Page 46

The Basement

When the doors opened onto a full-on swamp filled with frightening sounds from animals I was sure didn’t actually exist, moving vines the size of my thighs, and humid mist that obscured just about everything else, I nearly noped right out of there. Not that there was anywhere to go since the elevator had conveniently disappeared once again. Traitor.

Stepping forward, my foot sunk into the spongy ground, and I had to yank my heel out. I couldn’t believe this was a basement. Then again, weird stuff existed, and I was proof of that.

“You’re here,” a familiar, breathy voice said as a curvy figure materialized out of the mist. Daphne appeared much as she had when I met her before, blond bombshell with long golden waves and a black body suit that left nothing to the imagination. It seemed completely unfair that she didn’t have so much as a splotch of mud on her or a wisp of hair out of place.

Without warning, and before I could respond to her greeting, a small figure swung out of the fog above and behind Daphne. My mouth had barely opened by the time Daphne managed to do a partial back flip onto her hands and kick the attacker in the side, causing him to lose his grip on the vine and fall to the ground with a grunt. Smooth as an acrobat, she continued through her flip and landed with one foot on what I assumed was someone’s chest beneath the thick cloud of mist.

She reached down, vanishing for a moment, before reappearing holding up Tittwell by the scruff of the neck.

“Keep practicing, imp.” Daphne marched him past me and tossed him into the elevator, which had reappeared and opened behind me only to swallow him up and leave once again.

“Does he…do that often?” I asked as Daphne swiped her hands together like she was wiping off his residue.

She snorted. “All the freaking time. I think he’s hoping to overhear something good by hanging around. Either that or get a date. He’s never going to beat me.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “I don’t teach him everything because I don’t trust him. And it isn’t because he’s unseelie.”

“You’re seelie then?” I asked, quite curious.

“Yep. I’m a nymph, if you couldn’t tell. The land I’m bonded to is right here. I fought long and hard to keep it, and SHADE ended up having to compromise. I help train their soldiers and employees. And they stay out of my hair unless invited.”

That explained a lot.

“Wait. If he’s not supposed to be here, how does he get the elevator?” I asked, wondering if there was a trick that might help me out.

“He uses the ventilation system. He’s small and slimy enough.” She wrinkled her button nose.

“Ew,” I agreed with a shudder, picturing Tittwell crawling through the small dark surfaces like a rat.

“This way,” Daphne said, waving a hand toward the fog, which dissipated as the land reformed into an oasis with a waterfall and several stone outcroppings with smaller ones inside, along with stone benches, sinks, and mirrors. “This is the locker room. I have some things for you.”

I followed her toward a spot where a pile of black clothes lay, along with tall stiletto boots and a belt.

“The boots are enchanted. They’ll feel like slippers all day so they’re easier to fight in than those,” she nodded at my feet, which admittedly were killing me after my crazy night. “And the belt has a spelled compartment with unlimited space inside. So you can carry anything, including weapons, undetected.”

“Wow. Thank you. What about the clothing?” I asked.

Daphne smiled, showing off her own version. “Just what I like to work out in. It’s comfortable and provides protection for joints and skin. Now get dressed, and if you aren’t ready in five minutes, it’ll be fifty pushups.”

I blinked. She’d seemed so nice…

“It’s my understanding you’re going out unprepared for a mission today, so I have to squeeze as much into this morning as possible.” She clapped her hands, making me jump.

“Yes, ma’am.” I began stripping as she sauntered away behind the big waterfall.

Exactly five minutes later, she appeared again. I was out of breath but had just finished pulling my hair back into a ponytail. Daphne circled me, squinting, then stopped and yanked said ponytail out.

“Ouch! Why’d you do that?” I rubbed my head.

“Because that is something an enemy can use against you. Turn around.”

I did, and she began gathering my hair up again as she spoke.

“Anything can be used as a weapon, whether by you or someone else. Remember that. It’s why I had the boots made for you. You’re used to heels, and they make great stabby things in a pinch. There.”

She spun me around and showed me a mirror. She’d tucked my hair up into a bun. I’d never been able to get a real one to stick. I shook my head, but it stayed in place.

“Thanks,” I said.