All in a Night's Work by Ilana Waters

Author:Ilana Waters
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ilana Waters
Published: 2016-07-23T21:35:23+00:00

Chapter 5

All was silent for a few moments as, I imagined, Reaper tried to think of a response.

Not that I care, but why didn’t they save Miko? Beverly asked Jimmy and me. I can’t believe they just let him burn like that.

Maybe it happened too fast. Jimmy looked at Beverly, then at me. Though that was pretty incredible. I have to admit, I never saw anything like it before.

Oh, it was nothing. And when I say “nothing,” dear reader, I’m lying through my aching teeth. But I’m not surprised they didn’t come to Miko’s aid. They knew the fire would kill them as well. Somehow, I suspect they’re not the types to go to pieces over someone else’s death.

Finally, we heard Reaper call out:

“All right, you got our attention, mage.” He sounded more irritated than anything else. “But this isn’t your fight. Walk away now, skinny boy. Don’t be a hero.”

“It just comes naturally to some of us,” I replied. Beverly shot me a dirty look, and Jimmy thrust his palms out as if to say, “What the hell?” But it wasn’t my fault their enemies were goading me.

“Why are you even here, Mr. Alderman?” Carly asked. “What’s your stake in all this?”

“What?” I said innocently. “Can’t a bloke just be nice?”

“Not in my experience, no,” said Carly.

“Ah, then you haven’t lived very long, have you?”

“No one risks their life unless they have something to gain,” said Reaper. “So we’ll ask you one more time: Why are you really here?”

“My, but you’re nosy.” I rubbed my temples in a fruitless effort to relieve my headache. “What are you, the PIA?”

“The what?” asked Carly.

“Oh, come now. Surely you’ve heard of the Paranormal Investigation Agency,” I said. “Careful—any more violent outbursts like the ones we’re having, and they’re likely to come running with their cameras and notebooks. Or laptops. Whatever they’re using these days.”

“You really think we’re afraid of a few snooping mortals?” Reaper said. “We’d tear them limb from limb if they so much as set foot in here.”

“Trust me,” I said drily. “I’ve had a few run-ins with them myself. They’re not exactly easy to dispatch.”

“Speaking of dispatching,” said Carly, “I’m not so sure we should let him go, Reaper.”

“You’re right,” I said. “I killed Miko. Well, Jimmy and I did. Surely you want revenge.”

Are you out of your mind? Jimmy said. Are you trying to get us tortured as well as killed?

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Carly scoffed. “He was just extra muscle. It’s not as if we cared about him.”

I gave Beverly and Jimmy a look. Told you so.

“But we can’t let you go because you might tell mortals about us,” Carly continued. “What if they find out what I am?”

“Oh, I think it’s already clear you’re a bitch,” I said pleasantly. Jimmy squeezed his eyes shut, but my words seemed to embolden Beverly.

“He’s right,” she said before Carly could think of a retort. “So why don’t you stop being a spiteful harpy for ten seconds and tell us where the statue is.

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