Justice Unhatched (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 5)

by Sarah Noffke

  “You think?” Sophia fired.

  “Well, it isn’t horrible news,” Liv corrected. “It’s a challenge and I have solutions, but I fear those might sound like more bad news to you.”

  Sophia pushed her food away. “You’re really making me feel better,” she said, sarcasm dripping in her tone. “Usually people say things like, I have good and bad news. You could try that approach next time.”

  Liv nodded and wiped her mouth. “Great idea. I have some bad news and some good news. Followed by some more bad news. What would you like first?”

  “Bad news,” Sophia remarked.

  “Well, the first set of bad news is that Alicia needs money to fix up the LiDAR equipment,” Liv explained. “She didn’t know how to tell you and didn’t want to disappoint you.”

  Sophia lightened. “Oh, is that all? We need money. That makes sense. I mean, I know she had gotten the equipment but—”

  “She needs a lot more,” Liv told Sophia. “She can get it on her own, but she will need the funds to do it.”

  Sophia, feeling much better, dug into her nachos. “The Dragon Elite have money. This is a non-issue.”

  The look on Liv’s face told her it was still a major issue. “I don’t think the Dragon Elite will have nearly enough.”

  “Okay,” Sophia said. “Well, the House of Fourteen has pretty deep pockets. Maybe they can loan it to us. I don’t know, give it to us for having to hide in the Gullington for many centuries thanks to one of their own making it so mortals could not see magic.”

  Liv laughed. “I like the way you think. Retribution for what the Sinclairs did to the magical world. Don’t give the gnomes any ideas or they will sue us, too. However, I don’t think the House of Fourteen can loan the money.”

  “Oh, really.” Sophia was disappointed. “Why?”

  “Because they don’t have it,” Liv informed her. “Well, honestly, they don’t have this much.”

  “How much does Alicia need?” Sophia asked, bracing herself.

  All humor left Liv’s face. “Twenty million dollars.”

  Chapter Eighty-Nine

  “What?” Sophia exclaimed, earning the attention of the other patrons in the restaurant.

  She pushed away her nachos, having lost her appetite. “How can she need that much? I gave her most of everything she needs.”

  “I don’t know entirely,” Liv professed. “It’s complicated tech stuff to do with magitech software and nuts and bolts. She explained it to me, but honestly, I tuned her out after a minute or two. She is just so pretty to look at it distracts me.”

  “Twenty million dollars,” Sophia said, looking off. “Yeah, the Dragon Elite doesn’t have that. The House of Fourteen probably doesn’t either, and if they did, they wouldn’t loan it to us. I’m not sure where to get it, but we need to get that LiDAR. We need it to recover the dragon eggs.”

  “But that’s all based on a hunch,” Liv argued. “Are you sure they’re buried in the ground?”

  Sophia didn’t answer, only gave her sister an angry stare.

  Liv held up her hands in surrender. “I believe you. I trust my hunches all the time. I just had to check before I gave you the good news.”

  “Now you’re talking.” Sophia rubbed her hands together. “Tell me something good.”

  “I know someone who will give you the money,” Liv declared triumphantly and took a bite dripping with cheese.

  “That’s great news! Who is it?”

  The smile faded from Liv’s face. “Remember I said I had bad news, good news, and more bad news.”

  “Oh, right.” Sophia deflated a bit. “Okay, I’m ready.”

  “The person who I believe will give you the money is…King Rudolf Sweetwater.”

  Chapter Ninety

  Having to ask King Rudolf for twenty million dollars wasn’t bad news. It was horrible news. After Liv had told her, Sophia then lectured her on the use of proper adjectives.

  Liv listened dutifully, realizing her sister was freaking out. When Sophia had vented sufficiently, the Warrior for the House of Fourteen cautioned her on several things.

  “Any and all agreements with a fae are binding,” Liv explained, having finished off her entire platter of nachos, much to the waitress’s surprise. She then asked for a dessert menu. The waitress seemed insulted by the gluttonous behavior. “I don’t guess she would like to hear I can’t really gain weight since I’m a magician and my fat fuels my powers,” she had related when the waitress stomped away.

  “So, I just have him give me the money and don’t agree to anything,” Sophia asked, not having done as good a job with her own pile of nachos.

  Liv shook her head. “No, he will say something like, you can pay me back later, or I’ll do you this favor. You have to shut that shit down. Otherwise, later will come and that sneaky fae will demand a hundred years of servitude.”

  Sophia gawked. “He can’t do that. I work for the Dragon Elite.”

  “Their agreements supersede all else. Believe me, I have been down this road with that airhead fae before. Remember, I risked my life to save his equally dumb wife. Why do you think I did that?”

  “Because you unknowingly agreed to something, and later he held you to fine print you didn’t know was there,” Sophia guessed.

  Liv fired a finger gun at her. “Bingo. Again, I’ve taught you well.”

  “So, what do I do?” Sophia questioned as the waitress brought the dessert menu.

  Liv pushed it away, not looking at it. “We will take one of everything.”

  The waitress, not appearing impressed, pivoted sharply and marched back toward the kitchen. “Should I also tell the mortal I age slower than her and will live much, much longer?”

  “Why are you such a pain in her ass?” Sophia wasn’t used to seeing her sister being rude to anyone who didn’t deserve it.

  “I’m working,” she answered. “As well as overindulging with my little sister.” She leaned forward. “You see, the waitress is married to the guy who runs the shady craft store.”

  “Wait, he’s married to a mortal?” Sophia asked.

  “Yes, and he uses her to test the spells he puts on the shop,” Liv explained. “I’m getting the range of her emotions so I can figure out how he does it and shut the operation down.”

  “She is his barometer for the spells.” Sophia put it all together.

  “Exactly,” Liv affirmed. “If I can push her to an edge, I can figure out a way to break his spells. Then I shut him down, cart him away, and fine the hell out of his wife.”

  “If they’re scamming so many people, why does she have to wait tables?” Sophia asked.

  “You’re about to find out,” Liv told her as the waitress returned, carrying several plates. She laid a large slab of chocolate cake down in front of Liv, followed by a slice of apple crumble, a thick piece of cheesecake, and a bowl of chocolate mousse.

  “Thanks,” Liv said, looking at the waitress. “Hey, we’re not from around here.”

  “No kidding,” the waitress remarked.

  “Yeah, I know, shocking.” Liv stuck her finger in the mousse and licked it off. “Any suggestions on things to do?”

  “Yeah, there’s a craft store down the road a bit.” The waitress's demeanor changed entirely. “You should stroll down that way and check it out.”

  Liv nodded and smiled at her sister. “Thanks. I’ll definitely stop by there.”

  When the waitress left, Sophia gave her sister an impressed look. “So that’s why she works here. She sends unknowing tourists down to her husband’s shop. She also has a crush on the cook, but I just know that because I’ve got mad investigation skills.”

  “People are so complicated and convoluted,” Sophia related.

  “Except for King Rudolf,” Liv stated. “Let me tell you how you’re going to deal with that clown.”

  Chapter Ninety-One

  The lights and energy of Las Vegas were again a stark contrast to Sophia’s last location. She alr
eady missed the quiet and quaintness of Whitefish, Montana.

  Las Vegas had never been appealing to Sophia. It was one reason she enjoyed the Gullington so much. In the quiet of the Expanse, she could hear her thoughts and feel at peace with Mother Nature, both literally and figuratively.

  If she wanted the funds, they desperately needed to move the LiDAR project along, then she would have to stomach Las Vegas since it was where the fae palace was located. She brought her chin up to look at the Cosmopolitan that stretched up to the sky before her. It was the location of King Rudolf’s throne. Although Sophia had told Liv she had run into him on Roya Lane and didn’t think he was currently home, her sister assured her he was back, having to attend to fae affairs. She then advised Sophia on how to go about getting the money so she didn’t get stuck in some crazy binding agreement where she owed part of her life to Rudolf.

  The smoke hit Sophia in the face when she entered the casino and made her way to the entrance to the King’s chambers.

  “Do you have identification?” a fae guard asked when she tried to speed by him.

  She patted her sword and smiled.

  “That isn’t going to work,” the guard said. “We stopped using weapons as identification when there was a series of accidents from us sitting on our swords. King Rudolf says we’re not allowed to carry them anymore, so I’m going to need an actual ID.”

  Sophia rolled her eyes. The sword as an ID had been a joke, but she was reminded never to underestimate the stupidity of the fae. “Actually, King Rudolf is a friend of mine. I’m Sophia Beaufont, a rider for the Dragon Elite.”

  The guard was incredibly attractive but apparently had cotton balls for brains grinned. “Cool. I’m a driver for Uber in my spare time. Maybe I can give you a lift some time.”

  “No, riders…” Sophia shook her head. “Can you just tell the king I’m here? I need to speak with him right away.”

  He nodded, walking down the hallway and poking his head in through a doorway. “There’s a girl here who says she is with the Monster Elite or something, I don’t remember entirely. She has a sword and blood on her shirt. Should I let her in?”

  Sophia jerked her head down to look at her top. She was in fact wearing salsa from the nachos.

  “Sounds good to me,” she heard Rudolf call. “What could be the harm.”

  The guard turned, waving Sophia over. “He said yes.”

  “I heard,” Sophia replied with a grateful smile, although she wanted to slap the guy in the head for being so dumb. She worried about anyone who rode in his Uber. He should not be allowed to cross the street by himself, let alone drive a motor vehicle.

  “Oh, it’s Sophia!” Rudolf cheered when she entered. The king of the fae was sitting on a blanket on the floor, the three Captains all wiggling around him, apparently enjoying some tummy time.

  The room where they were hanging out had probably been a grand chamber for kings and queens of the fae to preside over courtly matters at one time. It was lined with large columns, and huge chandeliers hung overhead. There was a stunning view of the Bellagio fountains and the Las Vegas strip from the top of the Cosmopolitan. Under its current king, the large chamber was full of baby accessories and toys, making it look more like a nursery than a king’s quarters.

  “May I suggest that in the future,” Sophia began, “when the guard informs you there’s someone with a sword and blood on their clothing coming to see you, you maybe not welcome them in while your children are lying on the floor.”

  Rudolf shrugged. “Where is the fun in that? I figured it was probably Liv, but I like you nearly as much, although you’re shorter and have that weird dog always following you around.”

  “That’s my dragon, Lunis,” she corrected.

  He tilted his head to the side. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive,” she affirmed.

  “Oh, well, you’re just in time,” Rudolf stated. “The Captains and I are playing hide and seek. It’s my turn to be it.”

  “Oh no,” Sophia sang, drawing out the two words.

  “Yeah, it’s fun, but they’re not very good at it,” he informed her. “But practice makes perfect.” Rudolf covered his eyes and began to count to ten, which should have been fairly easy, but he reversed several numbers and skipped eight. When he got to ten, he yanked his hands off his eyes. “Ready or not, here I come.”

  His excited expression dropped when he realized the wiggling babies hadn’t moved. Captain Morgan had actually fallen asleep. Captain Silver was gnawing on her fist. And Captain Kirk had scooted a few inches.

  Rudolf shook his head. “Seriously, children. Do you need me to count longer?”

  “Yes, keep counting until they’re like five years old,” Sophia suggested.

  He shook his head. “I can’t count that high.”

  “This is so shocking that when I recount it to my friends, they will hardly believe me,” Sophia said, preparing herself for what she was about to do. “I didn’t come here to watch you play with the Captains. I actually need your help.”

  Rudolf popped up to a standing position, a wide grin on his face. “And I’ll of course help you. As your godfather, I promised I would always be there for you, my goddaughter.”

  Sophia shook her head. “Nope. You’re not my godfather.”

  He patted her shoulder. “I know that since we don’t look that much alike, it’s hard to believe. Anyway, I remember when you were born and—”

  “Again, no,” Sophia interrupted. “You were not there.”

  He cradled his arms, looking fondly down into them as though he was holding a baby. “You were the ugliest little thing, but I promised myself if you should ever need my help, I would be there for you.”

  Sophia sighed. “I appreciate the sentiment, but honestly, I plan to give you something in return.”

  He nodded. “Obviously, I already planned you would name your firstborn after me.”

  “Nope,” she said quickly on the heels of his statement.

  “Just think about it,” he encouraged.

  Sophia shook her head. “Thought about it. Not happening.”

  “Maybe we should drink,” he said, looking around as if expecting cocktails to arrive magically. “I think I have some milk and some…what is that clear stuff that tastes horrible?”

  “Water?” Sophia offered.

  He nodded. “I think I can get us something more adult.”

  “We’re in Las Vegas,” she said dryly.

  “What does that have to do with anything?” he asked as he went over to a bar at the back of the room.

  “Oh, for the love of the angels.” Sophia followed him and wondered if she really needed the money that badly. She decided she probably did and swallowed her pride while bolstering her patience.

  Rudolf glanced at the babies on the floor as he made them two cocktails at the bar. The children seemed fine, wiggling around, drooling, or sleeping.

  “Where is Serena?” Sophia asked.

  “Oh, she is sleeping,” he answered.

  Sophia narrowed her eyes. “It’s the middle of the day.”

  “Yeah, but she was up working really hard for our family.”

  “Well, that’s something at least,” Sophia said, taking the drink he had made her only because she watched everything he had put in it. She did wait until he took a sip first before taking her own.

  “She is exhausted after gambling all night and really heartbroken about losing a ton of money,” Rudolf stated proudly.

  Sophia tilted her chin to the side. “How is that working for the family?”

  “Well, I own this casino.” He held an arm up. “She is helping to keep my business thriving.”

  “By spending your own money at your casino?” Sophia questioned.

  He nodded, not getting the point at all.

  She knocked back the drink and set the empty glass on the bar. “Anyway, I’ve come here because I need money. I can’t pay it back but—”

  “Say no more,” he
interrupted, holding out his hand. A checkbook appeared. “How much do you need?”

  Sophia held up her hand. “No, I want to do something in return for the money.”

  He pressed out his lips. “Yeah, okay. But first, tell me how much you need.”

  “Twenty million,” she answered. “Seriously, first I want to do something for the money.”

  Rudolf waved her off. “We will figure something out. How about you just write me an IOU.”

  She adamantly shook her head, remembering what Liv had told her. She had to pay the debt first so Rudolf could not come back later with a binding agreement, making her do something she didn’t want to do. “No, I can’t take the money unless I earn it.”

  He frowned. “Really? But it’s only twenty million. It isn’t like I’ll even notice that chunk of change missing.”

  King Rudolf was such an extraordinarily strange individual. Sophia pushed her glass forward. “I’ll take another.”

  “I mean, twenty-million isn’t even close to Serena’s monthly gambling budget,” Rudolf continued, mixing up another round of drinks.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Sophia argued. “I want to do something for you first. Call it a code of the Dragon Elite.”

  He seemed to think for a moment, although Sophia sort of doubted much was going on in his very small brain. “Can you teach the Captains how to play hide and seek?”

  Sophia glanced at the infants. “In a few years, but I need something I can do now. Something I can actually do that completes things. That way, we’re even.”

  There was the word Liv stressed — even. He had to agree they were even before he gave her the money. Then after, she wouldn’t owe him anything.

  “Let’s see, something you can do for me.” Rudolf handed her a drink. “Well, I need something to test a theory I have about how sewer water can be recycled back into drinking water.”

  “Nope,” she disagreed at once. “Next idea.”

  “Hm…Oh, well, I need someone to break up Liv and Stefan so she can spend more of her free time with me.”