Page 68 of Faerie Gift

The bitch witch reclined in the seat across from me, her wrinkled face a study in scowls and the ever-present cigarette dangling limply from her thin lips. Oh, and she wasn’t happy to see me.

“It’s nice to see you again,” I said, going for a pleasant tone and hoping she wouldn’t turn me into a toad right away.

Her fist slammed down in front of me as the words dropped from her lips like stones. “No more games, girl! I want the Augundae Imperium and I want itnow. You’re out of time.”

22

Speaking of asshole enchanters…

Barbara and I stared at each other, two sharks eyeing the same prey and wondering who was going to dive first. Who would come out the winner.

I knew it wouldn’t be me.

For today’s visit, Barbara wore her usual overalls, faded and stained with things I didn’t want to think about. Underneath the overalls she had forgone the jacket, opting instead of a yellowed t-shirt. Probably white in the past. The neckline was ripped, sagging away from her neck. She took hobo chic to the next level. Not that I would ever have enough bravery to tell her, or to comment on her haggard appearance in general.

Her crazy gray hair topped a maniacal brain, and underneath the wrinkled and sallow skin, she had a wealth of power. Power she would not hesitate to use to make my life a living hell.

Apprehension rose to a bubble beneath my skin.

“I’m sorry,” I said finally, scrambling for an excuse. Something to make her understand my position. “I’ve been trying to find it for you—”

“Try harder,” she snapped.

I rubbed my neck, remembering the shifter boy’s hot breath, his hands on me, squeezing. “I barely escaped with mylifethe last time I went to get it. Did you know we had a murderer on campus? Someone else was trying to take out the people guarding your Imperium. He cornered me—”

“I don’t care,” she drawled, cutting me off a second time. “Truly. I couldn’t care less, girl. No one said getting the Augundae Imperium would be easy. Where there’s a great prize, there are sure to be great hurdles. I’m not surprised there are others who wish to have the artifact for their own. That’s not my concern. My concern is you not getting it to me fast enough.”

She stared at me, her eyes flint-hard, and I held her stare for a long moment. I tried to, at least. I suddenly found I’d lost my taste for the fight. “I’m doing my best.”

She harrumphed. Totally done with my bullshit.

“Well, your best isn’t good enough, Tavi, is it? Sometimes I wonder if you are stalling on purpose or if you really aren’t equipped for what I’m asking of you.” Her head tilted to the side and she stared at me with a look I wasn’t used to seeing on anyone’s face besides Persephone’s. “What’s the holdup?”

She wasn’t going to accept my excuse about the killer. And I didn’t want to tell her anything about my newfound power or having to use it.

“I’m sorry.”

“I need the Imperium. Do you understand? Get it for me.Now.”

Words I knew better than to ignore. I cowered beneath her scrutiny as Barbara served another viperous grin. My nerves frayed a little more.

I thought about it for a second and nodded. “I’ll do better.”

“Yes, you will,” she agreed easily. “I won’t tell you again. You know the consequences. You’re starting to make a habit out of disappointing me and if it continues, I’ll begin to think you actuallywantto be discovered.

My automatic response to that was a scoff. “Are you serious?”No,sarcasm is not going to help you.Keep your mouth closed,Tavi. Zipping my lips shut, I kept my hands knotted underneath the table, not wanting Barbara to see how she affected me. “You don’t need to remind me of what I have to lose,” I said.

She must have sensed what I was thinking, raising her left brow and curling the opposite side of her mouth at the same time. A warning look. Aterrifyingface, if I might say. “Apparently I do. You aren’t following through with your end of the deal. Iwillexpose you to these people. Make no mistake. Then you’ll lose everything.” Barbara pushed to her feet, still pissed at me. “You get it, I’m sure. It’s the cost of business.”

There was a second of uneasy silence before Barbara disappeared in a gray and yellow plume of smoke reeking of stale cigarettes and musty dampness.

It’s the cost of business.It’s just a stupid artifact, I reminded myself.

I couldn’t make this personal. She’d never been anythingbutruthless. I glanced around the room nervously, like maybe the witch had left some kind of booby trap for me to find.

I sat rigid in my seat for the longest time. Even though all I wanted to do was go to bed and forgetliterallyeverything, I knew my next step. I had to find a way into the exchange students’ quarters tonight because I was out of time. No more playing around. No more worrying about who would see me and what repercussions I might face.

Or why Barbara wanted the Augundae Imperium so badly.

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