Page 33 of Malcroix Bones Academy

“Really,” he smiled. “I know all about your family, love. They’ve some absolutelyfantasticstories of decadence and betrayal and black spells. You might want to look it up, purely for entertainment’s sake, of course. All the best gossips among the royals will likely give you an earful, too, if you suck up the courage to ask.”

“The royals,” I scoffed.

Still, I thought about his words. Ankha was always so snotty about every mention of “the family,” and her “heritage.” Honestly, Greythorne’s words rang largely true.

“Genetics aside, are you going to answer the door?” Alaric took another long drink of wine. “Or leave your poor auntie out there all alone?”

I pulled my weight off the carpet with a snort.

I still had strong doubts it was Ankha. Even if she’d had to resort to knocking, she certainly wouldn’t be that patient or gentle about it. She’d likely be yelling and pounding by now, if I’d truly left her out in the hall.

I walked to the suite’s door anyway, and jerked it open to find myself face to face with a young woman in one of those red and gold bellhop uniforms, complete with tightly-fitting round hat. The new bellhop stared at me, wide-eyed. She had a very,veryfreckled face, and almost comically large blue eyes.

“Yes?” I said. “Can I help you?”

She thrust her hand forward, into the opening of the door. I noticed only then that she held a thick piece of yellow-tinted parchment. It looked like an old-fashioned scroll, rolled up tightly in her hand.

I took it from her carefully.

I felt a wax seal under my fingers, and looked down to see the emblem of a lion with spread wings, objects clutched in two of its claws. One of those objects appeared to be a book, the other a glass ball. The lion had been stamped in gold on black wax.

When I focused on the symbols inked around the seal, they rearranged themselves into English.

“Magical Examiner’s Office,” I muttered.

“It’s the office that ranks a Magical’s potential,” a voice supplied eagerly.

I looked up.

The bellhop continued to stand there, and now she looked excited.

“I don’t have any money,” I said, apologetic.

The freckled bellhop blinked. Then her face slowly reddened.

“Aren’t you going to open it?” she urged me. “The scroll. It’s yours, innit?”

“What is hers?” a deep, very male voice drawled. Alaric showed up in the doorway behind me, his voice lazy.

I glanced back at him, then looked back at the bellhop. She was staring at Alaric like he was already the king of Magique. He gave her one of his charming smiles back.

“Hiya, Red,” he said in a friendly way. “Got any mail forme?”

“No!” she blurted awkwardly.

I waited another second, but she didn’t stop staring at Alaric.

“Well.” I cleared my throat. “We’re a bit engaged?”

“Horriblybusy,” Alaric seconded with a wink to the bellhop. “Can’t spare asingleinstant of our time right now, Red, sad to say. I’m busy courting her as my new best friend, you see.”

The bellhop’s mouth only fell open more, her eyes riveted to Alaric. She certainly didn’t seem any closer to leaving on her own.

Finally, I backed up into the hotel room. The fingers of my free hand found the edge of the door and swung it carefully closed. The freckle-faced bellhop continued to stare at us both eagerly, her head craning right up to the moment I shut the door in her face.

9

Magical Contract