Elodie laughed. After all, she’d just been extensively kissed by her husband, and as a bonus had not been permanently clamped to the ground by magical quirksand. All was good with the world, at least for now—and to a disaster specialist, “for now” was the only moment that could be relied upon. Besides, it would take a truly stony heart to disagree that Baby really was very cute, in a rustic kind of way.
“Diabolical creature,” Gabriel muttered, crossing his arms with stern disapproval.
Elodie clicked her tongue chidingly at him. Then she leaned down, hand extended to Baby. “What are you doing out here, you silly thing?” she asked in a coaxing voice.
Baby whipped his glare around to her, and Elodie retreated with a gasp. Gabriel instantly put an arm around her back to steady her, but she didn’t even notice, such was her alarm, for the animal’s eyes burned with a fierce, witchy blue, and the sharp flick of his tail suggested she and Gabriel now faced the double hazard of a goat that was enchanted and at the same time a regular goat—both conditions fraught with danger.
“That’s interesting,” Gabriel said mildly.
“Meehh,” replied the goat. The slobbery tangle in his mouth fell to the ground, where it burst into green flames.
“That definitely is interesting,” Elodie agreed. “Perhaps we might discuss it further…” She pointed both hands to the left. “Over there, yes?”
“Hm,” Gabriel agreed. They began to sidestep.
“Meehh!”Baby protested, rearing up. Fire belched from its mouth in a foul-smelling burst, which was a little more interesting than Elodie would have preferred.
“Hurry!” she urged Gabriel, tugging on his sleeve.
They skirted with breathless care around the goat while it stood on two hooves, screaming at them, then immediately began racing down the road toward the Queen Mab. Seconds later, Baby took up the chase.
Glancing back through the swirl of her hair, Elodie glimpsed the cobalt sparks flashing off the goat’s hooves as they struck the ground, and she felt a rush of sympathy for thepoor creature. He must surely be hurting from the thaumaturgic power that coursed through his body. This, however, did not prevent her from urgently considering ways in which they might detain or destroy him—provided of course they managed to survive his murderous intent. For Baby proved terrifyingly fast, and soon was snapping at the air so close behind them that Elodie could hear the clash of his teeth and feel the nasty heat of magic.
Calling on a strength developed over years of outrunning dangers in the field and determined bursars wanting to chastise her for blowing up expensive laboratory equipmentyet again, Elodie sprinted hard alongside Gabriel as they gained distance on the creature. Pain shot through her bare feet, making her wince, but she dared not slow.
Coming to the Queen Mab, Gabriel grappled with the latch of its garden gate as Elodie patted his back and urged, “Hurry, hurry,” in a manner that was no doubt tremendously inspiring. Baby was drawing close once more, flames snorting from his nostrils, pom-poms wobbling violently.
“Let me try opening it,” Elodie said tetchily, and in the next moment found herself being picked up and lifted over the gate in one swift, powerful movement. She did not even have time to decide whether this action was romantic or outrageously offensive before it was done, and she was dropping to the ground on the other side. She hastened back to give Gabriel room for a more dignified vault himself, which he achieved only half a second before Baby rammed the gate at full speed.
Crack!A wooden picket split upon impact with the goat’s horns.
“Meeehh!”Baby bleated, a clear declaration of war.
“Poor wee thing,” Elodie crooned. Gabriel threw her adisbelieving look. “What?” she said defensively. “It’s not his fault he was struck by magic.”
Crack!Baby rammed the gate again, sending splinters flying. Elodie and Gabriel edged toward the inn’s door.
“Was he?” Gabriel said. “Hm.” Hands on his hips, head tilted to one side, he regarded the goat thoughtfully. Elodie had seen him make the same pose in front of a particularly gnarly map, and a little tremor of love went from her heart down into her stomach. He was so…soGabriel.
“Surely a magic strike of such potent effect would have outright killed what is a relatively small animal?” he said.
“Well, he was obviously enchanted somehow,” Elodie argued, “considering his peevish behavior.”
“Elodie, Professor Lipovsky is peevish. Always complaining about chalk dust and how ten o’clock is too early to face students.Thisis belligerence.”
Proving his point, Baby backed up and, with head lowered and nostrils steaming, began stomping on the ground in preparation for a new assault. Elodie glanced at the front door, estimating how fast she and Gabriel could get to it if the gate were breached. Faster than the goat, she guessed, and looked back just in time to see Baby begin his charge.
Crack!He slammed into the gate.
Thud.He collapsed in a tangle of scrawny limbs and pom-poms.
“Meh,”he bleated pathetically, then went silent.
Elodie gasped, pressing her fisted hands against her mouth. “Is he dead?”
“I don’t think so.” Gabriel leaned over the gate to make a closer inspection. “Unconscious, still breathing. We need to get some rope to secure him before he awakens.”
“Right.” Elodie pivoted toward the door, but Gabriel caught her arm before she could leave.
