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“You mean, since the goal of the game hinges on impregnating me?”
Fafnir just gazed at me, inscrutable. Not that I thought he’d be able to discuss it.
“My Lord Rogue is currently dancing attendance on the Queen Bitch.”
His gaze darkened. “Then she believes you to be with child. How very interesting. Does Rogue?”
My own memory blank haunted me. Surely I would have known from the evidence of my body if we’d done more than I remembered. More—I knew I would never agreed to intercourse and I couldn’t believe he would have done so without my enthusiastic compliance. A great deal rested on me believing that.
“I think he knows I’m not.”
“Even more interesting. Have a care, Lady Gwynn. Step carefully.”
“I’m doing my best.”
“And a word to the wise. Never think it’s a game. Nothing is more serious.”
*
In the morningthere was no sign of Fafnir and I felt quite certain I knew where he’d gone. Walter, however, joined us on the high tower where the glass coach still waited and I sighed at the sight of him. I’d hoped to drop him off somewhere, but Starling had told me he remained quite determined.
“You really don’t have to do this, Walt.”
He sneered at me, but his gaze went to the staff Athena carried. “I can handle anything you can, Gwynnie. I’ll take my punishment like a man and then we can duel again. I’ll win my staff back.”
“What if I told you there’s a way back through the Veil?”
“How?”
“The Wild Hunt. It’s gathering now and they move back and forth between the worlds.”
Walter laughed at me, holding his jiggling belly. “Odin’s hunt? With carnivorous horses and the hounds of hell? No. Thank. You.”
“You know something about it?”
“Hey, I read. Or did, when there were books.”
A tornadic gust of wind warned of the dragon’s approach and I hurried into the coach, with Darling Hercules in my arms. I didn’t want to run the risk of him reverting to cat too soon and dashing off to hide. Walter’s bulk made the interior of the coach a tight fit. To my surprise, Starling took the seat next to him without complaint. Blackbird settled herself next to me and Athena sat cross-legged on the floor, keeping the staff out of Walter’s reach.
I’d experimented with it some the night before, with Starling keeping an eye on me for odd behavior, like a spotter standing by in case a weight lifter gets in trouble. I reconstituted the grimoire which, to my great relief, manifested carrying every last one of my notes, even what I’d written down moments before Walter’s dragon snatched us. Using the crystal, I tried solidifying the spell. I decided against the one on my hair, since I could see permanence there being a real drawback.
Starling carried the grimoire and Walter looked over her shoulder in interest at it.
“Hey—is that a book?”
“My book. Yes.” I answered for her.
“Can I see it?”
“No.”
“Aww, come on.”
“It’s her grimoire,” Starling explained. “It’s full of super secret magical incantations.”
Walter raised an eyebrow at me and I restrained myself from squirming. Who was the humbug now? “Nicely played, Gwynnie.”
“Shut up or I’ll negotiate you a bad deal with Marquise and Scourge.”
