“It’s gone.”
I smiled. “I’m gonna tell you sooo many lies now.”
Not taking the bait, he kissed me again, his body pressing against mine. Suddenly I was too out of breath to tease. I molded against him, feeling stars sparkling within my chest. I never thought I’d actually be grateful for getting thrown into a dungeon and tricked into a bargain. But I was. Even with all the negatives, I was so glad it had happened as it had.
A knock sounded at the door, followed by Sebastian’s voice. “Penelope is outside.”
His words were like a bucket of cold water. Not only were we going to risk ourselves to lure out my grandfather, we were going to do it with Penelope. We hadn’t seen her since she helped stage my kidnapping before she signed the contract. She’d had her imp deliver the signature.
“We will keep you safe,” Mistral said, misreading my silence. He was still close, keeping me in the circle of his arms.
I smiled to reassure him. I didn’t need him worrying about me being afraid. I just needed him worried about staying alive. “It’s not that. I’m just wondering if throwing something gross and smelly all over Penelope’s silly Victorian outfit would be a breach of contract.”
Mistral’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “I imagine she would view that as bodily harm, so yes.”
“Pity,” I sighed, reluctantly pulling away from him. “But let’s think of something really awful to throw on her once the contract is done.”
“If her brother doesn’t kill her first.”
Since I knew Sebastian would like to do just that, I didn’t argue. “True. I guess I can get over the kidnapping thing.”
Another knock. “If she tries to send that disgusting imp in here—” Sebastian hissed to urge me along.
With a smile, I walked away from Mistral, then opened the door before Sebastian could continue.
The devil wore all black. A soft button up, fitted coat, slacks, and black shoes. The collar of his shirt nearly blended with the inky blackness of his hair. Fire flashed in his eyes.
Silently, he offered me his hand and I took it. No one spoke as we led the way down the stairs, and Sebastian kept my hand as he opened the doorway that was magically hidden from outside.
Penelope stood alone with her pet imp. As predicted, she was in another vaguely Victorian outfit, her black brocade coat fitted perfectly to her body with a high collar edged in small black ruffles. Maybe it wasn’t quite Victorian, but the vibe was there. Her black pants were skintight and topped with black boots reaching her knees.
The imp beside her hunched in on himself, his sallow skin sickly in the moonlight. He blinked milky eyes at me hopefully, and I slipped an already unwrapped granola bar from my jacket pocket, dangling it in front of him. He snatched it with his claws and gobbled it down, littering the asphalt with crumbs.
Ringo shivered against my neck at the sight. Or maybe he was just upset about losing one of his coveted granola bars.
I looked at Sebastian and Penelope, who were watching each other with narrowed eyes. “You two look like you’re going to Goth prom together.”
Identical affronted expressions turned my way.
Penelope sneered. “And you look like you’re about to paw through a dumpster for your next meal. What is your point?”
I straightened my jacket. Maybe it was a little age-worn, but it was a nice jacket, dammit. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Everyone gathered around, but I kept a particular eye on Penelope as she grabbed the edge of my sleeve like it was covered in grime—which it most certainly was not. She could travel alone just as well as Sebastian, but we all wanted to arrivetogether, just in case whatever trap awaited was immediately sprung.
I closed my eyes and thought of the Circus. I really was getting better at this traveling stuff. Like Crispin kept telling me, magic was all about intent. I just had to have the confidence to use it.
I watched Penelope as we materialized in the neon-lit street outside the Circus. She actually looked worried about an ambush herself, but quickly straightened her shoulders and lifted her nose. I had to remember that she couldn’t hurt us until the contract was done.
Once it was all over, we would have to create whatever pathway she wanted, which she had managed to keep secret within the terms of the contract. The terms also made it clear that as long as she got what she wanted, for all she cared, everyone else could burn.
4
The neon lights outside the Circus were bright in the misty darkness, the sky heavy with unshed rain. Gabriel held my hand as we walked. Mistral was on my other side and Crispin stuck close behind us. Even with them around me ready to threaten off any unwanted advances, every look from one of the vendors or passersby gave me a chill. Since we had started spreading the rumors of my whereabouts that morning, there would already be many of my grandfather’s allies around.
I could feel Ringo shifting for a better look behind us from his perch on my shoulder. Nothing like basically having eyes in the back of my head, though I was worried about him too. He had been quite adamant about not being left behind, and I had to admit, he’d saved my ass more than once. I couldn’t really argue with him when the stakes were so high.
I trained my eyes on Sebastian and Penelope leading the way ahead of us. “I’m surprised they’re not racing each other,” I muttered under my breath.
