“His spirit, or soul, or ghost, or… I don’t really know what the proper terminology is. But he is back. These past seven years, he has been haunting my home in Comorre, frightening our visitors and our staff. The house and estate are falling into disrepair as I cannot keep good help. It has even spread to my vineyards. No one wishes to be anywhere near the château, and the business is suffering because of it. He is a nuisance and… and a danger. He has become increasingly spiteful and this past year…” His expression darkened as he admitted, “Increasingly violent. If I cannot get rid of him, I worry the home will need to be permanently abandoned.”
Mallory’s brow drew sharply down. “When do you get to the part where this has anything to do with us?”
“If I cannot purge the spirit from the house, my family’s legacy will be ruined.”
“And?” Mallory prompted.
Armand tensed. “I need you to exorcise him. The ghost. Using your…” He waved his hand in her direction. “Magic.”
Mallory’s eyes widened. “Of course. Why didn’t you say so?” She stood abruptly. “My answer is no. You may leave now. I’m sure the investigators will be arriving soon, and I would really prefer to not be around when they do.”
“Investigators?” asked Anaïs.
Armand stood, too. “You can’t say no.”
“I can, actually.”
His mouth hung limp for a moment, before he threw up his unwounded arm in frustration. “I saw you use magic to deal with that voirloup last night. Plus, you claim to know more about Monsieur Le Bleu than anyone else alive. And also… youwillbe arrested if you refuse. If not for selling fake baubles or whatever those investigators accuse you of, then for trespassing. I will have you arrested myself—no matter where you run to.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“I would.”
Mallory clenched her teeth and glared at him.
He glared back for one full, ragged breath.
Then his shoulders dropped. “No,” he amended sheepishly. “I probably would not. But still… you can’t refuse. I need you. I don’t know who else to ask.”
“That isn’t my problem.” As she said it, Mallory thought of the strange boys last night. Fitcher, with the pocket watch that was not a pocket watch, and Constantino, whose arrow had reduced a terrible beast to little more than a glorified chess piece.Monster hunters, curse breakers…“Although, I might know of someone—”
“I’ll pay you.”
The words died on Mallory’s tongue. “I beg your pardon?”
“I’ll pay you. Handsomely.” Armand looked beseechingly between the sisters. “I need this ghost gone. He isn’t only a bother. He’s… he’s evil. He’s going to ruin my entire future if I can’t expel him.”
“How much?” asked Mallory, ignoring her sister’s aghast expression.
“How much will it take?”
Mallory thought about this for a long moment. Arrived at an acceptable amount. Then tripled it.
“Fifteen hundred lourdes.”
Anaïs choked.
But Armand barely hesitated. “Done.”
The breath left Mallory. “Really?”
“I am very keen to solicit your services.”
She looked askance at her sister, before adding, “I meant up front. Fifteen hundred lourdes up front, and fifteen hundred when the job is finished.”
Armand did not balk. “Three thousand lourdes,” he said slowly. “Paid in full,afterthe job is finished. Until then…” Heslipped the chain from around his throat and held it out to her, revealing the Saphir crest on the small medallion—two wine goblets crossed beneath a circle of blue sapphires. “You may keep this as collateral.”
Mallory took the chain, watching how the stones caught in the candlelight. She knew this crest. They sold replicas in the store. But here was the real thing. Solid gold. Real gems. She estimated it was worth nearly five hundred lourdes alone.
