Page 61 of Fiendish Delights
After asking several tired, harassed members of staff, I found the right room and reassured the nurse on duty at the front desk that I wouldn’t be long.
There were four patients inside, each one strung up to IV tubes and beeping machines. Given the severity of theirconditions, Mud probably wouldn’t be in any state to hear what I had to say.
I located his bed in the far-right corner. To my surprise, although his eyes were closed he looked much healthier than he had the first time I’d met him and his chest was rising and falling regularly. Some of my anxiety eased; Mud was in the right place. He’d probably needed some proper medical intervention for a long time, regardless of any fiend attacks.
Unsure if he was asleep or merely resting, I slipped towards his bed and sat down on the plastic chair next to it. He immediately started to speak, although his eyes remained closed. ‘Daisy Carter must be here with news,’ he whispered. ‘But is the news good? Or is it dreadful?’
I stared at him. How did he know it was me? I’d never heard of witches possessing telepathic visual power. And given the lack of herbal plants in the sterile hospital ward – and his medical issues – I couldn’t imagine even a witch like Mud McAlpine using any magic.
‘Mud knows only one user of spider’s silk, and Mud knows what spider’s silk smells like.’ He opened one eye to look at me. From the glimmer of amusement I saw there, he was delighted that he’d effectively read my mind.
‘What does it smell like?’ I asked, fascinated. I’d never been able to scent anything beyond a very faint chemical smell.
‘Rot,’ he replied simply.
I grimaced, wishing I hadn’t asked. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Lord Hugo Pemberville is not here,’ he said.
No, I hadn’t told Hugo I was coming; this was something I wanted to do alone. ‘Are you recovering?’
‘Where is the mythical treasure?’
‘Mr McAlpine?—’
He wrinkled his nose. ‘Mud is fine. Mud is feeling great. Mudwill soon be doing the can-can.’ He lifted his head an inch off the pillow then a flash of pain crossed his face and he fell back again. Mud would certainly not be doing the can-can any time soon.
I gave in to the inevitable and told him what he wanted to know. ‘We found the treasure.’
Both his eyes were suddenly wide open. He scanned my face before reading enough in my expression to understand what was happening. ‘But Daisy Carter does not have it now.’
‘No.’
‘Lord Hugo Pemberville does not have it now.’
‘No. I’m sorry.’
He sagged against the white pillow. The healthy aura he’d possessed when I’d walked in seemed to be fading away by the second. ‘Who has it? Who took it?’
‘Not a fiend,’ I said quickly. ‘It was a dragon.’
His head jerked. ‘Dragons only care for gold,’ he whispered. ‘It was the chess set. Daisy Carter found the chess set. None of the other mythical treasure is golden.’
I could say one thing for Mud: he certainly knew his stuff. ‘Yes,’ I said quietly. ‘It was the chess set.’
A weary smile lit his face. ‘Mud wishes he could have been there.’
‘It was amazing.’ Until it wasn’t. I drew in a breath. ‘But we don’t have the chess set now. The dragon has it.’ I leaned forward. ‘Dragons are big and scary.’ I touched the singed edges of my hair. ‘And they have a lot of fire at their disposal. Special fire. Dragon fire. A fiend wouldn’t attempt to go against a dragon.’ I paused. ‘Right? The chess set is safe?’
Mud’s eyes met mine then looked away. ‘Fiends are not afraid of fire, Daisy Carter. You already know that. Even dragon fire poses little challenge. The risk for a fiend is easily worth the reward, and they will risk a great deal for one of the thirteenmythical treasures. Dragons are strong but they are far from invincible.’
He sighed. ‘Lord Hugo Pemberville promised he would look for the treasure. He did not break that promise. This is not his fault. Nor is it Daisy Carter’s.’
I stared at him for a long moment. ‘This isn’t over yet, Mr McAlpine. No fiend will get their grubby mitts on that chess set – and no dragons will be harmed.’ Not if I had anything to do with it.
Otis and Hester were waiting outside, flitting anxiously around the main entrance and causing palpitations in the hospital visitors who noticed them.
‘Well?’ Hester demanded. ‘What did he say?’
