on me, so the task force doesn’t experience any hindrances to future investigations.”
So, the Adept plans to become our shield. It’s risky, but House Medeis is probably the strongest wizard House in Magiford—stronger, even, than Elite Bellus’s House.
“Any questions?” Sarge asked.
The door Sarge and Adept Hazel Medeis had entered through slammed open.
Sunshine stood braced in the doorway, her forehead damp with sweat as she heaved in gulps of air.
I stared at her, trying to make sense of her presence. She didn’t usually come in for the early morning shift—she had closer to a human work schedule, and even then we still had over half an hour left to our shift before the early morning crew took over.
Something must be wrong.
“What happened, Sunshine?” I asked, breaking the silence.
Sunshine pushed her glossy brown hair out of her face. “Fae fight, downtown,” she said.
“All units, prepare to mobilize in the teams you went out on patrol in!” Sarge shouted.
We scattered. I just had to grab my mask—I wore all my weapons unless expressively instructed otherwise—so I slunk over to Sunshine, who was leaning against the wall.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yeah.” Sunshine nodded, scowling when her hair hung in her face again. “Just ran through the Cloisters like crazy to get here. Mom dragged me out of bed early today—one of her brownie friends from the Night Court was hired to cater a brunch for the Spring fae Queen, and she volunteered to help and wanted me to drop her off. We ran into the fight downtown—but they were moving, so I doubt they’re still there.”
“Understood, but are you sure you’re okay?” I asked.
Sunshine flashed me a smile. “I’m great. But you be careful out there—I mean it, no sacrificing yourself like you did last time. Got it?”
“Understood,” I said.
Sunshine scowled at me, her dark eyebrows flattening over her eyes in disbelief.
“If I didn’t, I’m pretty sure Sarge would turn my paper into a dissertation,” I added.
Sunshine cracked a smile. “Good. I hope it wraps up fast, my jewel,” she said, using her nickname for me.
“The team is ready, Blood.” April checked her firearm in her holster as she wove around a clump of desks, heading my way.
I nodded to her, then opened the door, holding it for my team. “Thanks for the heads up, Sunshine.”
Sunshine nodded. “Of course. Now, go pull some hair and restore peace!
I grabbed a dryad,who tried to throw herself at Grove’s turned back. “No,” I said to her, before I wrapped an arm around her throat and held her in a chokehold.
She clawed at my arm—inefficient, as I was wearing more layers due to the icy night air.
