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Nell shot her a stern look and Zara amended her statement. “I mean… we’ll be back to watch. There’s a lot of moving pieces here and with the stars aligning and stuff… we just need to make sure it all goes to plan.”

“Of course.” Dan nodded. He hadn’t realized that he would be subject to live oversight by any magical officials, but he had nothing to hide. If anything, he’d be grateful to have an extra set of eyes on Vance Priest. Not to mention the squirrels and the Ordinaries. He was a tad worried about how those last two would mix.

Nell and Zara gathered near the door, but Asha paused at the bookshelves. She looked at the lone trivia book sitting there.

“You need to get some more books for your shelves,” she said.

“So I’ve been told.”

“I think I know where you can find some.” She made it sound like a small practical matter.

It was only as the trio turned to walk out the door that Dan noticed the details on the back of their matching jackets. The rose, the blade and the compass. He had seen those three symbols before, pressed into the flap of a silver envelope. And then he knew why the three seemed so familiar. There was more to Asha, Nell and Zara than met the eye, and more to their blessing than the bureaucratic stamp of an impersonal agency. He did know them, as all mortals did. And as Granny Luna had warned him, one didn’t mess with the Fates.

He rushed to the door, not quite sure what to say. He had to say something, if only to express his gratitude.

“Thank you!” he called out after them. “For the money, and coming to my book signing, and everything. I don’t know what I did to merit your favors, but I’m grateful.”

“No need to thank us, Dan. Just part of doing our job.” Asha waved without turning around. “Everything is connected. You’ll see!”

Will arrived at eleven a.m. with Zani beside him.

“Dan.” Zani whistled low. “Just look at this place.”

“I know,” Dan said.

“It’s okay I guess, but I have to say, it’s not too late to change the sign.” Will’s eyes crinkled up as he grinned. “I know a guy who can have one reading The Dandy Lion up in under an hour.”

“Get out of my tavern.”

Zani was turning in the middle of the room, taking in the posters, the crystal, the plants and the sphinx on the mantel beside Leni’s dandelion globe. “This is incredible,” she said. “I can’t wait to hang out here with you and Arthur and Maida…”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Dan smiled.

He went behind the bar and poured three small glasses and set two in front of Will and Zani without asking.

“It’s early,” Zani observed.

“It is,” Dan agreed.

Will picked up the glass and looked at it. “We wanted to be here tonight.”

“I know that too.” Dan raised his glass. “To success. For all of us.”

They clinked their shot glasses together and drank.

“I don’t know how long we’ll be gone,” Will said. He paused a moment before setting his glass down.

“You two will sort everything out,” Dan said. “I have complete confidence in you. And I’ll still be here.” It was the right goodbye for two people who had known each other for long enough to know not to labor the point.

Zani was hitching her bag up on her shoulder and Dan was clearing the glasses when the door flew open again and Arthur Hart burst in, clearly in a hurry.

Maida was right behind him, slightly out of breath, her hand finding his arm the moment they cleared the threshold.

“Oh, thank the moon! You’re still here,” Arthur said, and the relief in his voice was plain. He was looking at Will.

“We were just leaving,” Will said. “What’s happened?”

Arthur set a brown paper parcel on the bar. It was the size of an eyeglasses case, neatly wrapped and firmly taped, with a purple wax seal pressed into the center. He looked at it for a moment before he looked up.