Donut: IT’S A SURPRISE! AND IT’LL BE A DUET WITH CARL! HE HAS TO TAKE A BUNCH OF POTIONS AND SCROLLS THOUGH SO HE DOESN’T MESS IT UP.
Prepotente: That sounds like a hoot.
We arrived at the garage of the abandoned house.
“Okay,” I said, putting my hand on the garage door. It yawned open.
And sure enough, there she was, standing on the floor next to the parked APV with the cracked windshield. Penelope the pig. She was currently licking up the remains of the gremlin, which had oozed to the floor after they’d activated their shield.
“Hi, Penny,” I said, going to a knee. “Come on, now. You’re going to go live with us for a little while.”
The pig, who now looked as if she were wearing lipstick after licking up all the gremlin goo, snorted happily and followed us outside.
[ 54 ]
Entering the Lollipop.
We stopped at the DJ stand and made our way to the back corner where the team was sitting. I eyed the newcomer.
This was the fleshmancer that Elle and Imani had hired. The tall, gaunt mage sat rigid, sandwiched between Louis and Linus, Elle’s fan. Louis had a cookie from a street vendor and was devouring it, getting crumbs everywhere.
The fleshmancer held a cappuccino in a slender hand. The man looked down with disdain at his blue flowing robes, which were now covered with crumbs. He was sitting ramrod straight, and he flicked the crumbs away as Louis, oblivious, continued to happily munch while Linus stared with puppy dog eyes at Elle.
I examined the newcomer.
Grigori the Placid. Human. Level 93 Fleshmancer.
This is a hired mercenary of Team Meadow Lark.
This mercenary worships Gula.
Gula was a new one, and I filed that away.
The thin, poised man looked absolutely out of place between Louis and Linus.
Linus’s shirt had changed from a naked picture of Elle to one with a moving, all-over print of an extreme close-up of Elle’sscreaming face as she was castingIce Boltor a similar spell. The flashing caption underneath read, “Right in the keister!”
I’d asked Imani and Elle to bring the fleshmancer because we wanted to get this guy to talk to both Corcundas. Elle said the guy had a stick up his ass, but he clearly knew what he was doing, and he and Imani had been trading healing tips while he’d been sequestered in their safe room.
As we approached the back of the bar, Donut took one look at the guy and let out a harrumph.
Donut: HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET HIM INTO THE GUILD? HE DOESN’T LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO CAN SING!
Carl: No, probably not. We just need to make sure YOU get in there so you can charm his pants off and get Porky to come out.
Donut: YOU STILL HAVEN’T TOLD ME THE FULL PLAN. WE DON’T KNOW WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT ALL OF A SUDDEN.
Carl: I know. I’m sorry. I know you’re scared. I wish I could tell you everything. I don’t take the trust you have in me lightly, and I need you to trust me on this one. I will explain it all after it’s too late for them to take the prize away.
Donut: WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE PARTNERS IN THIS, AND YOU’RE MAKING ME NERVOUS. THE PRIZE IS, WE CAN BRING TWO PEOPLE WE WANT TO THE ELEVENTH FLOOR. ELLE THINKS YOU MEAN THE PRIME MINISTER LADY AND MAYBE CASCADIA OR SOME OTHER SHOWRUNNER, BUT SHE’S AFRAID THAT KILLING THEM ISN’T GOING TO DO ANYTHING. AND I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD HURT PRIME MINISTER VICTORY. I KNOW SHE’S A BAD GUY, BUT SHE’SALSO MY FRIEND, AND I’M SCARED ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO.
I reached up and scratched Donut.
“I know you’re scared,” I repeated, this time out loud. “I’m scared, too. But all will be clear if we can just get through this next part. It’s all important now. The pig, this quest, and the war mage plan—all three will help us survive. All of us.”
Onstage was the karaoke regular Dekoki the kappa from team Yokai. Her team was right there, front and center, cheering her on. The Minister of Blood-Letting was also there, dancing with his skeletons behind him.
Dekoki was singing “Cruel Summer” by Bananarama. I paused, watching them all, remembering that instant when Finley had been mowed down.