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I look at my hand. The bleeding has stopped and a scab is forming. Still, it’s pretty ugly to look at. I pull a paper towel off the roll and wrap it around my hand.
“I’ve never seen her like this before, and I’ve seen her turn Jade plenty of times.”
“You’ve never seen it because she’s never been this way before. She’s been poisoned.”
I sit down across from him.
“Keep talking.”
“I tested the rest of the Jade potion Allegra had on hand. Not only has it been watered down, but there’s a toxin in it I can’t identify. I’m sure it’s responsible for her behavior.”
“Now all we have to do is convince the Vigil and the entire federal government that a murderous Jade didn’t mean it and is really sorry.”
“It’s a problem, I admit.”
I go over to the counter and pour myself some coffee. I want Aqua Regia, but this isn’t the time for a fuzzy head.
“If you make more of the real Jade potion, will the Vigil let you give it to her?”
He shrugs. Sips his tea.
“I have no idea, but giving it to her now would probably be pointless. Whatever she was given was meant to hurt her, not kill her. We need to wait until it clears her system before giving her anything else.”
I swallow some coffee. It’s some kind of sweet caramel blend that’s been burning all night, so it tastes like a candy bar someone left on an engine block. I push the cup out of the way.
“I can see someone poisoning me, but why her?”
“A distraction perhaps? You’re working on very important matters. There are people allied with the Angra who would love to see you not in a proper state of mind.”
“Between Mason and Candy, I guess they pretty much succeeded.”
Vidocq leans forward and whispers.
> “Then it’s true? Saint Nick is Mason Faim?”
I nod.
“Don’t go telling anyone. I want to keep this quiet as long as I can.”
“I can understand why he would want to leave Tartarus, but why come back here?”
“That’s what I want to know. It’s sure as hell not to teach me the ABC’s of the 8 Ball.”
“Curiouser and curiouser,” says Vidocq.
“Yeah, that.”
I look around to see if there’s any normal coffee. I can’t find any.
“You know, if it comes down to it, I could walk Candy out of here through a shadow.”
“It’s pointless to think like that. Right now she needs rest and medication more than she needs you.”
“She said something like that too, only louder.”
“Go home,” says Vidocq. “You must be exhausted. Waiting here like this benefits no one.”
I rub a knot of muscles at the base of my neck.
