Page 66 of Death Warden
I stepped away and dialed the number on the paperwork. A female with a nasal voice answered. “City buildings and plots, how can I help you?”
“Hi, I’m with Grave Spirits enforcement. We have an issue here.” I rattled off the details of the dispute and gave her the two reference numbers on the documents. “Can you help?”
“One moment please.”
Hold music played. “She’s checking.” All eyes were on me. “You know, you could have called this in rather than stand here in the snow hurling curses at one another.”
They exchanged stunned looks. Fuck, they really hadn’t considered the logical, reasonable option. I guess bitching at each other was the more desirable option.
I shook my head. “Seriously?”
“Hello?” The woman on the phone was back. “There seems to be an error. That property is not for lease. It’s been listed as unsafe by the city. I’ve canceled both approvals. Apology letters will be sent out to the concerned parties.”
“Thanks.” I hung up. “Neither of you gets the house. It’s a mistake and the city will be sending out apology notices.”
“There you go,” Curo said. “Now please leave.”
They stared at each other, both groups in a face-off, neither wanting to be the first to withdraw as if this were some kind of trick.
“Don’t make me move you.” Curo’s tone deepened in warning.
Magda sniffed and pulled up the hood of her coat. “This isn’t over.” She stalked off. The rest of the groups dispersed, but the nicer Sister of the Golden Apple lingered, her gaze on the building.
“Why do you guys want this place so badly?”
She turned to me with a frown. “You don’t feel it?” A beatific smile lit up her face. “We didn’t either, not until a month ago. The leylines are strong on this spot. So strong that our artifacts will overflow. We can grow our Circle.” She hurried to join her sisters, leaving me staring up at the dead-looking building.
The snow had picked up, the wind beginning to howl.
“Shit,” Curo said. “Looks like a storm’s about to hit. We won’t make it back in time. Come on.” We hurried toward Drake.
“What do we do?”
“There’s an inn five minutes away. We can hole up there until it passes.” I climbed up behind him, locked my visor down, and held on for dear life as we roared away from the curb.
* * *
The inn was buzzingwith activity. It looked like everyone on the road had the same idea to camp out here and wait it out.
I stood shivering in the foyer. Five minutes in a blizzard and I was soaked through, teeth chattering as if they’d developed their own language.
Curo tore his helmet off, took one look at me, and then strode to reception. “I need two rooms.”
“I’m sorry, sir, with the storm and the influx of people we have only one room left.”
“I’ll take it.”
“What…” I joined him, speaking through gritted teeth. “Why do we need a room?”
“You need to get out of those wet clothes and into a hot shower.”
He had me at hot shower.
He paid for the room, took the key card, and steered me to the lifts.
I stood dripping water all over the floor as we rose to the second floor. He hurried down the hall, unlocked a door, and shoved it open to usher me inside.
“We need to get you some padded leathers,” he said. “That jacket isn’t good enough.”
