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He smiled a particularly toothy smile and handed me the large package. “Sign here, if you’d be so kind.”
I signed L. Morell with a flourish and took the package. “Do you have instructions?” I asked.
He nodded at the package and turned, walking off while his arms swung with a longer arc than usual. Werewolf probably.
I shrugged and shut the door while Pansy started howling, singing SingSong city’s theme well enough that I could recognize it. “I don’t know how to tune the lamps, Pansy. I’ll ask on Saturday, all right? We just did all that work in Song, and my face is still scabbed up. Give me a break, bully.” I took the package into the kitchen, leaving it on the counter while I grabbed a cooking pan and held it in front of my face before I opened it, just in case.
The gold silk unspooled over the counter like liquid fire, the color I saw when I was doing that music maintenance gig. I held it up and stared at the dress, the kind of dress that cost more than I paid in a year for sushi. Maybe I could sell it off for sushi after I wore it to this place. He’d never have to know, and it would be the worthiest cause other than finding out what that mark meant. I bounced in anticipation at the thought. Michael Stead, the Scholar, knew about the mark I’d been searching for my whole life, and after tonight I would be one step closer to vengeance and putting my father’s soul to rest.
This dress would take extra effort in the way of grooming and makeup, but if the Scholar wanted a fancy dinner companion, that’s what he’d get. Hopefully, I didn’t have to fight in it or the heels that came with it. They weren’t ridiculous shoes, actually more stable than the shoes I wore at the library, so that was a surprise. They were gorgeous, cream with golden beadwork all over the delicate toes.
I tossed a shoe and then tucked them under my arm and went back to my room with my phone. I’d have to cancel with Anna. When I texted her that I had to get dressed to meet Mr. Stead so I couldn’t come I didn’t expect her to show up fifteen minutes later with a bag of cosmetics that she’d personally made for her own daughter to help smooth my complexion and give me an extra glow.
“You’re going on the first date I’ve ever seen you on,” she said, carefully powdering my face.
I didn’t even own powder. I cleared my throat. “It’s not a date, just…” I shrugged. She wouldn’t remember anything I told her, most likely. “He has information I need, and I’m trading it for my notes, but he wants me to see him when he isn’t feral from blood lust. Not that he was out-of-control. He’s a very calm vampire.”
She snorted and poked my forehead with the fluffy brush. “He sent you that dress and it’s not a date? That’s unlikely. Maybe there’ll be dancing.”
I laughed and closed my eyes, almost relaxing. I was too excited to worry about the Scholar’s angle. If he gave me what I wanted, I wouldn’t mind giving him almost anything in exchange, including my blood. Not all of it, but anything short of death would be fine.
“You know,” Anna said, head cocked as she studied me while I balanced on one foot to put on my shoe. “You look like a proper fairy-tale princess. No, that’s not right, maybe an angel or a fairy. A fairy-angel?” She snorted and took a picture on her phone, sending it quickly to Gabby before I could erase it.
“It’s your makeup job,” I said, glancing down at my dress. “Although it fits pretty well. I wonder where he got it and if they have blouses and skirts in black, that I could get for work. I’ll have to ask him.”
She laughed again and took another picture from another angle. “Oh yes, do. Your curls look so smooth from the cream I used. I should make some more for you, but you never leave your hair down. Pity when it curls so nicely. I could use you for advertisements and become a billionaire like King Court.” The famous apothecary giant was stocked in every store that sold makeup or beauty products. He also had lines of drinks of every imaginable type: alcohol, coffee, tea, juice, soda, but most of all, the famous magical energy elixirs.
“Sell-out,” I said with a sniff.
Pansy took that moment to trot in and belch fire at me.
I leapt away from him too late to dodge the flame, but the skirt only glowed gold before it cooled, not catching on fire in the slightest. I raised the skirt, like dripping gold, and then spun around with it. “This fabric is weird.”
“Flameproof is an unexpected attribute for handsome mysterious gentlemen to give their date, but you can’t really go wrong with fireproof.” She grinned at me ridiculously. “Your dog is dangerously cute. How are you getting to the seafood place?”
I’d looked it up, and Piscerie was the most expensive fish restaurant in the country. The reviews all said how exquisite the food and views were, but the dollar signs were what took your breath away.
“I’ll take the train. It’s outside the walls, actually on the river, so that’ll be something. I haven’t left the city for years.” Six.
She patted Pansy’s head. “That sounds like an adventure. Do you want me to come with you for extra support? You in that dress on the train? I don’t know, Lib. I know that you’re a strong woman who can take care of herself, but that dress makes me think how much I could sell it for.”
I laughed and grinned at her. “Same. How much sushi could this dress buy? If he doesn’t want it back, I’ll sell it and split the proceeds with you.”
“You’re the best. Do you want me to come?”
I couldn’t drag her into anything dangerous, and whatever had killed my father was going to be as dangerous as they came. “No, but thanks. I’ll wear a big black trench coat over it.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Okay. What’s this?” She took a slip of paper off the floor that I hadn’t noticed. “Take the elevator to the top floor of the Lydian. Why?”
I took the note from her and recognized the Scholar’s handwriting, masculine, clear, intentional. “He was going to send instructions.”
“Maybe he has a helicopter waiting for you on the roof.”
We exchanged looks while my stomach lurched. Heights weren’t my favorite thing, particularly after the skateboard adventure, but all I said was, “Stranger things have happened.”
We left my apartment, locking Pansy in with a sad face, but she didn’t break out. I should get her a stuffed animal she could roast, or a chew toy of some kind.
We went to the elevator, and I pushed the up button with my black overcoat draped over my arm while Anna fussed with my hair. When we got to the top floor, the door opened, revealing the golden arrow painted on the marble floor and pointed towards the door of the only apartment on this floor.
