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“Good. Thanks.” I finished my conversation with Willard.I’m going to talk to Nin, see if she has any suggestions on alchemists. I’m confident I’ll be able to get to the bottom of this, so hang in there, all right? If there’s an alchemical potion that did this, whoever concocted it can damn well come up with an antidote, and I’ll bring it in personally. Along with yourcat.
I didn’t share my concern that the cancer wouldn’t be something that could be treated with a potion. I had to hope—had to believe—that if there had been a magical cause, there would be a magicalsolution.
I do miss my cat. Thank you for working on this for me, Thor— Val. But be careful. Our people were originally trying to find you and deal with you in-house, but Sudo got the police involved and said there’s going to be a warrant for your arrest soon. If there isn’t already. You better get a hood for that duster of yours if you’re going to roam arounddowntown.
I’ll look intoit.
I grabbed the door handle. “You coming with me or hitting thatnightclub?”
“What are the odds that you’ll take your tiger outtonight?”
“His name is Sindari, and given my last two phone conversations, the odds areexcellent.”
“I’m going with you. Can I pethim?”
“If he lets you,sure.”
“Will he letme?”
“Call him regal and noble, not a pet or a service animal, and he’ll let you rub hisears.”
We met on the sidewalk, and the homeless guy scooted away when he saw Dimitri’s imposing height andbrawn.
I lifted a hand to stop him. “How much for one of your jackets? That one with thehood.”
He scratched a gray beard with gum stuck in it and eyed me up and down. “I’ll give it to you for akiss.”
“I deal in cash only, friend.” I pulled out a couple of twenties and rubbed themtogether.
“I’ll trade it for your coat.” He pointed at myduster.
“Another nope. This is part of my look. Werewolves would be distressed if I showed up to kill them withoutit.”
“Shit, I hate werewolves.” He spat on thestreet.
“Don’t we all. Forty bucks.Deal?”
“Deal.” As he pulled off the jacket, the streetlight caught a few dubious stains, making me regret my decisionalready.
We traded and I headed off down the street, putting on the jacket over my duster and pulling up the hood. The scent of pot and body odor almost made megag.
“It’d be better to be arrested,” Igrumbled.
“What?” Dimitri was walking several steps to myside.
I had a feeling I wasn’t the only one who could smell the jacket. “Nothing.”
Nin’s truck was still there when we walked into Occidental Square, but I doubted the three big men lined up by the side door were there for beef and rice. Two had some magical blood, my senses told me, and the third had a stronger aura, a purebred something. Not a mongrel, as Zav would have called the others—and me. Probably a shifter of somekind.
The men turned toward us, stepping apart from each other to give themselves elbow room in case of a fight. That wasn’t the usual reaction I got from guys. Maybe Dimitri and his bruiser dwarf blood had themwary.
“Hey, girlie,” one said, ogling my chest, though it couldn’t have been that impressive under two coats. I had to be downwind from him, or he would have been gagging instead of leering. “Why don’t you lose the arm tough and come over here and enjoy ourcompany?”
“You sure you’d enjoyhercompany?” one of his buddies asked, pointing over my shoulder. “Her sword’s bigger thanyours.”
My weapons’ camouflage didn’t work nearly as well on themagical.
The first speaker smirked. “I don’t mind a challenge. And you might be surprised about what I keep in mypants.”
