Page 96 of Suffer No Fools
"Belt." Klaus pointed. "Take it off."
She snorted. "It's an illusion to make my clothes look like they fit better." She took off the belt. She still had a thin athletic figure, but there was a bit of roundness her belt had concealed. "Do you want me to remove the rest? Maybe do a cavity search?"
"Gods, no." Vadim shook his head. "Beatrice said ... and I thought ..."
"I'm paranoid," Bea said. "You know this. Doesn't hurt to check, though. I'll do the cavity search."
Fanidra laughed. "The hell you will. I'd consider it an attack. Do you really want to test your will against mine? I've got nothing to hide. I am not ..." She glanced around the platform, first at Bea, then Stan, then Klaus and Vadim. "I don't even know what you're searching for. What's happened?"
"Frost is dead," Stan said.
Allora gasped. "No! What happened? He was just here, looking for Elsie!"
"Someone turned his essence into an enchantment to make it look like he was alive and then sent his undead corpse after us."
"An enchantment?" Allora shook her head. "Using a weaver's essence in an enchantment and then turning them undead ... there is nothing worse."
Fanidra paled and rubbed at the white stubble at her temples. "That gentle old man? Why would anyone want to hurt him?"
"We were hoping you could tell us." Vadim rested his hands on his hips, and she flinched.
"Coryn's spectral weaver. She's the only one who could. Lou was amazed she could turn seekers into these charms, but to do the same with a weaver's core ... where is it?"
"I accidentally dropped it when the fucker bit Vadim." Klaus shuddered at the memory.
"Bit you?" She looked him over. "Healing has its benefits. I'm surprised you're still on your feet. Their bite is toxic and can kill within minutes."
Vadim explained how Yvette taught him how to heal the undead's necrotic bites after one bit Jasmine.
"Is she all right?" Fanidra asked. "She's such a dear."
"She won't let me get a good look at it, but as far as I can tell, yes."
Fanidra laughed. "She's fine, then. That's good. Now to fix the enchantment you broke. Allora?"
She nodded. "We'll need a dustpan."
Stan bowed his head. "That's my cue to leave."
He stumbled home and somehow made his way into the bath without hitting his head. He had drifted off when Tovey grabbed him under the arms and pulled him to his feet. In a swift move of air and earth, Tovey shifted him from the tub and handed him a towel.
"How are you awake?" Stan asked.
"Couldn't sleep without you." Tovey met his gaze and grinned before covering his head with another towel and scrubbing furiously at his hair.
"How's Hugo?" Stan asked once he'd wrestled control of the towel.
"Sad. I think he's blocking me, which is strange. I want to help, but he won't let me in."
Stan hadn't heard Hugo's thoughts, but he had assumed it was because of his exhaustion.
"We'll have to make it up to him."
Stan expected to find Hugo asleep, but he sat propped on the pillows, staring out the window at the bright afternoon sky. Stan was tempted to pull the curtains shut, to blot out the sun. He craved darkness to match his emotions.
He lay flat on his back, his head far from the line of pillows. Tovey crawled in beside him, and Hugo scooted down to use him as a pillow, instead. He looped his arms around Stan's neck and sobbed. Hugo's grief burned alongside Stan's, hot and sharp compared to his dull ache.
Hugo was so young. He hadn't known Frost long, but their friendship had been quick and easy. Hugo didn't have many friends, and the loss of one hurt, especially like this.
