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“It was never a bother,” Aristide said. He smiled in my direction, but there was something unusuallygentleabout his voice—like me, he wasn’t referring to the binder. “In fact, it was quite interesting. And it gave our venerated leader something to distract him—a fact I now mourn since he seems intent on turning us into a crime solving gang despite the fact that one with a dog already exists in human pop culture.” Aristide reached out and set his hand on Ker’s head, who made a happy snuffling noise. “I’ve told him we’d need to rebrand, but he just won’t listen.”
“Crime solving?” My instincts turned on edge, but I kept my body language casual—or as casual as I could make it. “Are you looking into current events?” I glanced at the local newspaper—which had a bold headline about the ongoing investigation in the broken artifact situation.
Aristide was incapable of seeing the gesture; Charon did, though. He glanced at the newspaper as well, which was probably the biggest confirmation I could ever hope to get from him.
“What Noctus needs is a new hobby. Or another pet,” Aristide groused.
Ker snorted, which I suspected was her way of agreeing.
“We’ve delivered the binder,” Charon said, his tone dry and emotionless. “It’s time we leave.”
“I suppose,” said Aristide. “Come on, Spot.”
“Wait,” I said as they started to turn away. “I just want you to know…I didn’t mean…I’m going to keep my word,” I said.
I’m not going to reveal anything about Noctus or Calor Villa. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to show up and cause trouble.
The words burned at my lips, but I couldn’t say them—not publicly.
Charon slightly bowed his head. “We know.”
The trio turned away from me. Aristide and Charon headed for the door with Ker following faithfully at Aristide’s side, though she looked back to gaze at me with her sad, wolfish eyes.
“Then you should also know,” I blurted out, “that I’m not giving up.”
There, that’s about as close as I can come to saying that I’m trying to get back to them, somehow.
They peered back at me—expressions showing varying levels of shock and confusion.
The corners of Charon’s lips twisted. “Very good, Miss Chloe,” he said, before leading Aristide and Ker out.
“Did you just smile?” Aristide asked as they made their way through the foyer.
“Nonsense,” Charon said.
“No, I’m pretty sure you just smiled.”
“You couldn’t possibly know if I did or not.”
“Of course I can!”
“You’re blind.”
“Obviously. But you can hear a person smile with their voice, you know, even if they have the personality of a toad.”
“Watch the door.”
The twisting pain in my heart lessened as I watched the three disappear through the door, then glanced down at the binder.
I wasn’t sure if it was the lingering effects of Charon’s glamour, but I could feel the sharp needling of elf magic as I paged through the binder.
“Chloe, dear, I’m retiring for the evening.” Ms. Booker’s heels clicked as she glided past the desk, pausing when she saw the binder. “I take it this is the information you were waiting for?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “I’ll have to let the Paragon know I got it.”
Ms. Booker eyed the binder. “It’s a shame he didn’t collect much, but I suppose he must have worked quickly considering that it hasn’t been long since your visit.”
Didn’t collect much?
