Page 89 of Night and Silence

“He’s real,” I said. “Dugan only freed his Queen.”

“But why?” asked Marlis.

“Maybe to curry favor with the woman who originally put her on the throne; maybe because he wanted revenge; maybe she had him under some sort of geas; or maybe it was because he’s just an asshole,” I said. “It’s hard to know for sure. We’ll find out when he goes to trial, assuming he wants to get out of the pit Arden’s going to throw him into.”

I almost hoped he refused to tell us. I’d like another excuse to lock him up.

“On behalf of Silences, I wish to extend our genuine regret and horror—” Marlis began.

I cut her off. “You didn’t do this. We knew he was a threat, and we didn’t verify that he’d been taken care of. All our firebirds are coming home to roost. If you really want to make this up to me, though, while your queen works on making it up to mine, you’ll do me one big favor.”

Marlis paused. “What?” she asked warily.

Smart girl. “We have business in Portland,” I said, indicating myself and my two companions. “It shouldn’t take all that long, but it would be a big help if you didn’t go running to tell Siwan that we’ve crossed over into the mortal world. Not just yet.”

“Are you plotting insurrection?”

“It’s a fair question, given my hobbies, but no. Quentin needs to pick up some donuts for my Fetch, while Tybalt and I need to go catch up with an old friend. We’d just like a little time to ourselves, that’s all.”

Marlis considered a moment before she nodded. “I won’t lie to her, but as long as she doesn’t summon me or inquire as to your whereabouts, I can give you what you’d consider ‘a little time.’ Try not to take more than that.”

“We appreciate it,” I said, and turned to offer my arm to Tybalt. “Shall we?”

“Indeed,” he said solemnly. He looped his arm through mine. Quentin grabbed the back of my belt. Tybalt stepped forward, into the dark and the cold, and the basement was gone, replaced by the endless stretch of the Shadow Roads.

Running from a healthy knowe into the nearest open point of its connecting city is a simple thing, even with Quentin hanging onto me for dear life. We’d been in the shadows for what felt like no time at all before we emerged, stepping into the light of a Portland alley, shielded from the street by the slope of the walls around us. We let go of each other in order to draw human disguises over ourselves, Tybalt and I going for the quick and easy versions, while Quentin detailed his as much as he always did.

“Showoff,” I said fondly, ruffling his hair. I had to reach up to do it. I was never going to get used to that. “Meet us here in an hour?”

“If the line at Voodoo is moving at all, sure,” he said.

“Okay. How about if you’re not here in an hour, we’ll come meet you there?”

Quentin nodded. “That sounds good. Um. Good luck with . . . whatever it is you’re here to talk about.”

I glanced at Tybalt, then looked back to Quentin and smiled encouragingly. “It’ll be fine. We’ll see you soon.”

Tybalt slipped his arm back into mine and tugged me from the alley before Quentin could say anything else. The sidewalk was largely empty at this time of day, and the pavement was slippery with the remains of the latest snowfall. I shivered and stepped closer.

“Remind me never to leave California,” I said. “I don’t think I could handle the weather.”

“My little fainting flower,” said Tybalt, and pressed a kiss to my temple as we walked around the corner, two people in love and going for a stroll. We stopped halfway down the block, in front of a small shop with pictures of the X-Men and Avengers displayed in the window. Inside, a bored-looking woman stood behind the counter with her chin propped in her hand, ignoring the world around her as she read a graphic novel.

Tybalt took a deep breath. I squeezed his arm.

“You can do this,” I said. “You need to do this. Not just for me—I’m not quite that selfish—but for yourself.”

“I know,” he said. “Knowing makes it no simpler.”

“I believe in you.”

His smile was enough to warm up the day. “Knowing that makes everything simpler,” he said, and reached for the door.

The bell above it jingled when we walked through. The woman at the counter—Susie, if I was remembering correctly—didn’t so much as lift her head. Customers were apparently a complication for someone else to deal with, while she was paid to stand at the counter and keep up on her comics. I had to respect her single-minded dedication to her craft. I’d never seen her doing anything but reading, and it didn’t look like that was going to change today.

We walked past her, heading for the back of the store, where a half-open door marked the entry to the office. Tybalt started to raise his hand, but paused, looking unsure of the gesture.

Screw that. We were here to make things better. I refused to let us be scared off now. Before I could think better of it, I raised my own hand and knocked lightly, calling, “Joe? You here?”