Summer Knight (The Dresden Files #4) - Jim Butcher Page 0,108

up enough fire to drive him away. Then I found your car."

"Why did you come to me?" I asked.

"Because I didnt know who did it, Harry. And I dont trust anyone else in this town."

My throat got a little tight. I borrowed her coffee to wash down the bacon. "It was Lloyd Slate."

Elaines eyes widened. "The Winter Knight. How do you know?"

"While I was with Maeve, he came in carrying a knife in a box, and hed been burned. It was coated in dried blood. Maeve was pretty furious that it wasnt any good to her."

Lines appeared between her eyebrows. "Slate he was fetching my blood for her so that she could work a spell on me." She tried to cover it, but I saw her shiver. "He probably tailed me out of that party. Thank the stars I used fire."

I nodded. "Yeah. Dried out the blood, made it useless for whatever she wanted." I shoveled down some more food. "Then last night I got jumped by a hired gun and a couple of faerie beasties." I gave her the summary of the attack at Wal-Mart, leaving Murphy out of it.

"Maeve," Elaine said.

"Its about all Ive got," I said. "It doesnt fit her very well, but"

"Of course it fits her," Elaine said absently. "Dont tell me you fell for that psychotic dilettante nymphomaniac act she put on."

I blinked and then said through a mouthful of French toast, "No. Course not."

"Shes smart, Harry. Shes playing on your expectations."

I chewed the next bite more slowly. "Its a good theory. But thats all it is. We need to know more."

Elaine frowned at me. "You mean you want to talk to the Mothers."

I nodded. "I figure they might let a few things slip about how things work. But I dont know how to get there. I thought you might be able to ask someone in Summer."

She closed her paperback. "No."

"No, they wont help?"

"No, Im not going to see the Mothers. Harry, its insane. Theyre too strong. They could kill youworse than kill youwith a stray thought."

"At this point Im already in over my head. It doesnt matter how deep the water gets from here." I grimaced. "Besides, I dont really have a choice."

"Youre wrong," she said with quiet emphasis. "You dont have to stay here. You dont have to play their game. Leave."

"Like you are?"

"Like I am," Elaine said. "You cant stop whats been set in motion, Harry, but you can kill yourself trying. Its probably what Mab wanted to begin with."

"No. I can stop it."

She gave me a small smile. "Because youre in the right? Harry, it doesnt work like that."

"Dont I know it. But thats not why I think so."

"Then why?"

"You dont try to kill someone who isnt a threat to you. They took shots at both of us. They must think we can stop them."

"They, them," Elaine said. "Even if we are close, we dont know who they is."

"Thats why we talk to the Mothers," I told her. "Theyre the strongest of the Queens. They know the most. If were smart, and lucky, we can get information from them."

Elaine reached up to tug at her braid, her expression uncertain. "Harry, look. Im not I dont want to " She closed her eyes for a moment and then said in a voice, pained, "Please, dont ask me to do this."

"You dont have to go," I said. "Just find me the way to them. Just try."

"You dont understand the kind of trouble youre asking for," she said.

I looked down at my empty plate and said quietly, "Yeah. I do. I hate it, Elaine, and Im afraid, and I must be half insane not to just dig myself a hole and pull it in after me. But I understand." I reached across the table and put my hand over hers. Her skin was soft, warm, and she shivered at the touch. "Please."

Her hand turned up, fingers curling briefly against mine. My turn to shiver. Elaine sighed. "Youre an imbecile, Harry. Youre such a fool."

"I guess some things dont change."

She let out a subdued laugh before withdrawing her hand and standing. "Ive got a favor left to me. Ill call it in. Wait here."

Five minutes later, she was back. "All right. Outside."

I stood. "Thank you, Elaine. You going to make your plane?"

She opened her purse and tossed the airline tickets onto the table along with a pair of twenties. "I guess not." Then she took a couple of other items out of the purse: a