Page 32 of Made

“I know a queen.”

“So you do. But, second, we have no’ yet completed the analysis.”

My head jerked back to Thunder. “You mean he’s not mundane?”

“Can no’ be positive till Dolan is done.”

“Is there, um…?”

I was staring at the horse when I noticed my heart rate had kicked up a couple of notches. Maggie, bless her soul, figured out where my thoughts had gone when I’d stopped mid-sentence.

“No. No. Nothin’ like that, Magistrate. The thing is no kelpie. And no’ related to them either.” I felt instantly relieved. “Does no’ mean it’s no’ got a distasteful side though, does it?” Looking at his teeth and the sheen in his eyes that were so lifelike, I had to admit that distasteful expresses itself in many faces in the magic world. “Let’s just see when Dolan finishes his tests.”

“When will that be?”

She shrugged. “Oh. You know Dolan.”

I stopped and thought about that. Truthfully, after over a year in Hallow Hill, I couldn’t say that Ididknow Dolan. Or his sister, who worked in my own household. Both were mysterious in their way. And that went counter to everything I’d thought about brounies. I’d always imagined them a gregarious lot bent on party hardy. I’d have to ask my authority, Evie, next time I saw her.

“How about a guess? Later today, maybe?”

Maggie laughed. “’Tis clear you’re taken with the thing, Magistrate. Makes a body wonder if it has somethin’ just a bit special.”

I’d had the same thought. What if I was being hypnotized by a fae artifact?

“So, humans can’t see him? I mean…” I started to say other humans who didn’t get the benefit of a little magic, but decided there might be such a thing as over clarification. “Well. You know what I mean to say.”

“Indeed, I do. You mean humans who are no’ special, such as yerself.”

I grinned, loving the way she put things. “Right. Special humans such as myself.”

“Can’t tell until Dolan finishes,” she said for the third time, which could only mean I was being a pest. “Or we could test it out on a human. Got one handy?”

I’d lost the thread when I started thinking about being a special human and wasn’t sure what she meant.

“No?”

She scoffed. “Where’s yer head today, Magistrate? No. Regular humans won’t be able to see the horse unless it proves to be mundane. If it’s magical, ‘twould look like we skipped decoratin’ for Yule. Empty window and all.”

“I know.” I gave Thunder a look, then my brain caught up with what Maggie had said. “Hey! You can’t talk to your boss like that. And, for the eleventy-billionth time, call me Rita!”

She scoffed. “Rita’s a lovely name. But there’s only one magistrate!”

“I’d bet my last pound there’s only one living Rita Hayworth!”

What was I doing? Arguing with Maggie was futile.

Returning my gaze to the gorgeous steed, I said, “I need to know when Dolan will be done, um, having a look?”

She slipped the handle of her feather duster into the long pocket of her apron that was the exact same shade as her dress and said, “He’s in the back. If it’s important, why don’t we ask him?”

Dolan was holding a paintbrush with concentration, bent over a piece that resembled a ladybug, about the size of a respectable snapping turtle.

“’Tis your lucky day, brounie,” Maggie told him. “The boss would like a word.”

I looked at Maggie. There was some question in my mind as to whether or not that was sarcasm. I couldn’t get a hint by studying her passive expression, so I decided to let it go.

“Dolan,” I said. As expected, he didn’t react in any way. Not verbally. Not physically. “I can see you’re busy, but I really, really, really want to know if the beautiful white horse is magical or mundane. Could we maybe move confirmation up on your priority list?”

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