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“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Down the hall to talk to Veronica.” Lucy checked the time. “It’s early yet. I should be able to catch her before she leaves for work.”

“I’ll come with you.” Gabriel smiled. “Public relations are important. The Guild wants the citizens of Illusion Town to know that we appreciate their assistance.”

“If you’re tempted to sign up for a half-priced package of therapy sessions, save your money. I’ll be happy to accommodate you at full price.”

“Deal.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

It was only seven o’clock in the morning, but the CEO’s suite was in a state of controlled chaos. Gabriel froze in the doorway. Otis, perched on his shoulder, nearly fell off. He chortled, apparently convinced the sudden stop was a new game.

“What in green hell?” Gabriel said.

Lucy managed, barely, to keep from colliding with him. She found her balance and studied the scene.

“I’m impressed,” she said. “You hired an interior designer. Excellent move. You need a statement office.”

“I didn’t hire a designer,” Gabriel said. “It was Aiden’s idea.”

“That figures,” Lucy said. “But, hey, a CEO is known by the quality of the talent he hires, so congrats to you for having the smarts to hire Aiden.”

Gabriel looked at her.

She gave him a sunny smile.

The spacious suite was crowded with workers and craftspeople engaged in measuring walls, windows, and the floor. An imperious-looking woman in a crisp business suit and heels stood in the center of the whirlwind. She was engaged in an intense conversation with Aiden.

“Mr. Jones doesn’t want any loud, over-the-top colors,” Aiden said. “He was very explicit about that.”

“What colors in particular does he want to avoid?” the woman asked.

“Any colors that would make people think of a casino or a nightclub,” Aiden said. “You must understand, Ms. Fortune, the Guild has a long and noble history. This office should reflect that. I agree we want to project a forward-thinking vibe, but the space must also invoke the history of the organization. As I’m sure you’re aware, green and amber are our traditional colors. They harken back to the Era of Discord, when the Guilds were founded.”

“I understand those colors are traditional, but trust me when I tell you that the combination is dreadful when it is used in a large space like this. Mr. Jones does not want a lot of green and amber.”

“I’m afraid he does,” Aiden said.

Ms. Fortune sighed. “We can certainly have touches of amber and green for accents, but this is a modern space. It should readon trend, notold-fashioned.”

“What colors did you have in mind?” Aiden asked.

“A deep purple for the walls, I think.”

“No,” Aiden said. “Purple is not a good idea.”

“Aiden,” Gabriel said from the doorway, “I need to talk to you. Now.”

Aiden whipped around. “Sorry, Mr. Jones. I didn’t see you there. This is Helen Fortune, of Fortune and Associates. She’s the interior designer I hired.”

Helen gave Gabriel a professional smile and walked forward to greet him. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jones. We’re all absolutely thrilled to have our very own Guild headquarters here in Illusion Town.”

Lucy nudged Gabriel. “Public relations,” she whispered. “Image.”

He muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like“I don’t have time for this ghost shit”but he managed a reasonably polite smile. “Nice to meet you, too, Ms. Fortune.”

“Helen, please. I am very excited about giving your office a look that will reflect and project an aura of modern professionalism and at the same time speaks to the mission of the Guild.”