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“My aunt has alopecia.”
I felt like there was a required response here. Nothing fitting came to mind, so I continued, “You’ll hand the risi the note I provide you, along with this photograph.”
“I can do that,” she said.
I continued, “Once you have discovered Cornelius Kurnbottom’s secrets, the risi will help you return to me. Or at the very least, to our earthly realm.”
“Earthly realm?As in…the libraryisnot on earth?”
“Once here, you will call me on your cellular telephone and deliver your findings.”
Imogen’s eyes were wide. Her face was flushed with excitement. She bounced on her toes like a small child in need of a restroom.
“Are you good?” I asked.
She nodded. “I can do it. Send me into the potty portal.”
“Ew,” an unfamiliar voice said.
I glanced around the room and saw no one, but three of the bed tubes had their curtains closed. Likely one of our roommates was sitting inside their bunk, listening to our conversation. Prying ears were a risk of sharing a bedroom with strangers. Their eavesdropping was of no consequence.
I used a pad of paper on the communal desk and wrote a note instructing the risi to entrust Imogen with information pertinent to any man named Cornelius Kurnbottom located in Roldaria, or in North Carolina, along with any man matching Cornelius Kurnbottom’s likeness. It was possible he was using a false name. In addition, I requested any information about the stone building in the photograph, or anything of note about the Trai Amulet I had been sent to retrieve. There was a surprising lack of description or history pertaining to the amulet in the file.
Had there not been a time constraint, I would have returned to the library myself, but I couldn’t risk Silas solving the case while I was gone.
“All set,” Imogen said, opening her arms.
Did she…expect me to hug her? We stared at each other in a stand-down of awkwardness.
She dropped her arms, leaving me the victor. She said, “There’s nothing for me to pack, since our bags are still in Noah’s trunk.”
“I will hunt him down and retrieve our belongings, I assure you.”
She gestured for me to give her something. “Hand me your phone.”
I did as she requested.
She tapped a series of pokes on the screen. “There. Now if you need a driver, you have the app. It’s all set up to my account, so you just push that little car icon, and then there’ll be a green button that sayspick me up.Push that, and you’re set. Well, you will be whenever Noah decides to check in and mark himself as available.”
“Thank you, Imogen,” I said. “Truly, for all of your assistance.”
“We’re friends, right? I’m always happy to help a friend in need.”
“I guess we are.” It had been so long since I’d actually had real friends. It was easier to keep people at arm’s length than to get close only to move away and lose all of that progress. If they didn’t get close, it hurt less when they were gone.
But as little as I’d meant to, I seemed to be putting down roots in Piccadilly, as was Imogen. I supposed it didn’t hurt to open up a little if neither of us intended to go anywhere.
I opened a portal for her and waved as she stepped through. Concern and excitement warred on her features as the risi approached.
“You’ve got this,” I said.
The portal closed.
Prong two—I needed to hunt down the owner of the amulet, Edwina Aldea. I did what I could to freshen up, but there was little to do for my dress. Then I retrieved Ms. Aldea’s address from the paperwork and headed out. According to the man at the front desk, the address was only a short walk from the hostel.
On my way, I passed the small general store Imogen and I had visited for dinner last night. There was also the gas station Noah had mentioned on our tour of the town, and Tawdry Tavern where we’d retrieved the mission envelope. The occasional house dotted the otherwise barren hills. Quickly, I found my destination.
Parked in front of the quaint cottage was a black sedan. I sucked in a sharp breath. I hadn’t gotten a good enough look last night to be certain, but it appeared to be a similar make and model to the car Silas had driven.
