Page 35

Chapter 35

‘No, absolutely not,’ Gunnar said, folding his arms.

‘Why not? She’s been willing to talk to me so far,’ I argued.

‘She’s dangerous and way too unpredictable.’

I looked at Connor for support, but from the set of his jaw he agreed with Gunnar. ‘It’s the only way we’ll find out what’s going on down there,’ I said.

Gunnar shook his head. I looked at Sidnee and she raised her eyebrows; she’d totally back me up. I returned my gaze to Gunnar. ‘Okay, let’s try this – and I’m not asking for permission, boss. This shit is beyond dangerous and we need Matilda’s help. I’m going to try to talk to her. I just want you to know what I’m doing and back me up. Please,’ I entreated, undoing some of my hard work.

‘I’m going with you,’ Connor said.

When Gunnar looked at us both and sighed, I knew I’d won.

I still had to tackle Connor. ‘Listen, love, I want you with me but the truth is that the hag and I have a kind of rapport and I don’t want to push it. It’s fragile. Your presence could actually put me in more danger. Besides, she’s an elemental so none of us could stop her, hurt her or kill her. It won’t matter if you’re with me or not.’

Thomas smiled. ‘I don’t think you’re reassuring anyone.’

Connor frowned at me. ‘Bunny—,’ he started.

I held up a hand. ‘I’m doing it. And I’m doing it alone.’

He looked at me, reading my body language and no doubt assessing whether or not he could talk me out of it. I planted my feet akimbo and folded my arms as I met his ice-blue gaze with my green one, and I saw the moment when he resigned himself to the inevitable. He scrubbed a hand through his hair. ‘When?’

‘Well, there’s no time like the present is there?’

It sounded like Connor growled deep in his throat but he didn’t object. Truthfully, I wasn’t that thrilled at the idea of a little chat with the hag because she made me nervous, but it was our best way forward. If she helped us, we’d find the MIB far faster than stumbling around endless miles of mine. If she was willing to help. It felt like a big if.

There were grumbles all round but in the end Gunnar went off to seek out something for our hag’s sweet tooth. The rest of us drove to the mine to see if we could locate a likely spot from which to call her.

It looked like the cleanup operation had started. The bodies were gone, the debris had been shoved to the side by a large loader that was still parked up, and there was a path from the mine to the car park.

It would take some careful climbing to get into what was left of the entrance itself. Basically it was a hole in the hill, not unlike a cave, and I wondered if that was what it had been originally. Maybe that was at the root of the dispute between Matilda and the dwarves: she’d been there first then they’d come by and stolen her nice comfy cave.

Thomas waved to get my attention then pointed at something partway up the hill. ‘See that?’

I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. ‘Nope.’

‘Follow me.’

Curious now, I followed him with Connor and Sidnee on our heels. We climbed the mud and debris of the destroyed hill until Thomas stopped about a quarter of the way up to the right of the gaping hole where the mine entrance had been. He pointed. ‘See the way the hill is formed here?’

We looked at each other; the consensus was no. Thomas ignored us. ‘There used to be another opening here. It’s been filled in and nature has reclaimed it.’

That caught my interest. ‘You think that this would be a good place to call Matilda?’

‘I do. I also think it might be a good spot to look for the other end of that tunnel.’

He was right: it was a good place from which to call Matilda. We didn’t want to climb to the entrance because it might not be stable and, according to the reports we’d had, the lift was damaged so we couldn’t go down to the chamber where I’d met the hag before. This was our best shot at success.

We heard Gunnar pull up and Connor went to meet him. I studied the hill while Thomas continued to explore. ‘What did you bring?’ I asked my boss as he approached, bakery box in hand.

‘They were out of doughnuts so I bought a mix of what was left – some cookies, some mini-pies and one maple bar.’

I sighed. Doughnuts would have been better because we knew she liked those. I would be so pissed off if she killed me for bringing the wrong sweet treat. ‘Go on, give me the box and you all retreat to the vehicles.’

Thomas, Sidnee and Gunnar moved away, the latter giving me an inscrutable gaze. Connor grabbed me and kissed me with all his might. ‘Careful of the treats!’ I squeaked when he finally released my lips.

‘Fuck the treats. Stay safe Bunny. Promise me.’

‘I’ll be back,’ I promised lightly, kissing him again, and all too aware that I might be lying.

When they all were safe, I took a deep breath, clutched the pink bakery box tightly and called, ‘Matilda, Matilda, Matilda.’

I waited. Then I waited some more. I gave it five minutes, then I called again. Crickets. I waited ten more impatient minutes. I guessed we’d been wrong about this being a good place to try – the idea had been a total bust.

I was turning to leave when I heard a scratching noise behind me. I whirled around just in time to catch sight of metal claws protruding from the mud.

Fuck. There she was.