Outfox_Spellslingers Academy of Magic

by Annabel Chase

  Meth was silent for a moment. “Let me understand this. Are you coming to my penthouse and accusing me of something?”

  “No, no,” Peter said, waving his arms. “We just want to make sure we haven’t insulted you unwittingly in some way. We know you have a business relationship with Mandy….”

  “Many of us have a business relationship with Mandy,” Meth said. “I don’t hire anyone exclusively.” He flashed a toothy smile over his shoulder. “Except Gavin. I hire you exclusively, don’t I, Gavin?”

  “Yes, master. I work exclusively for you.” Gavin perched on a chair near the window and opened a book to read.

  Meth polished off his drink and tossed the empty glass over his shoulder to Gavin. I watched in amazement as Gavin reached out and caught it with one had while continuing to hold his book with the other hand. Peter seemed equally dazzled.

  “Where can I find a Gavin?” Peter asked dreamily.

  “Hands off,” Meth said. “He belongs to me.” He leaned forward. “Now, tell me more about this sword you’re supposed to stop searching for.” He paused. “Are you actually searching for a sword?”

  Meth was not our guy. This much was evident—but maybe he knew something useful. Ancient vampires could often be a font of knowledge.

  “We are,” I said. “Half a sword was stolen from a member of my family. I’ve been trying to track it down.”

  “Half a sword, you say?” Meth rubbed his chin. “Who needs half a sword? Is it at least the pointy end? I don’t care much for swords personally. Don’t need to carry a blade when I have a set of my own.” He tapped his fangs.

  “It’s an ancient sword,” I said. “My family has had the top half in its possession for many years. There’s a second half hidden elsewhere. They were separated in the time of the gods.”

  “And I suppose when the sword is reforged, it means power and glory to the one who possesses it. Does that sound about right?” Meth asked.

  “You’ve summed it up nicely,” Peter said, draining his glass dry.

  Meth smiled. “I do like to be succinct.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t I, Gavin?”

  “Very succinct, master,” Gavin replied, without looking up from his book. I half expected someone to materialize out of nowhere and feed him grapes.

  “We don’t want power and glory,” I said. “We only want our half of the sword back.”

  “I would think it would be important to keep the sword out of the wrong hands,” Meth said. “Any idea where the pointy half is?”

  “No,” Peter said. “We’ve been focused on tracking the stolen half.”

  Meth frowned as a thought seemed to occur to him. “Gavin, what was the name of that sword that Janelle was talking about recently? Remember Janelle from the party at Petro’s? Long legs. Rainbow hair.”

  “How could I forget her, master?” Gavin replied. “I believe the sword was called Slatra.”

  “That’s it,” I said excitedly. “What did she say about it?”

  Meth closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to remember. “She met someone in Valhalla Casino who told her about it. He was very drunk and didn’t want to pay Janelle after their…fun was over.”

  “Any idea where we can find Janelle?” Peter asked. He quickly cleared his throat. “For professional reasons, of course.”

  “She works for Lady G,” Meth said.

  “Perfect,” I replied. “We’re going to see her tomorrow.”

  Meth rolled his eyes. “Ugh. Good luck suffering through that conversation. The woman is an attack on taste and elegance.”

  “Thank you for speaking with us,” I said. “You’ve been incredibly gracious.”

  “I have, haven’t I?” Meth cocked his head and regarded me. “If you ever change your mind about this bumpkin, give me a shout. I’m very wealthy.”

  I choked back a laugh. “And very kind, too.”

  “Would you like to hear a song before you go?” Meth asked. “I’m in the mood for Suspicious Minds.”

  I forced a smile. “I don’t know what that is, but I’d love to.”

  Meth’s fangs glimmered in the dim light. “Of course you would. Everyone’s an Elvis fan. They just don’t know it yet.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Lady G’s Spot was nestled between two larger shops on a busy side street. Even if I hadn’t known the address, I would’ve been able to identify it based on the sheer volume of pink items in the window display. Oh, and the mostly naked mannequins, of course.

  “What are those things on her chest?” I asked, pointing to the mannequin. They looked like metal clips.

  “You don’t want to know,” Peter said, steering me into the shop.

  A young woman stood behind the counter, chewing her gum at a rapid pace. “Hi, there. Welcome to Lady G’s. What can I interest you in today?” She gave Peter the once-over. “I see a whip in your hand.”

  Peter swallowed hard. “Not today, thanks. We’d like to see Lady G. Is she available?”

  The young woman jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “In her office. Do you have an appointment?”

  “I’m afraid not,” I said. “We spoke with Meth last night and he said Lady G was very accommodating with visitors he sends her way.”

  The young woman’s eyes popped at the mention of Meth. “Yes, of course she is. I’ll let her know she has special visitors.” She picked up a phone. “Your names?”

  “Peter and Danielle,” I said. “The reason for our visit is confidential, I’m afraid.”

  The young woman’s head bobbed up and down. I suspected she might have accidentally swallowed her gum because she stopped chewing. She quickly relayed our information to someone on the end of the line. “Go on back. She’s waiting for you.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  We threaded our way through the graphic displays and kinky lingerie. A few scantily clad women breezed past us.

  “They look like they just got out of bed,” I whispered.

  “They probably did,” Peter said. “A client’s bed.”

  I shot him a quizzical look.

  “Lady G is a madam,” Peter whispered.

  “As in…?” I looked around the room. “Oh.”

  We parted a set of pink curtains and stepped into the madam’s office.

  “Welcome to my spot,” Lady G said, crossing the room to greet us. She wore a bright pink suit with a large bow at the collar. Even her light brown hair was dyed pink at the tips. “Peter and Danielle, right? I understand Meth suggested you pay me a visit.” Her tight smile revealed that his dislike of her was mutual.

  “Yes, it seems you have a friend in common,” Peter said vaguely. A couple of women in transparent red nighties and stiletto heels emerged from an adjacent room, their fairy wings flapping in sync.

  Lady G didn’t bat an eye as they passed through to the other room. Watching Peter try to keep his gaze firmly fixed on Lady G while a trio of succubi brushed past him in pasties and G-strings was the highlight of our trip.

  “And which friend is that?” Lady G asked. “Please, sit down.”

  Peter and I squeezed together on a red and pink settee shaped like a heart as Lady G returned to her desk.

  “A banshee named Mandy,” I said, and paused to gauge her reaction. She didn’t flinch.

  “I have many girls on my payroll,” Lady G said. “Remind me which one is Mandy.”

  “She’s not…She isn’t that kind of girl,” I said.

  “She’s a banshee,” Peter interjected. “Medium height. Sword strapped to her back and a piercing scream. Hard to miss her.”

  Lady G’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Oh, you mean O’Reilly.”

  “Sure,” Peter said. “We didn’t really stop for introductions on account of her trying to kill us right in the middle of the fountains at the Bellagio.”

  Lady G gasped. “Not during the show?”

  “Yes, ma’am, during the show,” Peter said. “To say I was upset is an understatement.”
>
  Lady G examined her fuchsia nails. “I can certainly understand the sentiment. It’s a fabulous display.”

  “So she wasn’t working for you?” I asked.

  Lady G launched a heavily plucked eyebrow. “For me? You think I hired an assassin to kill you during such a magical moment? How insulting.”

  The avalanche of pink didn’t mean she was a soft touch. It was pretty obvious that insulting her was a bad idea. “Not at all. Peter and I are just trying to get to the bottom of what happened. If we’ve offended someone or done something wrong, we want to apologize before it escalates further.”

  Maybe it was my innocent expression, but Lady G seemed to take my statement at face value. “A noble aspiration. And Meth has been ruled out, I take it, which is why you’re here now.”

  I nodded. “We didn’t think it was either one of you because, to our knowledge, we’ve had no dealings with you, but we felt it was important to clear the air.”

  “I appreciate your candor,” Lady G said. “I daresay it’s brave to walk into either one of our establishments and ask us point-blank if we intended to kill or maim you in some hideous fashion. Kudos.” She offered a polite clap. “I have no beef with you, and I don’t know why O’Reilly was after you.”

  The news was a relief, yet we still had no idea who hired Mandy. “If there are others that use Mandy…O’Reilly’s services,” I began, “it would be helpful to know.”

  “Her client list is not something I generally concern myself with,” Lady G said. “I would’ve only suggested Meth.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “We’ll keep digging.” Although I much preferred to leave Las Vegas as soon as possible in case another attempt on our lives was made. I didn’t want to die in Terrene.

  “There’s one more thing,” Peter said. “We understand a succubus called Janelle works for you?”

  “She’s an independent contractor, but yes,” Lady G replied.

  “It seems she may be able to shed some light on a situation for us,” Peter said. “If we could speak to her, that would be very much appreciated.”

  Lady G made a show of fanning herself. “A polite man is also very much appreciated. We don’t get too many of those around here.”

  “My mother raised me right,” Peter said, clearly attempting to milk the moment for all it was worth. Typical. “I owe her everything for giving me a solid upbringing. Wouldn’t be the man I am today.”

  I stifled a groan.

  Lady G pressed a buzzer under her desk and the young woman from behind the counter appeared in the doorway. She seemed to have replaced her gum because her jaw was working overtime again. “Yes, Lady G?”

  “Can you please ask Janelle to come to my office? I believe she’s with Harry over at the Lounge.”

  “Sure thing.” The young woman disappeared from view.

  “Tell me, Peter, you seem so bright and cheerful,” Lady G said. “What is this darkness I sense in you?”

  Peter shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “No darkness. Must be a computing error.”

  Lady G scrutinized him. “I don’t think so. Tell me about your parents.”

  Peter stretched his arms over his head. “Oh, no thanks. Before you know it, I’ll be laying down on the couch and crying about my childhood. I can’t go there.”

  “Please don’t make him go there,” I chimed in. “It takes him days to recover and I’m the one that has to pick up the pieces.”

  Lady G swiveled to face me. “Your magic is quite powerful. I sense that much.”

  “No darkness, though?” I queried. Always good to get another opinion.

  She pursed her lips, considering the question. “Not a darkness, but something…I can’t put my finger on it.” Her face lit up at someone behind us. “Ah, Janelle. Perfect. My new friends would like a word with you.”

  Janelle sauntered into the room and took a seat on the other side of Peter. Her rainbow-colored hair fell almost to her bottom and she wore makeup that accentuated her chiseled cheekbones. Thankfully, she was dressed in actual clothes, unlike the other girls. It was a form-fitting micro-mini dress, but still—clothes.

  “What’s up?” Janelle asked, craning her neck to look at us both.

  “We understand you were at Valhalla Casino recently,” I said.

  “I’m there all the time. So what?” Janelle snapped.

  Lady G gave her a withering look. “Janelle, as I said, these are my new friends. Please answer their questions with respect.”

  Janelle bowed her head. “Yes, Lady G. I’m sorry.”

  “Apparently, you met someone there who told you about a powerful sword,” Peter said. “Can you tell us about him?”

  Janelle brightened. “Oh, yeah. That guy. He was a satyr from Moonlight Junction, or so he claimed anyway. It’s hard to know with some guys. They lie as easily as they breathe.”

  “A satyr here?” Peter queried. “That’s a risk.”

  “He was glamoured to look human,” Janelle said. “Nice legs, too. Whoever cast the spell did a good job. Sometimes the legs don’t match the rest of the body and it’s so awkward.”

  “Did he say anything specific about the sword?” I asked. “We’d like any details you can remember from the conversation.”

  “His name was Luke,” Janelle said. “He yammered on about this sword and how he was going to be rich and powerful soon when it was reforged.”

  “Did he mention a druid or a witch?” I asked.

  She scrunched her nose, thinking. “Not that I remember. He said he was working for someone, but he didn’t say anything specific about his employer.”

  “And why was he at the casino?” I asked.

  “To see the norns on behalf of his boss,” Janelle said.

  “And did he?” I asked.

  Janelle giggled. “No, the norns refused to see him. He was way too drunk to be allowed near them. Two of the Amazons used their spears to eject him from the casino.” She snorted. “His butt must’ve been really sore the next day.”

  “Did he say why he needed the norns?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “I wasn’t really interested in his reasons. I was more interested in his wallet. Of course, that didn’t pan out either.”

  Lady G clucked her tongue. “Those clients are simply the worst.”

  “Thank you for the information,” I said. “You’ve been incredibly helpful.”

  “No problem,” Janelle said.

  Peter slapped his hands on his thighs. “I guess we can go now,” he said.

  “Such a shame when we’re only getting to know each other,” Lady G said. “I’m sorry you missed the fountains. They’ll run again today if you have time to linger. Perhaps I can persuade you both to stay longer with an attractive offering.” She motioned to Janelle.

  I pressed my foot on top of Peter’s to dissuade him from responding. “No, thank you,” I said, as politely as I could. “But we appreciate the kind gesture.” I rose to my feet and was pleased to see Peter join me.

  Lady G sighed. “Very well. Lovely to meet you both. Safe travels and I hope you make it back home in one piece. No more run-ins with O’Reilly.”

  “And let me know if you change your mind about a companion,” Janelle said, eyeing Peter. “I’m totally available. And I do mean totally.”

  Peter’s mouth opened but no sound came out. I grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the door.

  “We’re leaving Las Vegas right now,” I said, as we exited through the shop.

  “What about Luke?” Peter asked.

  “He’s not here,” I said. “Twenty gold coins says he’s back in Moonlight Junction.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right,” he said.

  “Probably?”

  He pinched the back of my neck in an affectionate gesture. “Okay, you’re totally right. And I do mean totally.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Moonlight Junction was located on the west coast of the Western Quadrant, so we departed Las Vegas and headed to a diff
erent border than the one we used to arrive. The Order of the Edge guards weren’t as friendly as the ones near the academy, but they didn’t ask questions either. We stopped at the closest rental agency to the border, but all of their regular vehicles were in use. The only option they could offer was a pink scooter.

  “I’d rather walk,” I said.

  “What’s the problem, princess?” Peter asked. “Aren’t blush and bashful your signature colors?”

  “Not really,” I said.

  “If pink is good enough for the formidable Lady G, it’s good enough for you,” Peter said.

  “My concern is that we’re going to roll into Moonlight Junction and draw attention to ourselves. My guess is it’s not a pink scooter-type town.”

  “You’d be right about that,” the agent said from behind the counter. “It’s sort of out of the way. Not the same vibe as a lot of the coastal towns around here.”

  Terrific. “Is there anywhere else we can acquire a vehicle?” I asked.

  “Unfortunately not,” the agent said. “We do a good business because we’re the only one here. We usually have a few more vehicles, but they’re being serviced.”

  “Pink scooter it is,” Peter said, with a smack of the counter. “Could we also have a map? We don’t have a clue where Moonlight Junction is.”

  The agent slid a map across the counter and Peter tucked it in his pocket.

  “You seem awfully eager to ride around on this scooter,” I remarked.

  “I’m comfortable with my masculinity,” he said. “I could ride a pink scooter all day. In fact, maybe I’ll even buy one when we get home.”

  I snickered. “You don’t have anything to prove to me.”

  “I know.” He took the keys offered by the agent. “I’ll drive.” I twitched, a response that didn’t escape his notice. “You don’t want me to drive?”

  “It’s not that I don’t think you’re capable,” I said. “It’s just that I’m probably the better driver of the two of us.”

  His mouth dropped open. “That’s insulting.” He paused. “And yet very true.” He handed me the keys. “I’ll hold onto your waist. You don’t mind, do you?” He waved a dismissive hand. “Of course not. You didn’t mind the other night.”