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Which was damnably frustrating given she obviouslywassupposed to do something else. I guessed we’d have to wait until she gained consciousness to find out.

I pushed up and walked back to the ladder. The eggy smell had all but dissipated, but my throat nevertheless itched. After sheathing my knives, I undid the latch, released the stair lever, and then stood back, just in case this was a trap.

The head that appeared a few seconds later did indeed belong to Harry, and I relaxed. Two other people followed him up. He directed them down to my captive and then said, “Are you all right, Ms. Aodhán? Your voice sounds unusually harsh.”

“The witch released some sort of gas that burned my throat. Any idea what it was?”

“Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten gas, but that in itself isn’t immediately dangerous, especially at such low-density levels. Itismixed with another gas, but I couldn’t say what without getting a sampler up here.” His gaze shifted to my captive. “I take it you used pixie obedience magic on her?”

I nodded. “She said she’d accepted a contract from Kaitlyn and that she was supposed to dart and then question me. She denied working with our witch. I couldn’t get much more than that, because I was lucky to get any answers from her at all, given she’d all but knocked herself out when she tried to escape.”

He cocked his head sideways, obviously listening to something beyond my hearing range. “The ambulance is almost here. Go get checked, and we’ll take your statement after that.”

I retrieved the Codex from behind the crossbeam and then headed down the ladder. The medics soon arrived and, after a quick examination of the various abrasions and beak wounds, declared I should go to hospital to get a more thorough examination and to ensure there were no unseen consequences of the gas. When I refused, they tried to change my mind, but eventually suggested sipping warm water with honey and a dash of ginger to ease the soreness in my throat and once again emphasized the need to go to hospital if symptoms got worse or I felt unwell.

Harry reappeared and, once he’d taken my statement, said I was free to go. I sent a text to Sgott to let him know I was okay, even though he probably already knew it. He sent a reply a few minutes later saying that whatever I did next, I was not to do it alone, and to always keep him informed. Emphasis on the NOT and ALWAYS.

I smiled, sent him back a kiss emoji, then headed into my bedroom, packing a large suitcase of regular clothes and shoes, and a smaller one of evening wear. People might be out to dart and maybe even kill me, but I’d be damned if I’d let that totally void my social life now that I finally had one again.

And hoped like hell I hadn’t just jinxed said social life.

Neither Lugh nor Darby were home when I arrived at Lugh’s, but that wasn’t surprising given both had to work. I let myself in and dragged my two cases into the spare bedroom. Once I’d unpacked everything, I made a pot of tea and then settled down to google Devil’s Chimney. The first one that came up looked like the right one, which made a nice change. It was located just past Cheltenham, meaning it’d be a good two-and-a-half-hour drive to get there, if not more, depending on the motorway traffic.

I glanced at the time. It was still early enough to make it in daylight, but only if we moved fast. The last thing I really wanted to be doing was exploring a damp and probably dangerous cave inhabited by all sorts of critters in the middle of the night.

I grabbed my phone and called Lugh. He might be working, but that shouldn’t stop him from accompanying me, especially if he informed Rogan it involved a lead on one of the Claws.

“Hey, sister mine,” he said, in an extremely cheerful manner. “I’m thinking a very good time was had by all last night given Eljin is walking around whistling spritely tunes.”

“And by all, I’m thinking you need to be including yourself in that. You’re not exactly all sad and gloomy sounding.”

My voice was wry, and he chuckled. “To what do I owe the honor of this call? Has something happened?”

“You could say that.” I gave him a quick update. “I’ve found the Chimney, but I can’t go—”

“You certainly can’t,” he cut in brusquely. “Give me half an hour to sort things out here and clear it with Rogan, then I’ll be home. It might also be worth contacting Cynwrig and even Mathi to see if they’re available to accompany us.”

“Yeah, because putting those two in the same car isn’t asking for trouble atall.”

“They’re adults. They can handle it.”

Yes, but I wasn’t sureIcould. They might not argue, but the bristly distaste they’d radiate at each other might quickly get overwhelming in a small space.

“I can understand asking Cynwrig, given we might need his skill at manipulating stone and earth, but why Mathi?”

“Muscle,” Lugh said. “He may not hold Cynwrig’s mass, but the man can fight.”

My eyebrows rose. “You’ve seen this?”

“He’s a Dhar-Val.” Lugh’s tone was dry. “In underground circles there’s a saying—better to cross the devil than a Dhar-Val elf.”

While I’d long known the dark reputation light elves had, I’d never witnessed any actual violence from Mathi. And yet, the casual way he sometimes spoke of retribution against those who crossed either him or the family businesses certainly suggested he was no stranger to it.

“I’ll give them both a call and ask them to meet us here if they’re available.”

“Good. See you soon.”

He hung up. I immediately called Cynwrig. The phone rang for what seemed forever, and I was just about to give up when he finally picked up.