Page 46 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part Two

“That was bad.”

“Yes. It was.”

“But you disliked him way before that. From the first time you saw him.”

“That’s because I could tell that he’s either an idiot or he’s a supe who doesn’t care about those more vulnerable.”

“That’s harsh.”

“But true. So far as the werewolf goes, all I can say is that he’s done nothing but irritate you.”

“Irritation isn’t a crime, Evie. It’s just…”

“Irritation. I know. But it can go on and on until itfeelscriminal. Right?”

“Well…”

“I’ve created a monster. First, I couldn’t get you to call me when you were in an actual emergency and in need of the kind of help that only someone like me can provide. Now it seems you squeeze instead of solving your own problems.”

“Evangeline! It is not okay to talk to your mother that way.”

“Okay. Sorry. You’re right. How about this? I need to get back to pickle ball. See ya.”

“Wait!” She hesitated. “Okay. Sorry. You’re right. I should’ve tried to find another way. Maybe I should’ve called Serafina.”

I knew that suggesting I call one of the other queens for a favor would bother my daughter which means I knew I wasn’t playing fair.

She narrowed her eyes. “How low can you go?”

Looking deliberately sheepish, I said, “If you leave, I will call her because I need to know that Vuk and John David weren’t made to suffer because of me.”

“Do you really want to be the House Mother for misfits?”

“No,” I protested. “I’m happy to be a simple, down to earth magic-kind magistrate.” When I played that back in my head, it sounded stupid. “And why are you being so rude? You weren’t raised to call people things like misfits.”

“I was raised to tell the truth.” Well, she had me there. “Time out. If I do this for you, will you promise that you willnotuse the necklace again unless you really need me? I don’t mean need me to help somebody else. I mean need me to help you.”

I held up my three-finger Girl Scout salute. “Promise and hope to die.”

She rolled her eyes. “Just the promise is enough. Nobody hopes you die if you can’t help but being daft when it comes to rescuing.”

I was secretly glad she understood me and my motives.

“So,” she said. “How do you think I’m going to go about finding them?”

Oh, gee.“You don’t know?” I was dumbfounded. Where had I come up with the impression that she could do anything? “How to do that I mean?”

“From what I understand about Loki, he’s the definition of unpredictable. Like you said, they could be anywhere.”

She snapped her fingers and was standing in front of me fresh as could be, impossibly shiny hair looking impossibly perfect, in custom tailored riding clothes.

“Wow. The time you save not having to blow dry alone…”

She smiled. I’d successfully moved her off point. “It’s a good perk.” As soon as she realized she wasn’t mad, she recovered her frown, and said, “Stop it. Let me get this done so I can get back to my real life.”

“Okay.” I was properly subdued.

“The problem that’s before us is how to find the idiot werewolf and the thoughtless, inconsiderate vampire.”

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