head was throbbing and I was trying to push down an ugly case of road rage. I’d nearly been hit by a bus when it slid into my lane while trying to stop for a light. Taking a deep breath, I sipped my coffee and waited until I was calm before stepping out into the bitter cold that failed to be alleviated by the bright sunlight reflecting off the piles of snow.
Burrowing down into my heavy wool coat, I walked briskly to the site of the burned-out Diamond Doll strip club. I paused in front of it, frowning at its blackened walls and boarded-up front door. The Towers did this. Fourteen people had died that day and several dozen had been injured in their attempts to escape. Most of the buildings on the block were boarded up, while others were simply vacant, the previous owners having left in search of somewhere safer to live. The gods only knew where that was.
With a shake of my head, I continued past the strip club and turned down an alley beside it. Taking a quick look over my shoulder to make sure no one noticed me, I entered through what looked like another boarded-up door; but the boards were only there for show. Chang still had a business to run regardless of the chaos the Towers created. This was probably a better cover for him than the strip club.
I walked quickly across the fire-scorched concrete floor past broken chairs and shattered glasses. The bar was almost completely gone and I smiled wistfully at it. I missed seeing Jerry Caskey, the owner of Diamond Dolls. We’d talked on a number of occasions as I waited for my turn to talk to Chang. I’d even gotten into the habit of picking up a coffee for him at a nearby cafe before coming in. A mocha-coconut coffee with nonfat milk, whipped cream, and toasted coconut flakes. I felt like an ass ordering it most of the time, but it made Jerry smile.
But the Towers had ruined that, like they had ruined so many other things in this world.
Cutting through the main room of the club, I entered a narrow hallway that had led to the washrooms. I put my shoulder into one of the blackened doors and it opened slowly without a sound. This room was untouched by the fire. The floor, ceiling, and walls of the small room were all completely done in a bright white. There was no smell of burned wood and as I walked across the floor, I left behind no sooty tracks on the perfect floor.
This was the first time I’d visited Chang since the attack on Low Town, but I knew that he would still be here. His place would be untouched by the Towers. The man had survived too long, acquired too many things, and knew too much to ever be caught by a warlock or a witch.
But his dogs were missing. Named Patty and Cake, the two Doberman pinschers were the most frightening dogs I had ever seen, and I didn’t even know if they were real. There was so much magic circling the old man that I was never quite sure what was an illusion. When it came to the dogs, I wasn’t willing to take a chance on their teeth.
Pushing the call button for the elevator, I was a little surprised when the door immediately slid open. Still no dogs waiting for me. I stepped into the elevator and hesitated. One of the dogs always pushed the button, knowing exactly where to find its master at any moment. Of the four floors besides the ground floor, I usually met Chang on the third floor of the subbasement, but the last trip had taken me to the first floor, which housed a giant underground Garden of Eden. With a growl of frustration, I pushed the button for the third floor, hoping to find the old man in his usual spot.
When the doors opened again, a familiar but unhappy sight was waiting for me. I found the dogs. They stood just beyond the open doors, their teeth bared as they growled. I stepped back until I hit the far wall of the elevator, my open hands raised before me. Every muscle in their lean bodies was tensed, waiting for a command from their owner to tear my throat out.
“Whoa!” I shouted, already mentally pulling together a defensive spell. “What the hell, Chang? I need to talk to you.”
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