Page 42 of Disenchanted
“His arrival on the scene was indeed timely.”
“What did this brute that attacked you look like?”
I described the hulking creature, from his egg-shaped head and bulbous nose to his enormous feet. “He had an odd way of talking, trying to sound mockingly affable while giving me a nasty grin and he stank of garlic and fish.”
“That sounds like Burt Iggy. He has a habit of lurking about Fugitate’s shop, hoping to waylay unwary customers.”
“Then that should not make it too difficult for Crushington to find him. The commander has promised me to arrest the villain.”
Mal bared his teeth in a grim smile. “Not if I find old Iggy first.”
“Mal, please do not do anything that could bring more trouble to your doorstep. The commander’s attention is already far too focused on you. Do you realize that he has even coerced poor Withypole into acting as his spy?”
I expected Mal to be as shocked and outraged to hear this as I had been. Mal only laughed and shook his head. “You clearly do not know enough about fairies if you think they can be that easily intimidated. They are not sweet, gentle creatures, Ella, especially not one as cantankerous as Withypole Fugitate.”
“But Commander Crushington told me this himself. Withypole is his informant.”
“I have no doubt that he is. But according to what I have heard, Fugitate sought the commander out and volunteered his services.”
“That makes no sense. Fugitate’s life has been made utterly miserable by the royal taxes and laws. Why would he volunteer to spy for one of the king’s commanders?”
Mal hunched his shoulders and spread his hands wide. “Who knows what goes on in the mind of a fairy? But I’ve had my information from a good authority, Long Louie, who manages the Midtown livery stables.”
“Long Louie,” I scoffed. “I am sure he is as reliable as your other chum, Waldo the Dock Rat.”
“That’s Wharf Rat and Long Louie is by far more reliable. There is not much that goes on in Midtown or the Bottoms that escapes Louie’s notice.”
As Mal and I wended our way toward the gate, I fretted my lower lip. “If what Louie told you is true, I owe Commander Crushington an apology. I thoroughly berated him when I thought he bullied poor Withypole.”
“I would not lose any sleep over that.” Mal’s lips tipped in a smug smile. “I wonder how the Crusher enjoyed his morning out in the swamp, listening to the frogs croak and fending off the mosquitoes.”
“How did you know where—” I glared at Mal accusingly. “You fed Withypole some sort of misinformation to pass on to Crushington, didn’t you?”
“I may have just let slip I had something sinister planned, and I was meeting up with smugglers out in the fens.”
“Mal! How could you play such a trick on the commander? Crushington may be unrelenting in his sense of duty, but he is an honest man, simply trying to do his best to uphold the law and—”
“Whoa!” Mal interrupted, raising his brows. “Since when did you become his champion? It was bad enough falling in love with that lute player, but if you are becoming smitten with the Crusher, I might as well fling myself off the nearest bridge and be done with it.”
“Don’t be idiotic. I am not smitten with anyone, but I am very grateful to the commander.”
“So am I. The next time I meet him in town, I will make it a point to shake his hand and thank him for rescuing you.”
“No! You stay away from him and stop drawing attention to yourself. What were you up to when you sent the commander off on this wild toad chase?”
“Nothing.” Mal leaned up against the garden gate and grinned. “I was only having a bit of fun with your solemn suitor.”
“He is not my suitor.” I heaved an exasperated sigh. “You were upset because I didn’t tell you about Harper, but you are forever keeping secrets from me, Mal.”
“Perhaps because you have made it abundantly plain you prefer to remain in ignorance of my more clandestine activities. As it happens, I was quite innocently engaged for the most part of this morning, purchasing ball tickets.”
“What about the other part?”
“I might also have snuck into the maps and ordinance office at Quad Hall and been searching for a way to break into the palace grounds to recover my orb.”
“You have not yet found a way to do so?”
Mal shook his head. His smile faded, replaced by a look of extreme frustration. “It has become more difficult than ever to get past the gates. The king has recently doubled the number of guards.”
