Page 69 of Relics of the Wolf

“A gentleman cannot hide behind a lady.”

“Against the rules of your old books, huh?”

“Precisely.” Duncan opened the door and peered into a large room with a fountain in the middle and a guest-relations counter at the far side. Nobody waited at that counter, but this area looked more like the lobby of a Southwestern-style hotel than a home.

Duncan stepped out, considering the options before us. There were multiple doors that exited from the lobby and also wide steps leading to the upper level. Perky yellow and blue sunburst tiles set into the risers drew my eye.

Duncan sniffed at the air. “Explore randomly or follow the boy?”

“You can track him?”

With the odors from the perfume laboratory clinging to us, I would be hard-pressed to track a rotisserie hot dog to its spit.

“He smells of the fields, fresh earth on his paws—feet.” Duncan pointed toward the stairs.

Despite his words about being unwilling to hide behind a lady, I marshaled my courage and stepped past him, intending to lead the way. Duncan glanced at me but didn’t allow it. He matched my pace so that we climbed side by side.

The wide hallway at the top was carpeted, a timber railing open to the lobby below and closed wood doors lining the opposite wall. Another wood door at the end stood open, office furniture visible inside.

As we walked together toward that office, Ididcatch an earthy scent, as if the boy had been out digging holes. If he’d been in his wolf form, and the howl suggested that, he could have been digging for moles or other critters that got busy at night.

Duncan paused well before we reached the open door, stopping me with a hand to my wrist.

“There are people inside,” I murmured, sensing more of the big brutes with magical potions flowing through their veins. I also thought the boy was in there, and I smelled a cigar burning.

“Yes.” Duncan looked like he didn’t want to continue, like we would be walking into a trap.

I withdrew the locket and rubbed it, as I had before going on the hunt with my cousins. That night, its magic had seemed to help me with the injuries I’d taken. I might need its help again.

My nerves tingled, and Duncan eyed me, probably sensing its magic. I showed him what I had. Since he’d been the reason we’d found it, he must have been pleased to see that I’d kept it. He nodded to me.

I held it out, offering it to him, in case he also wanted to draw upon the slight protection of its magic. He hesitated, glanced toward the office, and then shook his head. Something told me he knew more about this place, these people, and what was going on than he was letting on. I didn’t know how that could be possible, but a throat cleared in the office. This wasn’t the time for a discussion.

Setting my shoulders, I walked in ahead of Duncan.

20

When I walkedinto the office, the two magically enhanced men that I’d sensed stood to either side of the door. They wore security uniforms, their muscles practically bursting the seams. One tensed, reaching for me before pausing and glancing toward an ornate mahogany desk across the room.

A wispy-haired man of sixty-ish wore a business suit and sat in the chair, watching me. To his side, between the desk and a huge gun safe against the wall, stood a thin bald man a decade or two older than he and wearing medical scrubs that included rubbery blue gloves. They looked like the kind someone wore to handle corrosive chemicals but pinged my senses as slightly magical.

Duncan growled as he stepped into the office beside me, looking at the security guards. At a nod from the wispy-haired businessman, the one who’d reached toward me continued to do so, taking the handgun from my grip. Since we were outnumbered, the guards also carrying firearms, I let him.

Somewhat surprisingly, Duncan didn’t object to the man taking the weapon from me. His gaze had locked onto the old guy in gloves. Was that… recognition in his eyes? It was hard to tell. Duncan’s face had grown hard and masked.

Interestingly, I didn’t sense magical blood from either of the older men, though the fellow with gloves had something in one of his pockets that gave off the vibe of a strong artifact. The businessmen also wore three rings on one hand, and at least one emanated power.

“Welcome,” he said in a familiar raspy voice. Was this the guy the guards had called Radomir? He looked to his comrade. “Nice of the girl to deliver herself.”

The girl. I almost laughed. It had been a long time since anyone had called me that.

“She is not as powerful as I expected,” Radomir added, lifting the hand with the rings.

Maybe one was the equivalent of Duncan’s magic detector.

“So sorry to disappoint,” I muttered.

“Not standing next to him, no,” the older man said, speaking for the first time. His accent reminded me of Duncan’s, of the Old World. “But that is to be expected.” His voice soft, he looked at Duncan and added, “Isn’t it, Drakon?”

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