Page 56 of Quiver of Cobras
Suddenly I was unable to meet his eyes. That was weird. And uncomfortable. ‘I have pixie dust if you really want some,’ I offered, glad to change the subject. ‘I’m going to tell Rubus I gave it to you and you’re more than welcome to have it if you want. I don’t think you should take it but I also believe in free will. It’s your choice.’
Timmons’ expression was open with hungry desire. ‘Give it to me.’
I hesitated. ‘Are you sure?’
‘You just said it was my choice.’
‘It’s addictive. I just watched Lunaria go nuts in the middle of the street because of it. Rubus will have you over a barrel and—’
‘Please.’
I sighed. Fine. I passed him the bottle. ‘I’ll need to keep a bit back,’ I told him. ‘I’m supposed to go looking for Vandrake and get him to come back into the drug-addled fold.’
‘So I heard.’ He decanted a large quantity of the sparkly dust into a plastic container and passed the bottle back. ‘Paeonia called me. Vandrake’s gone to Morgan.’
I breathed out. Good. I’d be responsible for Timmons’ potential collapse – and Lunaria’s – but at least one faery was safe from my talons. ‘And Artemesia?’
Timmons slid over a piece of paper. ‘She’s here.’
I glanced down at the scrawled address, memorising it before passing it back. ‘Thanks.’
He cleared his throat. ‘She says that if you go anywhere near her with Lunaria in tow, she won’t have anything more to do with you.’
I nodded; I’d expected as much. I’d have been disappointed if she hadn’t threatened that.
‘She doesn’t want you inside her lab either.’
That was just stupid but I was sure I could persuade her otherwise. ‘I do appreciate your help,’ I told him.
Timmons looked at me without saying anything.
‘What?’ I asked.
He pursed his lips. ‘I’m waiting for the insult that follows.’
That was twice in one day that I’d been told to be meaner. I folded my arms and huffed. ‘I’m not going to insult you,’ I said. ‘There’s more to me than bitchiness. Besides,’ I added at Timmons’ incredulous expression, ‘I don’t want you to have to feel forced into turning the other cheek. It’s even more grotesque than the one I can see now.’
He spluttered but he also looked rather pleased. ‘You know,’ he told me, ‘word on the Fey street is that if you’ve not been personally slagged off by the Madhatter you’re not worthy of notice.’
I considered this before deciding to take it as a compliment. I’d heard worse. ‘I guess that’s just the sort of legend I am.’
I stood up and leaned over, kissing Timmons’ cheek. ‘Tell whoever you like about the insult. Tell anyone that I kissed your cheek and I’ll have your scrambled brains for breakfast.’
He looked utterly delighted. Gasbudlikins. I really was losing my touch.
***
‘Okey-dokey!’ I beamed at Lunaria, who was looking worse and worse by the minute. ‘It was right here where I saw Vandrake. All we need to do is search the streets and I’m sure we’ll find him. He uses the AA meetings in that church to stay clean so I’m betting he won’t venture far from here. He probably lives in the vicinity.’ I tapped my temple. ‘In fact, I have a great idea. The next meeting is scheduled for four o’clock. If we don’t find Vandrake before then, we can crash the AA and spike his coffee while we’re inside. There might even be other ex-dust addict faeries who attend. We’ll be able to nab them too.’
Lunaria shuffled her feet but she didn’t say anything. I’d have to push just a little bit harder. Hopefully not too hard.
‘Last time,’ I confided, ‘I thought I saw some kids hanging around. Pixie dust doesn’t work on human adults but I bet no one’s tried it on human kids. Their biology is different. There’s probably enough dust left for us to reel Vandrake back in and experiment on a few kiddies. It’s better to get them while they’re young.’
Lunaria turned a shade paler but she still didn’t say anything. This was getting ridiculous. I knew from her daft shenanigans about Rubus that she didn’t often stand up for herself but I’d just suggested we gatecrash an AA meeting to peddle our wares to the people trying desperately to stay clean and that we pressgang children into trying dust too. Lunaria wasn’t a bad person; she was, as she’d so doubtfully said herself, a ‘good faery’ at heart. What exactly would it take to make her fight back?
I shook the bag containing the bottle of dust. ‘Yummy yummy dust,’ I cooed. ‘We should come up with a tagline. All the best firms do it. Yummy yummy dust. It will take away your … rust.’ I frowned. ‘It’s not the best. Can you do any better?’
‘Actually, Madrona,’ Lunaria said weakly, as she passed a limp hand across her forehead, ‘I’m not feeling very well. Do you think you can manage without me?’
