by Sarah Noffke
“Yes, wiping fairy asses or something,” Liv joked.
“And yet, you’ll probably still find a way to end up on the national news while breaking a hundred laws,” Stefan told her with a wink, staying beside her as they strode through the aisles. “What were you doing at the museum?”
“Brushing up on my history,” Liv replied.
“And this case that was set off when you touched it? Do you by chance want to share what was in it?”
Liv bit her lip again. She needed allies, she reminded herself again. But she didn’t need troublemakers, and she wasn’t sure which one Stefan Ludwig was.
After a long moment of silence, Stefan said, “It’s fine, you don’t have to tell me. I daresay, I have a fair number of things I like to keep secret too.”
“Like what?” Liv asked at once.
He flashed a sideways smile at her. “Things.”
“Thanks for revealing so much,” she drawled sarcastically.
“It was curious that a case reacted to your magic like that,” Stefan mused. “More curious is that certain people on the Council didn’t find this of interest.”
“Yeah, they seemed to simply gloss over the fact that I triggered the alarms,” Liv agreed, realizing at once that Stefan was right. Then something else occurred to her. “Hey, what were the details regarding the bank vault that Adler set off? Do you know?”
Stefan shook his head. “That was the first I’d heard of it, but it is interesting. We have our own banking systems within the House as you very well know, so I wonder what he was doing at a mortal-owned bank.”
“Another thing that the Council sort of glossed over,” Liv said mostly to herself.
“Questions that Adler doesn’t want asked have a way of being ignored,” Stefan offered.
They paused in the center of a large reading area. Huge overstuffed chairs sat around a fireplace that was taller than Stefan. Liv blinked at the painting above the fireplace, recognizing the little girl standing next to a tall palomino. She nearly paused, surprised by the sight of her little sister disguised in an oil painting, but she stopped herself, pointing to an aisle.
“Let’s see if Sophia is down here,” she said in a rush. “If not, hopefully she comes out of her hiding place soon.” She said the last part with a heavy inflection in her voice, intending that her sister get the hint.
“Weren’t you and Trudy hunting unregistered magicians together?” Liv asked when they’d walked in silence for a moment.
“Yes,” Stefan answered. “However, I got assigned a different case, and I think she got a little sloppy, hence the excitement today.”
Liv nearly shivered with disgust. “Hunting down our own and punishing them for not registering their magic seems so wrong. I can’t imagine having to do it.”
Stefan agreed with a nod. “I’m glad to have a different case, although I wish I had been there to help Trudy. Maybe I could have kept her out of trouble.”
“Because you would have done all the slaying of innocent magicians for her?” Liv teased, defiance written on her face.
A roguish smile crossed Stefan’s lips. “Yeah, something like that.”
Secrets. Stefan Ludwig definitely had his fair share of secrets, and Liv desperately wanted to know what some of them were. Maybe it was the serious look in his bright blue eyes or the mysteries that seemed to dance behind the surface of his expression. She decided to play a game of reciprocation and see if that worked to open things up.
“So the case I touched at the museum,” Liv began.
“The one with the mystery contents that you can’t disclose?” Stefan asked.
She waved him off. “It’s not really important. But do you know why a case in a mortals’ museum would be protected by magic?”
“You said that you set off an alarm,” Stefan said. “You never mentioned that it had magical wards.”
“That part must have slipped my mind during the meeting with the Seven,” Liv explained, tilting her head and trying to look like a ditz.
“That sort of thing happens to me all the time during those meetings,” Stefan said, and then looked down. “But remember that your magic is monitored through the Council, so be careful. They might not be able to see what you’re doing all the time, but they can piece things together. That’s why understanding how to use your magic in general ways is important.”
Liv nodded, looking into the distance without seeing as all this sunk in. If she used her magic to perform any opening spells, the Council would see that, as they had at the museum. However, if she employed a more general spell, they wouldn’t have a clue what she was doing.
“It doesn’t make any sense why there would be magic protecting anything in the Natural History Museum,” Stefan said, tapping his fingers on his lips as he thought. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. How did you discover this?”
“I’m good at finding these things out, apparently,” Liv stated. “I search out trouble.”
Stefan laughed. “That you do. And it looks like you also find adorable magicians.” He pointed to a large couch that sat against a muraled wall. In the center of the couch and covered in overstuffed pillows was a bulky form. Protruding from under the pillows were two little feet in white tights and black, patent leather shoes.
Liv nearly burst out laughing at the horrible hiding spot. Sophia was too much, even while pretending to be a simple child playing a regular game of hide-and-seek.
“Oh, right. I wonder where Sophia is,” Liv said loudly, which prompted a giggle from the pillows.
Liv flashed Stefan a smile. “I guess she’s not here.”
More giggles made the pillows dance.
“That’s too bad, because if she were, I’d have a present for her,” Stefan announced.
Sophia burst from the couch, landing on her feet with her arms wide, the pillows tumbling to the ground. Just like in the painting, she wore a blue velvet dress and her soft, curly hair was pulled back into a low ponytail.
“Soph!” Liv exclaimed. “You were right there. I had no idea.”
“Present,” Sophia demanded. “I was promised a present. I heard it.”
Stefan laughed and went down on one knee. “And I’m a man of my word. It’s important that you always remember that. If I tell you something, you can rest assured that it’s true.” His eyes flicked up to meet Liv’s briefly before he opened his hand to reveal a soft blue rose petal.
“Is that…” Sophia asked, her wide eyes looking between Stefan and the object in his hand.
He nodded. “It is. A rare but authentic depour.”
“Wow! I’ve never seen one in person.” Sophia’s hand paused as she went to grab for it. “Is it really mine?”
Stefan nodded, carefully dropping it into her palm. “Yes, but be gentle with it, and remember it can only be used once.”
The little girl beamed, her bright eyes lighting up. “I can’t believe it! I’m going to go turn our living area into a winter wonderland! Oh, Clark will be so angry.”
Before Liv could ask Sophia a question, she was off, streaking through the library with her long ponytail flying behind her.
“Ummm, what’s a depour?” Liv asked Stefan.
“Remember when I said it’s good to do general magic if you don’t want to be tracked?” he asked. “Well, there are also magical objects you can obtain that will do things for you that can’t be traced back to you. A depour is one of them. I just gave your sister one that will create a great deal of snow in an area. Sounds like she’s going to turn the Beaufont residence into a ski lodge for the evening.”
Liv laughed. “Oh, Clark will be so pissed. And how do I get hold of one of these depours?”
Stefan considered her for a moment. “There are different kinds. Red ones create fire. Blue ones, snow, and purple, rain. You get the idea. And you have to know the right people.”
“And by people you mean…”
“Elves,” Stefan answered. “The elves are the ones who create the dep
ours. But you’ll learn all this in time. And I’m always happy to help, like with this museum project you’re working on.”
Liv considered him for a moment and shook her head. “Thank you, but no. I think I’m better operating alone on this one.”
Chapter Sixteen
“I don’t know when you found the time,” John said, his hands on his hips as he gazed fondly around the shop. It was clean. No, it was more than clean. If Liv didn’t know any better, she’d think it was brand new.
“I didn’t find the time,” Liv admitted.
The smile on John’s face vanished. “This wasn’t you? You weren’t the one who cleaned the shop last night?”
Liv wanted to avoid the speculation and say it was her, but she couldn’t take credit for what the brownies had done. In truth, they had done a better job in John’s shop than they normally would have. Usually, a brownie merely did a few chores, making the mortal’s schedule a little easier. Mortimer must have been extremely happy with their agreement and was trying to show it.
“If this wasn’t you, then who?” John asked, concern suddenly appearing on his face.
“Maybe those same thugs who broke in before did it again, but this time decided to make up for their misdeeds?” Liv suggested.
John rolled his eyes. “No, I’m not buying that some hoodlums came in here and polished the floor and relabeled the shelves last night.”
Yeah, this brownie went entirely too far. He was going to make it impossible for Liv to not tell John the truth.
“Maybe it was Rory,” Liv supplied. “You know how he likes to do things for you.”
John nodded. “Yeah, maybe, but I don’t know when, since he was working at the Sunshine Nursing Home last night.”
“He was what?” Liv asked.
John’s lips pressed together. “Well, you shouldn’t say anything. He looked a little mortified when I found him there. I’d gone over to drop off a coffee pot that I had repaired for Mr. Jeremiah Grimes. I didn’t think that Rory would have to pick up extra work. Thought he was doing all right, but it just goes to show that the cost of living here in LA has everyone working doubly hard.”
Liv narrowed her eyes, considering this. “Working, you say? Are you sure he wasn’t volunteering?”
John scratched his mostly bald head. “Now, why would he do that? Nah, I’m sure he was working. And you should have seen him with the old folks.” A chuckle fell from John’s mouth. “As gentle as a—”
“Don’t you even dare,” Liv said, cutting him off.
“Well, you get the idea. And I know he isn’t a giant. It’s just genes, and whatever his mother ate when she was pregnant with him.”
“Kittens,” Liv stated.
“Say what?” John asked, leaning forward like he hadn’t heard her properly.
“His mother ate kittens.”
This made Pickles break into a sudden flurry of barking as if he had taken offense to the joke.
John waved her off. “Oh, you’re too silly.”
His eyes suddenly turned serious. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you had a brother?”
Liv deflated. She should have seen this conversation coming. Plato cracked an eye open and peered at her for a moment before shutting it again.
“You remember when we first met?” Liv asked John.
He nodded and froze. “Yeah, you’d just lost…”
“My parents had died,” she said, picking up where he’d left off. “It was a dark time for me.”
“I figured you were all alone.” John picked up Pickles and petted him fondly before looking at Liv again. “You never mentioned a brother, and I just assumed you didn’t have any other family.”
John had never pried, and Liv had respected that about him. It was one of the many reasons it was easy to keep working at the repair shop. Back then, she hadn’t thought she could answer questions.
“I also have a little sister,” Liv offered.
“You don’t say?” John’s face brightened. “I learn something new every day. Will I get the pleasure of meeting her?”
Liv shook her head. “Not anytime soon. She’s in a boarding school of sorts.”
“Of sorts?” John questioned.
“Well, just a boarding school, but it’s one of those weird ones where they have rigid curriculums and the teachers use fancy words, and she can’t really leave except on holidays,” Liv explained.
A sour expression crossed John’s face. “Oh, I know the type. How is a child supposed to breathe and be creative in a place like that?”
Liv smiled inwardly. “Sophia manages.”
“I do believe I’ve learned more about you in the last week than I have in a long time,” John stated.
“Yeah, well, I’m trying. I can’t always be a closed book.”
“You be what you want to be, and the rest of us will accept that,” John said, suddenly stern. “It isn’t good for you to live your life on everyone else’s terms. And hell, no one can be happy living like that.”
And there it was. This was exactly why Liv adored the man.
John set Pickles down and strode over to the cash register, looking it over like he had lost something. “Whatever happened to this place, I can’t find a darn thing.” He chuckled, opening the register and pushing notes around, craning to look in the back of the drawer.
“What are you looking for?” Liv asked.
“I just remembered that some fella came by looking for you last night,” John said, continuing to shuffle things around. “Real good-looking guy, but I forget what his name was.”
“What? Are you sure he was looking for me?”
John laughed. “Yeah, there is only one Liv Beaufont here. I guess he’d tried you at your other job, but he said he didn’t know exactly where that was. He asked me about it, but I told him it was none of my business, nor his.”
John’s face brightened as he pulled a piece of paper out of the register. “Here it is! I promise I didn’t read it.”
Liv reached over and grabbed the note a bit more urgently than she meant to. She nearly tore it in two opening it. There was only one line:
Your agreement to have a drink with me is binding. – Rudolf
Liv reread it five times, swearing that her ability to read had failed her and she was misunderstanding the message. Plato had gotten up from his nap and perched on the table close enough that he could read the message. She’d love to know what he thought it meant, but she didn’t dare glance at him with John staring at her.
“Ummm… This guy, Rudolf—he came into the shop yesterday?” Liv asked, trying to act casual.
“Oh, yes,” John stated. “Does he work with your brother in the acting troupe? He was wearing the most peculiar costume—this red getup. I think it was crushed velvet. Haven’t seen anything like that since the eighties. I hope it’s not making a comeback.”
“Sure, yeah, Rudolf is an actor too,” Liv said, grateful to have John supply an excuse. “Besides the costume, did he look weird?”
John thought for a moment. “Well, he was the most handsome man I’ve seen in a while, but if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll deny it flatly.”
So he’d glamoured his wings and ears. Good, Liv thought.
“Rudolf isn’t all that handsome once you have a conversation with him,” Liv said.
“Well, still, if you need to go see him or your brother or do whatever, I can watch the shop for the rest of the day.” John looked around. “Actually, thanks to that magical force that cleaned the place up last night, I don’t have a thing to do.”
Liv’s eyes widened at the mention of magic. She was about to say something when she noticed the words scrolling across the back of the register. Usually, after a transaction, they read, Thank You for Your Business. Have a Great Day.
However, presently they read, Liv Beaufont’s presence is requested on Roya Lane. Canister Seen.
“You know what, I think I will take you up on your offer,” Liv said in a rush, grabbing her ba
g and slinging it across her back. She was out the door before John could say another word.
Chapter Seventeen
“What does he mean by binding agreement?” Liv asked as she hurried in and threw her bag down in her still-messy apartment. She could really have used some help from a brownie, but she guessed if she took an extra minute, she could clean the whole place using magic.
Plato poked his head out of her bag, which he’d stowed away in just prior to her leaving John’s shop. “Did you make an agreement with the fae?”
Liv thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. He just insulted me several times, and I made idle threats.”
“It could be as simple as a question,” Plato explained. “Fae take their agreements very seriously, and will hold you to them.”
“Or what?” Liv asked, her heart pounding in her chest. She needed to go see Mortimer, but it would be helpful if she knew what mess she’d gotten herself into with Rudolf.
“Or you have to pay their price, which is usually high and considered extremely unfair.” Plato licked his paw, not appearing at all ruffled by Liv’s plight.
“But I don’t remember agreeing to anything,” she explained, her voice turning shrill.
“That’s the thing,” Plato said. “If you would have asked me, I would have warned you to stay away from the fae. They are incredibly deceptive creatures. One minute you’re having a casual conversation, and the next you’ve promised them your first-born without realizing it.”
“Well, where were you when Rudolf offered his help and conned me into a conversation with him?”
“I was nearby, and I remember the whole thing rather clearly.”
“Then tell me what I agreed to,” Liv urged.
Plato ran his wet paw over his head. “I don’t recall that part, to be honest. Just shows that it must have been expertly worded.”
Liv sighed. “Great. Now I’m in a binding agreement with a fae, and John is growing more suspicious about what’s going on around the shop. How am I supposed to keep him in the dark with fae showing up at my work and my magician brother stopping by the shop? Oh, and Rory pretending he’s just a very large man?”