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We got to work, setting up our rendezvous with the priest—or, rather, they did. I could do nothing more than pace the hotel room like a feral beast.
We got a call from the front desk that there was a woman here to see us. Which was strange, because no one was supposed to know we were here.
Hyper-aware of the possible danger, we asked them to send her up. We’d rather deal with the unknown on our turf. An elderly woman walked in. Her features had an otherworldly quality, despite being human enough. I’d never actually seen an elf before. Was that what she was?
Elves had their own realm, a place they’d partitioned off from this plane of existence many eons ago to avoid persecution. It was rumored that when they’d lived on Earth, elves had been almost indistinguishable from humans, aside from their magical powers. It was the food and drink from their magical realm that gave them their elfin appearance. The longer they’d stayed on Earth, the more they changed.
This one must’ve been away from her home for a long time.
“Eva sent me to find you. She needs your help, and she needs it soon.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Milly. My mistress is unable to leave the estate. Augustine is watching her every move.”
“Your mistress?” I asked.
“Eva.”
“But you can come and go as you please?” Did that mean the wizard trusted her? In that case, she was not to be trusted.
She held up a bag from the twenty-four-hour drugstore downstairs. “Eva sent me out for some personal hygiene products. She claimed the fancy things at the estate made her sensitive skin itchy. Mast—” She corrected herself. “Augustine went through the list and approved the trip.”
I still wasn’t sure if she could be believed, but I let her talk. She told us more of what had happened.
“Augustine can’t remove the locket. Whenever he touches it, the clasp disappears and the chain becomes impossibly strong and hot, burning him. But Eva tried when she and I were alone, and the clasp was right there. I could remove it just fine, and so could she.”
“So only he is barred from touching it?” Seth was suddenly very interested. “I wonder if Eva is doing that without knowing.”
“Maybe.” The elf looked down at her empty hand. “I don’t have a lot of magic left anymore, but when I touch Eva, it flares up. I think I have enough to take down his magical wards for a few minutes. I’ve been studying his defenses for decades, in case I ever had the chance to escape.”
This had us all sitting up straighter.
“So why not use your magic to portal her here?” Seth asked.
“I don’t think I have enough energy for that. I’d need to disable the wards first, and by then, I would have nothing left. Even with Eva’s help.” The elf bowed her head sadly. “I am not what I used to be.”
“What if I make the portal while you take down the defenses from the inside?” Seth suggested.
“Yes, maybe tomorrow morning?” I proposed. First, because it was sooner than tomorrow evening, and second, I still didn’t trust Milly one hundred percent and didn’t want to give away our other plan.
Milly shook her head. “No, it must be sooner. He says he’ll wait until they are married, but I know him. He won’t. He’ll go to her tonight while she’s asleep and vulnerable. And I won’t be able to do anything to help.” She wrung her hands in despair.
“Why should we believe you? What if this is just a trap, and we portal in only to be taken prisoner ourselves?” Prax voiced the question I was thinking.
“Augustine has gifted me to Eva. I am hers now. If she escapes, then so do I.”
“What’s stopping you from just leaving now?” I asked.
It was Prax who answered me. “She’s bound by magic, same as I was. I can see the bonds wrapped around her. I don’t know who the bonds lead to…”
“They lead to Eva now.” The elf grinned widely.
I looked at Seth, and he gave me a small nod.
“Okay. We’ll do it.”
“You will? Oh, thank you! When? In an hour?”
