Page 20

Chapter Twenty

“M r. Clay, your party is exquisite,” I said, smiling up at the handsome elf who was my number one suspect.

He gave me a luminous smile of his own. “You are exquisite, Miss Era. Are we back to formalities?”

I sighed heavily and put my hand on his arm. “It seems necessary after your reporter announced that I’m engaged to the senator. We’re trying to figure out how to get disentangled without it causing havoc to either of our careers. You didn’t give the order, did you?”

He covered his hand and frowned down at me. “I did not.”

“Do you know who did?”

“I could look into it.”

I smiled brightly, even though that didn’t tell me anything useful. Maybe he had been the one who gave the order. Elves didn’t like to lie outright, but if he was a murderous monster… “I’d appreciate that. It has introduced a number of problems. My mother is desperate for me to settle down. How am I going to break the news to her that it was all a mistake? She won’t believe me. She’s so desperate to have grandchildren, so she’ll believe what she wants to believe.”

He blinked twice at this oversharing. “I’m sorry that you’re put in such an uncomfortable position.”

“Yes, well, it is unfortunate. Will you dance with me? I’ve been telling everyone I see that I’m not engaged, but perhaps seeing me with someone else will help. Or maybe it’ll make things worse. I don’t know. What do you think I should do?” I looked up at him with my warm, sweet, irresistible eyes, begging him to save me.

He bowed. “It would be my pleasure, Miss Era.”

He swept me into a dance, holding my waist firmly while I gripped his shoulder and followed his lead. I wove my gnome magic with as much subtlety as possible. I tried not to notice Cross standing on the edge of the crowd holding two cups of punch I’d sent him to retrieve before hunting down Zephin Clay. Cross didn’t look like he cared that I was dancing with someone else. He was so incredibly good at playing the pleasant, indifferent elf, but all that time, he’d been cursed to love me so foolishly. Poor Cross.

“How long have you been in Singsong City?” I asked, looking up at Clay shyly.

He gave me a soft smile. The gnome was getting its grip on him, softening him up. “I established a base here a century ago, but only recently made it my main residence. Perhaps I felt the need to keep an eye on my good friend.” He winked at me.

Hm. Maybe I was using too much gnome magic. I didn’t want him to actually try to cuddle me. I giggled and felt slightly hysterical. I did not want to play this game with my old family friend. But he was so suspicious. “I’m flattered. How long have you known Nanette? The office was well-established by the time I came to work here.”

“Well, she was one of the first graduates of Songbird Academy, my school, so I suppose it’s been fifty years, give or take.”

“Really? That’s so interesting. Do you make a point of hiring graduates of your school?” Also, I’d had no idea it was his school. He hadn’t meant to make that public knowledge. The gnome magic was turning him into putty in my tiny hands.

He gave me another smile that was almost unnervingly sweet. “Of course. You should have graduated. Your magic was so lovely. It’s a pity you let your trauma hold you back. Not that it isn’t understandable, but should you ever choose to return…”

“Thank you for the offer. You’re so generous.” I batted my lashes at him. “Was Loren there much earlier than me?”

“Not much. She was about your age. Smart girl, but personally can be a bit aggressive.”

I giggled and swatted his arm. “You mean she was chasing you? I can’t blame her. You’re so handsome and intelligent. It doesn’t hurt that you’re also a media mogul. Is that what she wanted to talk to you about at the sushi restaurant?”

He frowned slightly, almost like he was struggling against a compulsion. “She’s been treading in dangerous paths. I’m glad you’ve chosen a more tranquil course for the sake of your safety.”

“Well, Loren always has been driven to find the most salacious copy she can dig up. The more blood and danger, the better. I admire her for that. So, she’s been looking into dangerous people? Oh! The Ridley case. Was there more to that than there seemed? Why would she need to talk to you about that? Do you have a collection of secret files that you don’t release?” I laughed like that was a ridiculous joke, but honestly, what kind of information couldn’t a media mogul who’d been around for centuries dig up on people? Oh, the power to control what became public knowledge. He could announce lies as easily as truth. Is that how he amassed so much power, building up on fear and possibly blackmail? How exactly was he connected to Letitia Marin and her mob family?

His eyes narrowed as he broke the bands of gnome compulsion and gave me a stiff smile. “You’re sounding more like an investigative journalist than a society reporter.”

I laughed and then sighed. “Maybe it’s time for me to shift careers. Getting tangled up with the senator has turned me into more of a celebrity than an anonymous note-taker. I wish I knew who told the reporter to make him my fiancé.”

“I’ll find out for you.”

I gazed up at him. “Really? Could you maybe make that call right now?” I put all the adorable pleading in my gnome heart in that look.

He chuckled and then shook his head slightly before he led us to the edge of the dancing, opposite where Cross waited with my punch. He released his hold on me, took out his phone, and made a call.

After a brief moment, they answered. The voice was the reporter’s from the night before.

“Rose, this is Zephin Clay. I’m afraid you made an error with Senator Silverton’s story. They’re not engaged. Who authorized you to announce their engagement?” He frowned for a moment before nodding. “The producer? Ah. Thank you. You may be required to give a retraction. I’ll keep you updated.”

He hung up and raised a brow at me. “Someone wanted that particular information planted. Now I’m curious who would go to so much trouble to push your relationship.” He made another call that took slightly longer to answer.

“Yes, good evening. Who persuaded you to push the Senator’s engagement to Miss Era?” His voice was clipped, short, showing extra aggression as he dealt with whoever on the line needed sternness.

He raised a brow at me and his expression softened slightly. “I see. Thank you.” He hung up and shook his head before he took my hand and turned us to look at the swathe of guests there. He stopped when I was facing a group that included Forsythia and Leticia as well as the Mayor.

“Forsythia is using her connections to promote your relationship with the senator. I’d thought she fancied him for herself. Now I’m intrigued.”

“Forsythia?” I stared at my old friend, laughing at something Leticia said then gesturing with her elegant hand that held her champagne glass without spilling a drop. “She went to Songbird Academy with me.” My heart sank. She’d always been slightly arrogant, looking down on me, but I never would have thought that she’d turn me into a monster and try to ruin my life.

“That’s right. The three of you were quite close. What was the other girl’s name? She’s so hard to remember.” He frowned and then his expression smoothed. “I’m sure Miss Mantle meant well. She’s always been so protective of you, making sure you had entrance to all the best parties in spite of your own reticence to push boundaries. Your father’s name would open many doors with the old families if you cared to use it. Instead it’s Era, instead of Erasmus. I suppose you’re to be commended for wishing to succeed on your own merits.”

“Yes. I’m definitely succeeding on my own merits, not relying on my good friends at all.” I put a hand on his arm and gave him a warm smile. “I’m going to go thank Forsythia. I never knew before how invested she is in my success. I’ll have to forgive her for announcing my engagement when she only cares about my well-being. Thank you for the dance and for your continuous support.” I squeezed his arm and then drifted through the crowd like an elf princess who didn’t have a specific goal in mind.

I stopped abruptly when I saw Loren on the edge of the crowd. She didn’t come to social gatherings like this, but here she was, looking suspicious. I’d have to confront her later. I continued towards Forsythia, aware of Cross shadowing me on the other side of the dancers. We’d probably run into each other where Forsythia was standing. He was moving with the same indifferent grace I was striving for, but he took the time to be a charming senator to everyone he passed. He was so good at playing the part. How did he feel about all the people congratulating him about his engagement? It must make his heart ache, but he’d never show it. If Forsythia had put a love spell on him, I’d never forgive her. It was far crueler than turning me into a monster, although that had been attempted murder. With my gnome blood, infection was death. How could my oldest friend have done that to me? Not that we were close—elves weren’t as a rule—but still. And what about… I couldn’t remember the other girl’s name. Was that another spell? Was anything sacred?

I walked faster, still smiling and nodding at everyone, even Shrimp guy who gave me an angry look before sniffing and returned his focus a woman in a crow mask and a black feathery cape. Lucky lady. I finally made it to Forsythia a few steps ahead of Cross.

I grabbed her arm and tugged her to the side, where a path led into the jungle display. “Forsythia, I have to talk to you. You’ll never believe what Clay told me.”

She held back for a moment before she flinched deep down and smiled, letting her little friend lead her into the shadowy darkness before Cross could interfere. I glanced back at him to see the smoldering in his eyes. It was less romantic, more, ‘I’m going to kill you if you get yourself hurt.’ My stomach flopped at the look. If only he loved me without a spell. Then again, we’d never fit together.

“The senator doesn’t like you running away from him. He particularly dislikes you dancing with Mr. Clay,” she said the second we were safely in the shadows.

“No, he doesn’t like it,” I agreed, turning to study her. She looked back at me, polite disinterest in every line of her face. She smelled nervous, though. Unhappy. I wove some gnome magic, not right there, but around us, a distinct unease that would make people avoid this area. Uncoziness. Subtle, but effective.

“Why did you announce my engagement to the senator?”

She shrugged. “I want my friend to be happy.”

“You were trying to introduce us at Leticia’s garden party. Why?”

“Like I said,” she began with a bored quality to her voice. “I want my friend to be happy.”

I put my hands on my hips while I focused on the elf, on the singing of the night and the stars past the shadows of the night garden. There was so much life, so many different songs to sing. It took hardly any effort at all to spread vines on the ground behind her. “Thank you. I appreciate your concern. What was the name of the girl in our group at school? I always forget.”

She flinched. Guilt. “She was like that, forgettable. What was her name?”

“Do you know what happened to her?”

She got a haunted look, only for a moment before it vanished. “No.”

“You kept track of me, but not her. Why is that?” I took a step closer to her, hanging onto my smile with difficulty.

She patted my head. “Delphi, you’re so cute when you try to be a serious reporter. It doesn’t suit you, though. Leave that to Loren, and other aggressive people.” She started to turn away, but I called the vines and they leapt to obey, wrapping her in a blink and then growing solidly so she couldn’t so much as shift.

I smiled at her. “I’m feeling a bit aggressive. You were there at the party the night I got infected.”

She gasped and struggled against the vines that wrapped around her, pulling at her delicate costume and feathers. “What’s going on? Is this you? You’re capable of controlling this much of life? I don’t believe it. It must be the senator.” She yanked against a tendril and I had it twine around her upper arm, pulling her tight against the massive group of vines I’d collected behind her.

“I was infected with something that made me extra strong and powerful, the elf, the gnome, and…” I swallowed. “The wolf,” I finally spat out.

She flinched again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You helped me establish myself here in Singsong City. You always had contempt for me, but you made an effort to make sure I succeeded. But why? Were you just watching your little experiment? I know about Lynx.”

She inhaled sharply. Ah. She also knew about Lynx. “Stay away from them.”

“Them?” I laughed. “You expect me to believe that you’re not involved? You were there in the beginning. What I don’t understand is why you’d put a love spell on the elf. That was incredibly cruel.”

She looked away, focusing on something I couldn’t see. She returned her attention to me, and her expression was openly astonished. “No one’s coming to save me. What did you do?”

I sighed heavily. “That’s not the question, Forsythia. It’s what did you do? Hm? And why?”

She raised herself as tall as she could in the embrace of the vines and said stiffly, “It was an accident. I was simply checking on the elf you had such a blinding crush on, because that wasn’t like you, and no one else gets to mess with my friends. I was right, too. He was a spy, there to investigate some of the science labs. I tracked him with a subtle spell and then went later to see what was so interesting to him.”

“And…” I urged, as she hesitated.

She looked down at the vines that bound her so thoroughly. “I don’t suppose you’re nearly as defenseless as you used to be. Fine, I’ll tell you. I was in the lab, and I heard people talking about you, like you were a cute little experiment. He was going to use you for some big project. He also talked about another potion that was supposed to make you stronger, smarter, faster, more capable. He specifically said that it wasn’t for you, because your soft sweetness was to be protected and nurtured. I was crouched in that bottom cabinet for two hours until they finally left and I was able to sneak out. Can you imagine me, Forsythia Mantle in such a shocking position?” She gave me a look like I’d falsely accused her of something so ridiculous. I really couldn’t imagine my elegant and appropriate friend stuffed in a cupboard, eavesdropping on someone else.

I frowned, trying to look tough. “How was that an accident? And why did you put a love spell on the elf?”

She sniffed delicately. “I never put any spell on him. You did that all on your own with your charm and sweetness that came out in your song. I watched his face change as you sang until he was looking at you like you were the only creature in the universe. I didn’t like that. You have no idea how many times I’ve had to put an end to men who think that you’re soft, sweet, defenseless Delphi, who clearly can’t say no. He wasn’t like the others. He had more focus, more reserve, more elf blood than all the rest of them. Confident, too, when you were so absolutely not. Could you blame me for wanting to protect you?”

“You’re trying to not tell me about the accident. No one’s coming, and you aren’t going anywhere until you do.” I frowned at her and fed the gnomish discontent that kept anyone from approaching. She had several people she was summoning, but I kept them back. They were society people that I wouldn’t have pegged as her special friends, but there was clearly a lot I didn’t know about proper Forsythia.

She pursed her lips. “Fine. I gave all three of us the potion that was supposed to make us stronger, etc. What I didn’t know was that it was mixed with various kinds of infernal creature DNA, such as whatever it was in it that killed Elodie.” She winced and her face fell. “I wove a spell to make everyone forget her. You too, but then you turned up two years later in that horrible werewolf den. I was sick, but since I’m just an elf, and apparently infernal DNA doesn’t break down my molecular structure, I came out of it none the worse for the wear.”

“Seriously? You killed all those women!”

She gave me a disdainful look. “Nonsense. The only person I killed was Elodie, and it was an accident. I don’t know what you’re talking about, all these women. As if I’d ever stoop to hurting someone intentionally.”

“But what about Ridley and the missing women?”

She gave me an impatient look. “I thought you knew about Lynx.”

“You’re saying that you aren’t part of…”

“There you are,” Loren said, walking through the shadows like the gnome magic wasn’t there. “Delphi, what are you doing? Did you tie up Forsythia? I should take a picture of that. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen something that made me smile.” Her smile was genuine, bright, and very, very wide.

“Loren. What are you doing here?” I asked, taking a step back, glancing at Forsythia who managed to look terribly bored, even bound by vines.

Forsythia said, “You remember Loren, always getting involved in every questionable activity imaginable. She was a science major in school. Isn’t it interesting that she switched to working as a reporter for Zephin Clay a few years after she graduated? That was around the same time you started working for him. Such an interesting change of interests.”

Loren’s smile grew wider somehow. “Forsythia, I should thank you. Some considered experimenting an untried serum on healthy patients unethical. You gave us three test subjects to study, one clearly a marked failure, but two on a spectrum of successes. With your work, I was able to take part in the final trial.”

I gasped and turned to face my fellow reporter. “You took part in an experimental trial willingly? To test the same serum that destroyed me?”

She gestured at Forsythia and my vines carelessly. “Destroyed? Improved. Vastly improved. Not that you’re particularly bright, Delphi, but you are oh so powerful. He’ll be so disappointed that your time has come to an end. He did enjoy watching you progress.”

He? There’d been a ‘he’ in the lab Forsythia had mentioned. What he could there be from my college days? Clay’s description matched the ‘boyfriend’ who visited Loren’s house.

I smiled at Loren. “You’re the beast. You’re the one who killed all those women and framed Ridley for it. That’s why you killed him, to wrap up any loose ends. Why did you kill them? Was it for your experiments, or did you lose control to your monster?” I subtly loosened the vines from Forsythia, hoping that she could get away before the real terror came out.

Loren’s face bulged and flexed before going back to her normal dimensions. “I never lose control.”

She’d just basically lost control, so yeah.

“Of course you don’t. Why did you spell me to lose control at my brother’s wedding? How did you do it?”

Her lip curled in contempt. “He’s never seen your beast. He needed to know how disgusting you were. How could he want you when I sacrificed so much for his cause?”

“He who? Are we talking about our boss’s boss, Zephin Clay? You wanted him to see me as a monster, like he saw you?” That clinched it. Loren was completely nuts.

She snarled at me. “I’m the perfect culmination of all those studies, but he said that it was over, that it wasn’t worth the risk, that it wasn’t ethical. He watched me to make sure I didn’t become a problem. You were this precious jewel to him, but I was a problem? You were the problem, always pretending to be soft and helpless while you tangled men in your coils!”

Forsythia snorted. “Yes, clearly, the person who leaves a trail of dead bodies couldn’t possibly be the problem. Be a bit more self-aware, if you don’t mind.”

Loren bared her teeth at her, long fangs descending for a moment before she pushed them back.

“But I still don’t understand how you put that reveal spell on me at Bram’s wedding.”

Loren spat out, “I set it in the church doorway. It was simple enough, targeting your essence like I did in Zephin’s office. I knew you’d go back to him, even after you stole the Senator’s heart.”

“Clay is her boss,” Forsythia pointed out. “Not that he isn’t disturbingly obsessed with Delphi, but she’s never led him on.”

I shook my head, because the idea of me and Zephin was so bizarre. “Why did you set a spell to make me try to kill the Senator?”

Loren raised her brows, apparently surprised. “I didn’t. It was supposed to make you afraid, to make you run, to get you away from here and never come back. But you tried to kill him instead? Your fear turned to violence?” She frowned. “That makes me almost like you.”

Forsythia snorted. “It would. You’re clearly unhinged.”

“Forsythia,” I hissed at her before turning a reassuring smile on Loren. “I’ve always admired your courage and unflinching determination to uncover whatever’s hidden. Why was your face on the body of that missing girl? Why did you want me to find it?”

Loren smiled, slow and evil. “You weren’t the one who was meant to find it. That was me. It was a warning from them.”

“Lynx,” I breathed.

Distant screams filled the air, sending chills down my spine, particularly when Loren kept smiling, like the screams were expected.

“What’s that?” Forsythia snapped, looking in the direction of the screams.

“A few more successful experiments that Lynx doesn’t approve of,” Loren said, snapping her fingers. “They’ll take care of you nicely. No more adorable Delphi or fabulous Forsythia.”

Glowing eyes suddenly surrounded her in the shifting shadows, then the glint of serrated teeth and a ripple of dark fur.

I backed up until I was almost on top of Forsythia. “What are you doing?” I demanded of Loren. “Is this supposed to be a random wild animal attack? No one’s going to believe it.”

“Of course they will. Everyone always believes what the media tells them, except for a few crazy conspiracy theorists, but they don’t matter. If they get too bothersome, it’s not difficult to erase their memory, like Forsythia did to poor Elodie. Not that I have that skill. Mine is communing with animals. My pets.”

Loren snapped her fingers and a rush of beasts came from the trees. None of them were very identifiable since they were a terrifying blend of animal and infernal. There was creepy intelligence in their eyes as they analyzed their prey and spread out to take us down more securely. Maybe that was Loren in their heads. Controlling that many animals, after she’d turned them into monsters, was pretty impressive.

I gestured my hand and a row of vines blocked their attack as well as Loren. I turned and ripped the vines off Forsythia while she studied me expressionlessly until she was free.

“How long do you think vines will keep them out?”

“They have thorns. Let’s go!” I grabbed her hand and ran towards the wall of bushes behind us. Once we pressed through them, we came out in a clearing above an animal pen, with a railing to keep anyone from falling in.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Forsythia said, frowning at me in her askew costume.

I climbed the rail and shrugged at her. “If you could make Loren forget about us, that would be helpful.”

She frowned thoughtfully. “Maybe I can. I’ll need to be close enough to her to work on her while her beasts are chasing you. This platform has some excellent shadows.” She gave me a serene smile and then flickered and became unnoticeable, practically invisible. That’s how she’d followed Cross and gotten into the lab without anyone noticing. Tricky.

I nodded at her and then the beasts broke through the vines and poured into the clearing with me.

I leapt off the rail, shifting into my beast as I went, so I landed the twenty feet drop without killing myself. I shook it off and then turned to swipe at the first beast who followed me over the rail. It was a raccoon with a pig snout and a spiked tail. Weirdly cute.

I didn’t want to hurt it. I dove out of the way and then swiped it back, sending it tumbling over with a squeal of pain. Poor thing. Three more creatures came over the edge, falling on me with teeth and claws. I was bigger, but their teeth were very sharp, and they didn’t know they should run away from me. I didn’t want to hurt any of them. It wasn’t their fault that Loren was a psycho.

Seven more came over, then a dozen after that, until I was buried in a mass of fur and claws. Ow, ow, ow! A roar echoed through the night, and then the creatures scattered. I sat up and found an enormous gray beast in front of me, arched back, long tail sticking out, fur puffed up like a giant, nine-foot fluff ball.

I blinked at it while my mind spun. It looked like an oversize kitten, but how was that possible?

It leapt and clawed exactly how Lynx went after a ball of yarn, shredding bellies before lunging at another target. Okay. The kitten was more special than I expected. Also surprisingly bloodthirsty.

Loren sprang over the rail, but shifted mid-leap, shredding her sensible suit and landing heavy. Heavy was an understatement. She was twelve feet tall and proportionally just that huge.

My beast was such a delicate, cute, adorable creature compared to this molting monster. Loren’s beast didn’t smell great, either. She was as vicious a beast as she’d been a reporter, and I was a society journalist who avoided conflict. Except when I hunted down evil werewolves. And except when I staked Cross in the library. My beast wasn’t as mighty as hers, but I had something she’d never have. Coziness in the face of decimation.

At least I’d die happy.

Except that Cross was in love with me and would be miserable without me. Where was he? Had something happened to him while I was struggling in the bushes?

My beast, my gnome, and my elf strained my senses, but I couldn’t hear anything other than distant screams. Was he hurt?

I dove out of the way of Lo-beast’s claws, following the exact training Harold had drilled into me every day for four hours for months. Were there any useful seeds I could use? There was an oak tree on the other side of the enclosure, old, elegant, thirty feet above, but it dropped a lot of leaves and seeds on this side of the fence.

I rolled between the Lo-beast’s legs and slashed her right flank before leaping to the side. I made my way in the general direction of the oak, stretching out my song to those beautiful acorns, searching for something with optimal viability.

I barely got out of the way when Loren jumped on me, but her claws brushed my side, barely anything, but those claws were like shovels heaving my blood and flesh out of me. I stumbled to the side and summoned gnomish healing while stretching the elven growing, sinking roots deep, deep, deep, while a tiny sapling shot up. How far was I from that?

“You’re awesome,” I told myself, because I needed some encouragement.

She gave this horrific laugh/screech that made my beast shiver along with all the rest of me. “I am the culmination of every study done to improve humanity.” She snarled, baring her teeth. “He doesn’t understand. He thinks that the beast is an unfortunate side-effect, not a beautiful fulfillment of true potential.”

I stared up at the monster with absolutely no beauty I could see. “Is that why he sent you away from the office, to hide your beast?”

Her rough growl was worse than nails on a chalkboard. “I had to check to make sure Ridley didn’t leave any evidence behind in Golden City, proving his innocence. He didn’t.” Enormous trails of drool hung from her gleaming teeth. She slurped with her tongue, dragging it all back behind her chompers.

Shudder. “You’re the one who left evidence in your apartment. I found the kitten with the constellation on the collar.”

She snarled and swiped at me. “He’s mine! You stole my creature! I’ll never forgive you for turning her against me!”

She was so fast, and so big. I blocked, but only ended with shredded arms. I stumbled back into the corner of the enclosure, tumbling down the hill to the bottom into the pile of leaves.

My baby tree wasn’t big enough to contain that monster.

She crouched on top of the hill, eyes gleaming, ready to pounce.

An enormous ball of fluff hit her from the side, knocking her down and out of sight. I carefully pulled myself upright, sending a fresh wave of bleeding out of my many wounds. Okay then. I’d just sit this one out. My wolf drained out of me, leaving me a cold, shivering elf-gnome. Also naked. Somewhere not too far distant was a party filled with screaming socialites. If any of them saw me like this, I’d wish I was dead. The world grew bleary until I forgot what I was doing. The tree. Right. I focused on the roots, summoning them closer as my blood soaked the ground. My blood would be great if I were a dark sorcerer. Then again, this experimental serum that had turned me into a beast probably had some dark sorcerer in there. Pity I had no idea how dark sorcerers used blood to feed their spells.

I started singing, soft at first, but louder as the night responded, wrapping around me with an ominous undertone that matched my beast and part of my elf that was angry that Cross might be killed by someone else. She was seriously cold. Is that how my dad was before he fell under my mother’s gnome spells? Also, how was it possible that Cross wasn’t spelled into love for me? That made no sense for him to fall in love with my song without some kind of external push.

Where was he? I sang louder, calling him to me, but also feeding the soil my blood and pain. The roots stirred, growing in strength until with a shriek a tiny ball of fluff came flying through the air to land in the pile of leaves beside me.

The kitten twitched and then lay still. What kind of monster kills kittens? I surged to my feet, my anger and horror fifty times greater than the time Ridley marked my cashmere. I screamed as Lo-beast came flying off the hill towards me. I threw my hands together, and the tree shadowed me, clapping the enormous beast in its branches, pulling it into its core. The beast clawed and snapped, but the oak was alive, angry, and more monster than plant.

I didn’t need to control it, not when I’d fed it my anger and my purpose. The tree grew around her, bark coating the fur, branches bursting through her body, coming out in a rush of blood-soaked leaves. The oak loved her blood and reveled in it, groaning and cracking as it drained her life and became a true monster tree, thirty feet, forty, fifty… until I couldn’t look up that high anymore.

I searched the dried leaves until I found the limp body of my sweet kitten. I snuggled her against my chest while my heart beat precariously. I’d lost too much blood to stand without weaving. Still, I’d heal quickly, and I needed to get Lynx help.

“Lynx, my precious, you are so brave and cute! What kind of snacks should we get when we leave here? What about sushi?”

I swear, she twitched at the mention of it. I held her tight while I walked on my unsteady legs up the hill through the thick leaves. The main pad had a deep ditch all around that side so whatever was in here couldn’t climb up and out. Maybe I could get zoo personnel to bring a ladder. No, they were probably busy with the distant screaming, although that had faded to a low moaning.

“Where are you going?” Forsythia hissed at me.

I paused and looked towards the rail where she stood, mangled peacock feathers dangling down over her right shoulder. “Do you have a ladder?” I whispered back. Why were we whispering when the beast’s snarls and the tree’s groans and snapping were still so loud?

She gestured me back the way I’d come, throwing a look towards the far end of the enclosure. “It’s woken up, and it’s coming.”

I stared at her blankly and then I looked into the shadows and heard a growl and a snort. Oh. The enclosure’s resident beast had come out to play. It wasn’t going to eat Lynx, and I didn’t have enough strength to put up a fight, not to mention that it wouldn’t be fair to attack an animal in its own home.

I turned and slid back down the hill towards the enormous tree, only a few of the Lo-beast’s limbs sticking out while the trunk ran with her blood.

“Now what?” I asked.

“Tell the tree to grow a limb to take you out!” she called.

“Right. Tree,” I said, leaning a hand against the slick wood. “Would you please grow a branch for me that can take me away from the animal? It’s not the enemy.”

The tree took a moment to puzzle out something not being an enemy to destroy and drink their blood before I felt its assent and then a branch snaked around my waist and the next moment I was in the air, high, high, until I was high enough to see the promenade and the bright lights. I also saw chains of darkness threaded with white electricity. Cross was in those shadows. Hopefully not dead. The tree rotated and then the branch lowered me down to the path. Once it released me, I fell to my knees, still clutching Lynx whose little belly was rising and falling rapidly. Good. Not dead.

“Are you okay?” Forsythia demanded, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me to my feet. “I withdraw the question. We need to get you out of here. You can’t look like a freshly shifted werewolf at a party like this. We’ll take you out the back and I’ll call some friends.”

I shook my head. “I have to see Cross. Something bad is going on.”

“Of course it is, or he would have come to rescue you. There had to be a distraction, or your true love wouldn’t have let you take care of yourself. I’m irritated that you killed her after I bothered putting all those spells in place to make her forget us. I hate wasted effort. Also, she was our link to the secret science cult. Oh well. At least this way she’s safely dead. How long do you think she’s going to scream? It’s really disturbing.” She shivered and pulled me towards the shadows away from the party.

I dug my feet in. “I’m not leaving him.”

She scowled at me. “Look at you! What do you think you can do for him other than wreck his reputation? And what will Zephin Clay think? He cares more about appearances than anyone. He’s going to fire you. You’ve hidden your beast this long, don’t stop now, or talk about wasted effort!”

I took a deep breath and summoned vines to grow up my legs, around my body, encasing me in a full-coverage bodysuit. “I look fine,” I said, smiling through my dizziness. “Sudden costume changes are completely normal.”

She gave me a flat look. “If you’re going out there, you’re on your own. I’m not ruining my reputation for nothing.”

I pulled her in a sudden hug.

She returned it with an intensity I didn’t expect. “Don’t make the senator hate you,” she whispered. “Pureblood elves are pure ego.”

“He can hate me if he wants, so long as he’s okay.”

She snorted and pulled away. “Our simple, sweet Delphi.”

“Our elegant, serene, Forsythia,” I returned with a fond smile. “I can’t believe that you hid in a cupboard.”

She made a face. “I can’t either. I really hated the way he talked about you, so perfectly weak and vulnerable for his purposes.”

“Who was he? Zephin Clay?”

She shrugged. “I have no proof. Honestly, I don’t want proof. He could destroy me without any effort, and as far as I can tell, he was the reason to Loren’s madness. Secret societies should stay secret if at all possible.”

I wasn’t sure about that, but I wasn’t an investigative reporter, particularly one who used my position to cover up my own crimes. The wind rustled the leaves above me and a dark haze filled the air as the night expanded.

“What’s that?” I asked, looking up at the spreading darkness.

“I would say that’s likely the heir Lord of the Night Court calling his true love.” She shivered and backed away from me. “Good luck with that monster, sweet Delphi.” She turned and ran, disappearing into the night.