Page 69

I laughed, then stopped. She’d probably meant it.

“Adam Vex.” Agent Leomaris’s slow-moving, syrupy voice announced their presence behind me. I couldn’t tell from their tone if they had cuffs to slap on my wrist, but figured as I turned that if they’d wanted me arrested they’d have had their agents lock me up at the prison. Instead, we’d been bundled into a van, whisked to nearby motel, given a change of clothes, told to eat, then debriefed relentlessly for three full days. Only after the SSD was satisfied with our stories did they ship us back to our hotel door.

The SSD agent smiled as I turned, then thrust out a hand for me to shake. “It is good to see you well. You had me worried for far too long.”

I gripped their hand and shook with gusto. Their smile grew, and so did mine. I was ashamed I’d even doubted them. “We wouldn’t be here if not for you putting all the pieces in place.”

“You have Tom Collins to thank for that. As soon as you vanished and your brother made an unwanted appearance, Tom worked night and day to track your whereabouts and recruit those he was certain you would have helped. Of course, your brother was determined to paint you in a bad light, but your bartender made it clear he’s the only one who is allowed to critique the Heroes of San Francisco. Your barman is very protective of you, and this hotel.”

Tom was currently standing by a bookshelf that had to be new, clearly discussing its construction with Victor. “He really did all that?” I asked.

“Indeed. He is a formidable manager. And friend.”

“Yeah.” My heart swelled with pride. Until Tom glared, as though sensing we were talking about him, and my heart withered under his unnerving judgmental scrutiny.

“It’s probably best not to reveal you’re aware of the lengths he went to. He seems to prefer it if everyone believes he despises you and this hotel.”

I grinned. “His secret is safe with me.”

Zee—plate in hand—sauntered over to Tom Collins and Victor, and as Agent Leomaris and I watched, Zee plucked a brown, plastic-wrapped package from under his baggy, off-the-shoulder sweater and gave it to Tom. It took me a second to place where that package had come from—Hooper’s warehouse. He must have pocketed a bag of cocaine, because of course he had. And now he was giving it to Tom, because of course wrapped drugs were a totally normal present to bring back from a vacation in the Everglades.

“Anyhoo.” I grabbed Leomaris’s arm and steered them around to face the reception desk. “How’s my brother doing?”

“Ah yes, well . . . as can be expected. The children adore him, of course.”

I gulped. “Kids?” They loved . . . my brother? Usually, he was the one who loved kids . . . when they went down in one bite, without wriggling.

“Yes, while we have his confession of world-domination ambitions from the cameras in the prison visitors’ room, he did not in fact commit any substantial crimes. So he’s one of the first Lost Ones to take part in the new community outreach initiative.”

Syros was in the community . . . ? I did not like where this was going. It had only been a few days since our showdown, and the SSD had let him out? “Huh . . . And what is that initiative exactly?”

“I see you’re concerned.” Leomaris’s smile was sympathetic but also comforting. “But there’s really no need to be. He’s restrained by wards and can’t hurt anyone. Community service is a proven rehabilitation program.”

“Oh . . . and it’s safe . . . for the uh . . . kids?”

“Oh yes, human younglings love being able to touch a dragon.”

“Touch . . . a dragon?”

“He’s in a petting zoo for under fives.”

Wait, my brother was in a zoo? They’d put him somewhere he was going to be prodded and poked by small children? Oh dear . . . but also . . . ookay, then. Maybe having human younglings crawling all over him would teach him the error of his ways.

“You may also like to know the manager of The Peach Pit, Kat, has been charged with his business partner’s murder. It seems Skrinde had kept proof that the apparent accident was anything but, likely to pressure Kat into helping him run drugs through South Beach.”

It was a shame Kat had turned out not to be the good person Zee remembered, but not everyone could or should be saved.

“We’re shutting much of the Nevada prison down,” Leomaris continued. “All low-level Lost Ones will be assigned a community officer. The hope is that we can teach them to integrate better. Something that should have been done years ago.”

“That’s good.”

Leomaris nodded, and paused, likely thinking of all the Lost Ones who might have been saved, but at least now they had a second chance. “I hear Zander, the lupine shifter from Whiteacre, is now employed at Razorsedge?”

“Oh yeah.” I grinned. “I heard on the way over. He’s a . . . uhm . . . the club’s equipment engineer.” Which was a fancy way of saying Zander maintained the club’s vast array of toys. Zander was absolutely in his element, and I had no doubts that the Razorsedge demons would adore him.

“I see,” Leomaris said.

“Agent Fae!” Zee swaggered over, having left his drugs with Tom and his empty plate on the side. “You ever been to the neverglades? Like . . . hell on earth. If you don’t eat it, it eats you. There are frogs the size of people. And alligators lied! They are not cute and fluffy. Worse than that, fucking leeches. Worms that stick to your skin and suck out your brains. That place is next-level fucked. Should all be set on fire. All of it. All the bad things are there.”