Page 137

“Scotland?” Dewey shouted, following Paige down the hall as she stripped off her hiking boots and still-damp socks. “Why there?”

Paige darted into the bathroom and turned on the water, adjusting the temperature. “Call it a hunch.”

“A hunch?”

“A hunch. There were four locations on my list of potential places for the mirror.” Paige ticked them off on her fingers. “Chichen Itza, which clearly was a bust outside of the incantation. Spain, Cuba, and Loch Larny.”

“Why d’you pick that one?”

“I almost crossed that one off my list earlier, but I left it on. There was a cryptic note about someone named Finley Colville returning to Loch Larny with an odd trinket after traveling to study the Mayans in the late 1600s. Finley Colville. FC. It fits.”

Dewey raised his eyebrows as Paige shooed him from the bathroom. “Let’s hope your gut feeling is correct.”

Paige offered him a curt smile and a nod before she slammed the door in his face.

“I’ll do some research,” he called as she peeled off her dirty clothes and stepped into the shower.

After scrubbing the dirt from her skin and under her nails, Paige shuffled around in the robe and slippers she found in the bathroom cubby while she waited for her clothes to dry. After a quick rinse of them in the shower, she waved the hair dryer over them in an effort to speed the process.

The pilot had informed them they’d arrive in London mid-morning. Dewey used his RP to rent them a car for the drive north to Loch Larny.

After a few minutes, she hung the damp clothes on the towel rack and dragged herself out to the couch, then she threw herself across it.

“I’m beat,” she said as she slung her arm over her eyes.

“Well, get unbeat because we should come up with a game plan. I’ve done some research while you were relaxing in the shower and–”

“Relaxing?” Paige interrupted, removing her arm from her face. “I was literally scrubbing the filth of an underground river and tiny crawl space from my body and trying to clean my clothes enough to be presentable.”

Dewey shot her a glance, waving a paw in the air. “I mean, you could just buy some clothes when we get to Scotland. Maybe a nice wool sweater or something.”

Paige raised her eyebrows. “Oh, and did you research where I could buy said nice woolen sweater?”

“Actually, I did. I mapped out our route from London to Loch Larny.”

Dewey tossed the RP over to her, showing a route. Several stops were marked along the way. Paige studied the route map.

“The first stop is at a lovely chippy. It’ll be lunchtime when we arrive, and I thought–“

“What’s a chippy?”

Dewey’s horns wiggled as he wrinkled his nose. “A fish-and-chips shop. Really, Paige, you need some culture.”

Paige rolled her eyes at him and returned to studying the map.

“Now, as I was saying, the first is at a lovely chippy called Deano’s Plaice where we can enjoy a nice order of fish and chips. It’s a bit off the route in a town called Millom, but I heard it’s worth it. Best place in the country! The second is a charming store selling all manner of woolen clothing. I thought you could buy a nice Scottish sweater for the trip up north.”

“You may have a point. My still-dirty, light T-shirt may leave something to be desired in the Highlands.”

Dewey nodded and pointed a finger at her. “Exactly. And if they have a dog sweater, could you–“

“I’ll buy you a nice warm wool dog sweater. Oh, but we’ll have to cut holes for your wings.”

“It’ll be worth it. I’m not a fan of cold weather.”

“No? Is it warm where you’re from?”

“The winters are cold. And I hated it.”