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And now I have to figure out what I tell them without feeling like an awful person for lying.
“I thought I saw someone I knew, and I wanted to make sure they were okay.” I cringed. “Pat told me to stay with the car, he’s going to be furious that I left it.”
“It’s fine—he’s working now. I came back here to find you and take you home. I need to get back to the apartment to change, and maybe take some painkillers.”
“I’ll drive your car,” I volunteered. “You’d need both hands to drive, and it’s better if you keep icing that bump.”
“I’m only supposed to have it on for ten minutes, then off for ten minutes.” Joy beckoned me to follow her as we headed back toward City Hall. “So I’ll be done soon.ButI won’t argue with you.”
I peered up at my much taller sister, my concern growing. Joylivedto argue—it was why she loved her job as much as she did.
She must be hurting more than she’s willing to let on.
“What did I tell you earlier—stop looking so worried.” Joy elbowed me without looking at me. “I’m not on death’s doorstep.”
“I know, I know. But are you sure you should go into work?”
“Yes. City Hall is demanding a debriefing from the Curia Cloisters. But I’ve got a few hours until then, maybe I’ll take a shower.”
“Just don’t take a nap.”
“I have a bump on my head, Chloe, not a concussion, you worry wart.”
“Sure, just no naps.”
Chapter Fourteen
Noctus
Iwatched Chloe disappear through the portal gate, fleeing since she had accomplished her goal and dropped off Oleander and Jaqleon.
Rodaric had messaged Charon as soon as the incident had taken place, and we’d mobilized in time to be waiting at the gate when he and Brevlanne stepped through. When he’d said that Chloe had gotten them to the clocktower, and that she’dgone backfor Oleander and Jaqleon, it took everything I had to stay there in Calor Villa while she risked herself.
I thought that had been bad enough, but this, this was worse.
Do I have to be king? My people don’t even like me. Surely they wouldn’t care if I abdicated.
“Your orders, Your Majesty?” Charon had his cellphone out, and even as Oleander and Jaqleon received treatment, the others crowded in the square turned to me.
I glanced up at the sky, which glimmered with the pearlescent sheen the spelled barrier made.
No. There’s no one else who can maintain the barrier. Furthermore, I am responsible for the plight of the elves. I knew I’d be seeing through the consequences of my actions as long as I lived. I just never thought there’d be a reason I’dwantit any other way.
“Gather a squad—Charon will lead—and see what footage we can recover from the area,” I said, my duties grounding me once again. “Track the incident—I want to know what the radius was of the sound blast and the disconnect from magic,” I continued. “If they’re different areas, we need to know. Use stealth, but be aware, we must move fast. The Curia Cloisters have likely sent personnel out to the area, and we have visuals of human police. Our window of opportunity will soon close.”
“Understood,” Charon said. “Will this be our only investigation in the matter?”
“No,” I said. “We’ll visit again once the area has recovered. I’ll lead that trip.”
Charon bowed and disappeared into the crowd, tapping the shoulders of those he wanted to join him.
I watched, until I was aware of Aristide sidling up next to me. I rolled my shoulders back, mentally bracing for a sarcastic comment about Chloe.
“That was a rather strong response to an issue that technically has nothing to do with the elves,” Aristide murmured. “You believe the fae Chloe spotted is indeed the one you and Charon have been tracking—the one you first heard of from the barista at Queen’s Court Café?”
“It’s a distinct possibility,” I said. “Particularly since we have video footage that put him at the scene of the previous artifact explosion.”
“It seems like he’s stuck on poking the hornet’s nest.” Ker approached me from the other side, idly twirling the tip of her left braid around a finger. “The Curia Cloisters task force was already quite the power to be reckoned with given how they handled the wizard drama last year. With the addition of Chloe’s brother to the force, it’s only gotten stronger. That fae is taking a lot of risks with these stunts.”
