Much Ado About Magic

by Shanna Swendson

  “Merlin thought you might use an illusion.”

  “I did, but somehow they still spotted me. They may be tracking my magic, so I’m just as recognizable with an illusion as I am as myself. I may have to resort to the hat and funny glasses kind of disguise. I definitely don’t want to lead them to the fire station.”

  “You need a safe place to stay. You can’t stay down here.”

  “I’m open to suggestions. I made a quick run by my place to pick up a few things before they caught up with me, so I’m set for at least a couple of days.”

  “Nita!” I said with a burst of inspiration.

  “What about Nita?”

  “She works at a hotel—she handles registration. I could probably get you a room there under another name—maybe say you’re a celebrity involved with a charity thing I’m doing at work. Nita would totally go for that. Since my friend works there, it wouldn’t look suspicious for me to go to the hotel. Could you do that teleport spell you did with me that time? Or does that only work to a familiar place?”

  “Anything familiar would work. I can travel to you if you’re there. But doing that would wipe me out magically for hours.”

  “You could probably use the rest, and if you vanish for a while, maybe that’ll throw off the bad guys. Meanwhile, I could find a hat and some funny glasses for you.”

  “Okay, sounds like a plan.” He released me and conjured up a small, glowing orb of light that hung in front of his shoulder, then bent to dig in the duffle bag at his feet. “We’d probably better use cash for the hotel because credit cards can be traced.” He stood with a wad of cash in his hand, which he then handed to me. “Two nights should do it, and that ought to be enough.”

  “This is a couple of thousand bucks,” I said, thumbing through the bills in the dim glow of the orb. “You keep that much cash lying around?”

  “My house is warded, so it’s safe, and you never know when you might need cash.”

  I split the wad, sticking some in my front pocket and the rest inside my bra. “I just hope I don’t get mugged between here and the hotel. Now, how will I let you know I’ve got the room? I’ve got your cell phone, but that can be traced, too.”

  He pulled a phone out of his pocket. “Pre-paid, and paid in cash,” he explained. “All the best spies and criminals use them.” He wrote the number on the back of a cash register receipt and handed it to me.

  “Wow, you’ve spent some time planning what you’d do if you ever became a fugitive.”

  “I had a lot of time to think over the weekend.”

  Before I could leave, he caught me in another hug. “Thanks, Katie. I should have listened to you and gone to the fire station sooner.”

  “They’d have probably arrested you the moment you left your house, whenever that was,” I said.

  “Or we might have this whole thing wrapped up by now.” He bent to give me one last kiss, then reluctantly released me. I didn’t let myself look back over my shoulder as I ran down the tunnel and then eased my way back onto the platform and then into the terminal. I noticed a number of men dressed all in black in the concourse, but at least two of them appeared to be Hasidim, not magical law enforcers. Unless maybe they were Hasidic magical law enforcers. I didn’t plan to stick this in the Council’s suggestion box, but their guys would be a lot less conspicuous if they wore something else. I supposed they were used to dealing with people they could fool magically.

  There was another man in black leaning against a nearby wall, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed him shove away from the wall and follow me once I’d gone a few feet past him. I ignored him, pretending I didn’t see him at all even though the space between my shoulder blades itched with the sense of being watched. I knew he was technically one of the good guys, but that didn’t make it any less creepy to be followed.

  I went up to the level where the shops were and spent some time browsing in the bookstore, just to pretend that I had a reason for being in the building. I bought a spy novel I thought Owen would like, then went down to the food court in the lower level and bought a slice of pizza that I ate at a nearby table while pretending to read the book.

  My follower was still with me when I left the terminal and headed up Lexington Avenue. I was so busy glancing at store windows to see if he was still there that I almost bumped into a tall, thin man wearing an overcoat and a hat that were both entirely inappropriate in the summer weather. I caught only the slightest glimpse of a face beneath the hat brim before the man whirled away from me, but I could have sworn there wasn’t a face there, just a skeleton. Either the Grim Reaper was on my case, or my old buddy Mr. Bones, one of Idris’s creepy creations, was also tailing me. Suddenly I felt better about having the magical law-and-order squad watching me. Mr. Bones wouldn’t dare do anything while the magic cops were around. Good or bad, I needed to lose all my followers before I went to the hotel.

  I walked uptown to the next subway station, then caught a train heading back downtown and got off at Grand Central, this time leaving through the front entrance instead of going through the main concourse. I didn’t notice Mr. Bones or the man in black behind me in the shop windows as I hurried uptown, but just to be safe, when I got to the hotel, I entered the hotel’s coffee shop through the street entrance, then joined a crowd leaving the shop to go into the hotel lobby.

  There wasn’t a line at registration, so I went straight up to Nita’s position. “Hey, this is a surprise!” she said. “What are you doing here? I’m going on break in half an hour, so we could go have coffee if you can hang around that long.”

  “Yeah, that’d be great, but first I need to ask you for a favor. Do you have any rooms available?”

  She grinned and winked. “Oh, you naughty girl. But I thought Owen had his own place.”

  “That’s not why I need it.” I launched into the celebrity charity story I’d developed while leading my followers on a merry chase.

  Nita was just as excited as I expected to hear about a mystery celebrity staying at her hotel. “Oh my gosh! Who is it? No, wait, you can’t tell me because it’s top secret. It’s Bono, isn’t it? No, don’t tell me.”

  “But can you get me a room?”

  She tapped at her keyboard. “Let’s see. I don’t have any of the super-fancy rooms available, but I do have a mini suite. What name do you want to put it under?”

  I couldn’t resist. “Yankee Doodle.”

  She typed some more. “Okay, I’ve got a mini suite under the name of Yankee Doodle.” She frowned and tilted her head. “If he’s ‘Yankee Doodle,’ then it’s probably not Bono, huh?” Her eyes went wide. “Oh my gosh! It’s Bruce Springsteen, isn’t it?”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “This is going to drive me crazy, you know that, right? How many nights do you need?”

  “Two to start with. I hope it doesn’t take longer than that.”

  “And how will you be paying?”

  “Cash—so it can stay top-secret, you know.” I pulled out the wad of bills Owen gave me, angling my body so it wasn’t visible throughout the lobby when I took the cash out of my bra.

  “Wow, this is really unusual,” she said as she took the money from me.

  “You won’t get in trouble, will you?”

  “Just as long as the bill is paid in full by checkout, the police don’t come looking for a list of registered guests, and your celebrity doesn’t trash the place, I should be fine. Now, do you have any special requests?”

  “Special requests?”

  “You know how celebrities are—stuff like white orchids, M and Ms—but only the green ones—bottled water at a particular temperature.”

  “No, that won’t be necessary. He’s not picky.”

  “Well, let us know if you need something.” She ran two plastic key cards through the machine, then stuck them in a folder and wrote the room number on it. “There you go. I hope Mr. Yankee Doodle enjoys his stay.”

  “I’m sure he will. Now, I’ll go snea
k Yankee Doodle in, and then I’ll be back down when your break starts for coffee.”

  “Tell him I’m a huge fan!”

  The mini suite was about the same size as the regular rooms in Nita’s family’s old roadside motel, but far plusher. There was a small living area with a sofa, television, and desk; a kitchenette with a mini fridge, coffeemaker, and microwave; a bedroom with a king-sized bed; and a decent-sized bathroom. The windows had a nice view of the midtown skyline, but I closed the drapes in case there was aerial surveillance.

  Then I got out the receipt with Owen’s new cell phone number and called him from the room’s phone. “I’ve got the room,” I said. “Sorry it took me awhile. I was being followed, so I had to lose them.”

  “Are you sure you lost them?”

  “Even if I didn’t, I’m about to have coffee with Nita, which gives me an excuse to be here.”

  “Okay, then, I’m on my way.” I was about to ask how long it would take when I heard a cracking sound, and there he was. He swayed, and I moved to steady him. He shook his head like he was trying to clear it, then said, “Oh boy, I’m out of practice.”

  “You’re tired and you’ve been under a lot of stress.” I helped him over to the sofa, where he collapsed bonelessly against the cushions and dropped his bag on the floor. “Now, is there anything else you need?” I asked.

  “A nap.”

  “What about food?”

  “If my stay here is top-secret, room service is probably out of the question.”

  “I’ll see if Nita can do something. By the way, she said she’s a big fan.”

  He looked confused. “What?”

  “I may have given her the impression that you were Bruce Springsteen. When I gave you the code name Yankee Doodle, she drew her own conclusions.”

  “You what? Are you going to tell everyone in the city about that?”

  “Oops, I’ve got to go. Go take a nap. Close the bedroom door, and I’ll have them deliver something to the living room.” I tossed him the book I’d bought. “And here’s something in case you get bored.”

  “We will discuss this further,” he warned as he dragged himself to his feet, picked up his bag, and headed for the bedroom. Then he turned back. “Oh, and would you mind looking after Loony?”

  “Already covered.”

  I got downstairs just as Nita was going on her break, and then we found seats by the window at the hotel’s coffee shop—in full view of a man wearing black who stood on the sidewalk outside. I may have overacted the “girlfriends getting together for gossip” role as we shared a giant slice of cake and had lattes, but Nita didn’t notice. That was the way she always acted.

  When I headed to the subway station to go home after arranging for a meal to be delivered to the “celebrity,” I recognized my follower. “Hi, Mack,” I said cheerfully when I heard him fall into step behind me. “How’s it going?”

  The footsteps behind me faltered, and then he came up alongside me. “How did you know?”

  “Remember, I’m immune to magic. Whatever you were doing to hide yourself, it didn’t work. Owen’s not a criminal, you know.”

  He sighed heavily. “I know. But I’ve got to go through the motions until my boss orders otherwise.”

  “Have you noticed the freaky skeleton thing following me?”

  He gave a startled flinch. “The what?”

  “That must be veiled from you. For what it’s worth, the bad guys are also following me. I feel so popular.”

  “Shout if you feel like they’re a threat, and I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thanks, Mack.”

  He faded back into the background behind me and stayed there until I made it home. My entourage complicated matters. There wasn’t a lot I could do while everyone was watching me, and while I was being watched, it was dangerous for me to go near Owen. How would we ever get Owen to that fire station to find the mysterious envelope that could be our only clue to resolving this situation?

  *

  The next morning, I figured my best strategy was to act like this was a relatively normal day and go to work. With any luck, that would bore my followers into complacency. I left early to stop by Owen’s place and feed Loony before I headed to the office. The protesters hadn’t come back after James and Gloria’s scolding—or perhaps Owen’s arrest—so that was one less hassle to deal with. While I was in his home, I looked around for anything that Owen might need me to bring him. It would have to be small enough for me to smuggle, or else it would be too obvious that I was bringing something out of the house. Owen’s moving spell would come in pretty handy, I thought. All we’d have to do was set it up, and then Owen could zap anything to where he was.

  Then I gasped as an idea hit me that was so good it made me dizzy and made my ears tingle. I had to lean against the kitchen counter for a moment until I felt a little steadier. “That’s it, Loony!” I said. “I know how to get the envelope.” The cat flicked her tail, but otherwise didn’t let her excitement over my brainstorm get in the way of enjoying her breakfast.

  The question was, where did Owen keep the supplies for the spell? I went into the living room and searched around the desk. I wasn’t sure whether Owen’s recent cleaning spree was a blessing or a curse. There was less clutter to sort through, but that also meant he might have put away the supplies instead of just leaving them in his satchel.

  Where was the satchel? I tried the hall closet and found it hanging on a hook on the inside of the door. “Jackpot!” I said when I discovered the vials of powder and the spell booklet. The recent upsetting events may have led Owen to the unprecedented action of putting away his books and papers, but he hadn’t emptied his satchel before putting it away. I selected one of the powders and put that vial and the booklet in my purse.

  Now I needed to think of a way to get that powder on the envelope. I was so eager that I wanted to go straight to the fire station, but I knew that would alert my followers. Instead, I headed to the office with representatives from both sides in tow.

  As I approached Sam’s awning after weaving through the usual mob of protesters outside the office building, he said, “Looks like you’ve picked up an entourage.”

  “You can see them?”

  “It’s hard to hide completely from someone who knows to look for you.”

  “That’s good to know. I’ll need to chat with you about that inside in a little while.”

  “Got it, doll. I’ll find you in a bit.”

  I went to my office first, as though it was any other working day. Perdita was doing her nails when I entered, and she immediately sat up and dropped her nail file. “Wow, you’re here!” she said. “I heard about yesterday. That must have been exciting.”

  “It was more scary than anything.”

  “But I heard the boss accused Owen.”

  “Not everything is as it seems.”

  She winked. “Okay, gotcha.” Then she leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. “You know, it’s kind of sexy having a boyfriend who’s a fugitive.”

  “More like nerveracking.”

  “Do you think he’ll be able to clear his name?”

  “There’s nothing to clear. He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Well, other than escape from custody, but there were extenuating circumstances. “Do people really think he’s, well…”

  “Evil?”

  “Yeah. That.”

  She tilted her head to the side and frowned as she considered. “Not evil, really. But I think a lot of people who don’t know him might be worried that he could become evil, like he won’t be able to help himself.”

  “So his chances of ever having a normal life among magical people are pretty slim, huh?”

  “People will have to see that they can trust him. And his big prison break isn’t helping. I am trying to tell everyone I know that he’s a good guy.”

  “Thanks, Perdita.”

  “Is there anything else I can do to help?”

  I looked at her, with her
long, shapely legs and perfect ringlets, and remembered her talent for disaster. “Maybe,” I said thoughtfully. “Let me get back to you on that, okay?”

  My e-mail had piled up to the point it was tempting to just delete the whole in-box and start over again, but I figured anything other than defeating Ramsay would fall into the low-priority category, so I skimmed the headings, checked my voice mail, then went up to Merlin’s office. “I hope you don’t have anything to report to me on Mr. Palmer’s whereabouts,” he said as soon as I set foot in his office. I paused, shaking my head, and he added with a wink, “Since I am a member of the Council—Rudolph seems to have forgotten that additional agenda item in the confusion—I would have to report the location of a dangerous fugitive.”

  “Of course,” I said. “You probably don’t even want to know that he’s safe and okay, for the moment.”

  “No, I certainly would not want to know that. However, I might have some interest in the status of your assignment.”

  “The status hasn’t changed and has been complicated by recent events, but I have some ideas and should have progress to report soon.”

  Jake and another guy in a lab coat then ran in, shouting, “We did it! We did it!”

  “That’s very nice to hear,” Merlin said. “But what did you do?”

  “We’ve cracked the spell behind those charms and amulets. We can negate it entirely. Want us to do it?” Jake said, panting in his eagerness.

  Merlin thoughtfully stroked his beard. “No, I think it would be best to wait for a truly opportune moment. We’d like them to think they’ve got control, or else they might come up with something new. But good work, lads.”

  That bit of news was encouraging. It felt like things were coming together for us. I headed back to my office, where I found Sam chatting with Perdita. “So, whaddaya need, doll?” he asked.

  “I need to lose my followers a couple of times—not enough that they’d know they’d really been lost, but enough for me to slip away for a while.”

  The three of us hashed out a plan, and then when lunchtime rolled around, my new accomplice Perdita and I headed out for a Chinatown shopping trip. We tried on hats and sunglasses, and I bought some things I thought might work as disguises. Then Perdita’s natural clumsiness kicked in, and she lost her balance, tripping and falling against a sidewalk display rack, knocking it over—right in the path of both Mr. Bones and Mack. The shopkeeper came out, yelling in Chinese, while Perdita stammered apologies and set about helping put everything back in place. In the commotion, I darted around the corner.