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“Is she at the apartment?” Alice asked.
“I have no idea. I was hopingyouknew where she was. We were to meet at the bar, and she didn’t show . . .”
“She has to be fine, Eli. Shehasto. I need to . . . I need her to be fine. I have a schedule. Disaster? Not on it.” Currently, Alice had a gallon jug of blood, a ladle, and her collection of silicon ice cube trays.
“Alice? I have questions.” Eli gestured at the blood cubes, hoping that the blood was not because Alice knew that Geneviève was injured. In a purposely calm voice, he asked, “Has something happened that you think she’ll need quite so much blood?”
“No. Yes. I mean, I’m taking a trip. I have been saving up for this.” Alice pointed at the trays. “They’re labeled. I gathered a few pouches from Lady Beatrice, too. I know fresh is better, and I have made arrangements to have deliveries too and—”
“That’syourblood in a vat.”
Alice sighed. “Correct. My blood. A few others. Deliveries scheduled. An itinerary updated.” She glanced over to the fridge where her schedule—color-coded—was hanging. “Two weeks. I just need . . . time.”
Eli cleared his throat. “Are you going toElphame?”
“No. I am most definitely not, and I won’t tell you where I am going either.” Alice closed her eyes for several moments, and then she met Eli’s gaze. “I won’t have either of you tellinghim.”
“By him you mean my uncle. The king.”
“Obviously. I need time to think about his lying, manipulating—”
“The fae don’t lie,” Eli interjected.
Alice carefully filled another tray; this one was grinning skulls. “You’re the boss’ guy. I like you and all. That doesn’t meanyoucan lie to me either.”
He opened his mouth, but she spoke over him. “Forcing Geneviève to not tell me he thinks he can just decide to marry me? That’s not fine. And as much as I trust Geneviève, andI hate going away, I can’t stay here right now.”
Eli held up his hands in a non-threatening gesture. “WhereisGeneviève? We can discuss my uncle later, but I need to locate my wife.”
“Work? With friends? With Lady B? Just call her and ask where she is.” Alice glanced back down and slid over an empty tray. This one was rows of tiny little penises. “This set of blood is from Tres. I thought it would be useful to let her know these aredraugrblood . . . and he’s a guy so—”
“Alice . . .”
“What? I know fresh blood is best, but I’m trying to make sure she’s taken care of while I’m away!” She gestured wildly at the blood she was ladling into penis trays.
Eli reached out and turned her bodily, so she saw the clock on the wall. It was already four in the morning. “Geneviève is out of touch, and I would like your assistance in contacting her.”
“Well, shit.” Alice washed her hands and snatched up her phone. “No messages. Can you do that mental talk thing or something?”
“No.” Eli grabbed his phone and jabbed a button. “I need to speak with Beatrice.”
Alice wandered away and started making calls. Friends. Family. He heard her tell someone, “The boss is never this late without letting me know. I need all eyes on her. Find her.”
Eli wasn’t listening. Alice was saying things he already knew, reasons he’d come here. The next best option was Geneviève’s family.
Thedraugrqueen answered. Without greeting or preamble, she started, “I have little information. She is a captive, and all she said was that she was drowning.”
Beatrice sounded as desperate as Eli felt.
“Drowning?” Eli raised his voice. The prince ofElphamenever raised his voice this frequently until meeting Geneviève. “She can’t. This is not acceptable. We have to do—"
“I am doing all I can,” Beatrice snapped.
When Eli disconnected the call, he glanced at Alice. “Drowning. My wife is apparently drowning.” Then he made a gesture in the air and a shimmering doorway appeared. “I will be back with guards to start a search. Beatrice has already deployed her . . . people.”
Alice started shoving the tiny skulls, dicks, hearts, and other shapes into the freezer. “I’ll be here while you go there, but do not tell that lying liar that I’m leaving the city.”
When Eli stepped intoElphame, he saw his uncle’s expression brighten before the passageway closed. He started to speak, calling out to Alice, but she pivoted and stomped away.
