the kitchen to retrieve a huge glass of water. Maybe two.
I answered Austin. My skin is waxy, but I’m good. Going to go find that hairy creature. I don’t think it’ll attack me. It let me escape. We have an accord.
In the kitchen, I filled a glass, drank it, and then slugged back a few more.
“The thing is…” I wiped my mouth and headed for the back door. “He didn’t seem to know much about the mages. I got the feeling that he’d always had the guard job, hadn’t actually done it forever, and was doing it because that was his expected role. It didn’t seem like he’d asked any questions of them. He might not know anything about them.”
“When did you talk to it?” Mr. Tom followed me outside. Edgar stood on Niamh’s porch, his hand up to knock. He turned our way when he saw us.
I quickly filled Mr. Tom in as I walked across the street to Edgar. A pulse of magic sang through my bones, and I felt doors open within Ivy House. A high-pitched scream made me look back.
Lights flickered in the windows. Smoke curled from one of the chimneys on the right side.
“What’s…”
My speech dried up as the front door swung open and Ulric came running out of the house, followed quickly by Damarion, both of them wide-eyed and in a state of undress. From around the side of the house ran Cedric, holding up his britches as though he’d received the summons midway through getting dressed and hadn’t paused to finish. Another body blasted from a second-story window, fell to the front lawn, turned the harried dive into a roll, and bounded up. Jasper, the gargoyle I hadn’t talked to much. I really needed to make more time to get to know everyone. That was certainly part of the reason why they were Damarion’s gargoyles.
Another pulse cut through me, Ivy House calling those in town, obviously summoning them to meet me. That was probably why she’d sent Damarion and crew racing outside. She wasn’t one for patience, clearly. I’d woken up, and it was time to take down our enemies.
“What’s the matter?” Damarion said as he reached me, grabbing for my shoulders. I evaded and turned, catching Niamh opening her front door. A bright pink nightshirt hugged her torso and ended just below her upper thighs.
“This job requires pants, usually,” Mr. Tom said.
“What in bejaysus are ye at this early in the mornin’?” Niamh hollered, scaring Edgar off her porch.
It was a good point—I hadn’t thought to check the time.
Six in the morning. Did Mr. Tom ever sleep, or had he figured out how to sleep standing up, hovering over me?
“I’m feeling great, thanks,” I said dryly, trying to hide my grimace.
My phone vibrated in my hand. Text from Austin: Tell Ivy House to back off. I’m almost done. Meet you there.
“Well, I can see yer feeling fine. Yer walking around and rarin’ to go. That means you need to rattle everyone awake, does it?”
“Clearly the idea of working offends you, but did you forget there is still a job to be done?” Mr. Tom sniffed in disdain.
Niamh’s eyes shot fire as she zeroed in on him. Edgar backed away a little more.
“Okay, enough.” I held up my hands to forestall whatever zinger was sure to come. “Stop. Sorry, I didn’t realize the time. I just woke up. We still have mages at large, though, and they know their stuff. I escaped them once. I doubt whatever they rig up next will be as easy to get out of. Spoiler alert, last time wasn’t easy at all. It hurt quite a lot, actually. Clearly they won’t be dumb enough to come for me on Ivy House property, so I will be putting myself out there, trusting Austin and Damarion to have my back.”
Damarion stiffened, probably because I’d mentioned Austin first. I ignored it.
“First things first—we will find that basa…bas…”
“Basajaun,” Mr. Tom said.
“Right, we’ll find the hairy creature and ask him where to find the lower entrance to the cave. That should help us track them.”
“Excuse me, Jessie, but—”
I held up a hand for Damarion. “I heard about you trying to talk him around. I’ll approach it a different way.” I turned to Edgar, surprised when he flinched and covered one of his eyes. “Edgar, please go grab me the best bundle of fresh flowers you can procure. Your very best.”
“Basajaun eat meat, Jessie,” Edgar said. “I’m sure I can find a haunch of