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“I’m sorry, slayer,” Gisila began.

My muscles tensed—if I started running, I could maybe get enough distance between us that I wouldn’t be able to feasibly hear the rest of her sentence… freeing me to keep on with my job.

Just before I pulled on a burst of speed, I heard a slightly winded “Lady Gisila!”

I turned and caught sight of Gisila’s assistant—the handsome, blonde fae—step around a pair of laughing dryads. He gracefully trotted down the last few steps, then bowed to Gisila before holding out a wrap made of gold silk. “Your shawl.”

“Oh. Thank you, Orrin. Honestly, I don’t know what’s becoming of me. I don’t even remember wearing that wrap tonight.” Gisila chuckled deeply before she turned her back to her aide, letting him drape the fabric over her arms and shoulders.

Orrin merely bowed again and his hair—not as perfect as it had been the first few times I’d seen him—shifted with the movement.

I frowned as I studied him, folding my arms across my waist to protectively cover the pouch that held the jewel.

Orrin is blonde—like the man I saw when we finished off the boar. I’ve seen him outside Tutu’s without Gisila, and he’s clearly winded…is he the one doing this?

I eyed his clothes—dove gray trousers with a white dress shirt and a matching dove gray vest.

Did he have enough time to get changed since I heard the door shut? Maybe…if this whole thing was pre-planned. Gisila could have purposely left her shawl for him to fetch. Although she said she didn’t remember wearing it, which is an odd detail to add if this is all planned.

“Oh—Orrin, you recall the slayer on the task force?” Gisila happily chattered. “I saw her across the street and was concerned there was a threat of some sort.” She smiled at her assistant, then turned back to me. “The Night Queen attended this evening’s performance, and I’d heard there were some attempts on her life several months ago.”

Her smile would have normally been enough to kick up my social anxiety, but the cool calmness of work had finally descended on me, normalizing my pulse as all of my instincts kicked in. “No, I’m here for an unrelated incident,” I said.

Orrin slightly bowed his head to me. “May you continue your endeavor,” he said, before turning to Gisila. “Lady Gisila, shall I pull the car around?”

Gisila, at least, showed no sudden desire to leave me. Perhaps she didn’t know what her assistant was up to? “You may as well wait—it seems the cars are lined up around the block. Might I ask what incident has brought you here, slayer? Or is that classified information?”

I weighed out her question trying to figure out if I could answer it in a way that would let me ask Orrin a question—as a fae, he couldn’t lie to me. Most likely he would just choose not to answer if it incriminated him, but this was an opportunity I’d prefer not to waste.

The fastest way would be to find out if Orrin has animal magic.

“The task force is still investigating the fae creatures that have been released in the city,” I said. “In addition to searching for the perpetrator, we’re trying to formulate a plan should more creatures appear particularly since fae monsters are roaming more as the fae realm continues to shrink.” I turned to Orrin and tried to keep my voice as innocent as I could. “Do you have natural animal magic, Orrin?”

Orrin’s nostrils briefly flared—the only change in him that I could sense.

“Oh, it would be wise to find such a fae, but no, he hasn’t such magic. Although he might know of someone with such powers—do you, Orrin?” Gisila asked before Orrin could respond, widening her eyes as she looked back at her assistant.

I slightly tilted my head.Did she answer for him on purpose?

A fae couldn’t physically say a lie—or even write one. Any other supernatural—dragon shifters included—could. In answering for him, Gisila could have very easily lied.

“I don’t know many fae within Magiford, much less any with animal magic,” Orrin smoothly answered.

Gisila sighed. “That’s disappointing.”

Orrin rested a hand on her elbow. “If you say so. However, Lady Gisila, if the slayer is on duty we had best stop interrupting her.”

“Oh. Yes, you’re probably right. Good night and good luck, slayer.” Gisila waved to me, then sashayed back toward the hotel’s steps. “Is the car line any shorter? If not, we should head back into the hotel—I believe the bar is still open.”

“As you wish, Lady Gisila.” Orrin offered his arm, which Lady Gisila took, and he escorted her up the carpet covered steps back into the hotel.

I watched them until they disappeared through the doors, my slayer instincts still active and coursing through my blood with a cool calmness.

I checked my pouch, relaxing slightly when I saw the red stone within it.

I’m going to have a long report for Sarge. Hopefully, this means tonight wasn’t a total loss.

I started trotting up the alleyway. I’d check and see what doors were locked and which were open. Someone might have witnessed Orrin come inside, if it was really Orrin I had chased.