We settled down at the little table in the corner and dug in. The kebab was the best I’d ever had, and I swallowed with delight before talking. “Is there magic in this?”
“Probably.” She shrugged. “It’s not exactly legal—not here in Guild City, at least. But I think they’ve cut a deal with the Devil.”
“The same Devil I just spoke to?”
“Yeah. That’s the one. He’s not government, but with the power he has, he might as well be.”
“And the kebab place got his permission to put magic in the food? Like some special ingredient?”
“Yeah. The Council of Guilds—that’s our actual government, by the way—restricts most magic use. But the Devil can get around their rules by convincing the right people of the right things. Or threatening them. And if you want to get around their rules, too, you pay him, and he makes it happen.”
“So he’s like some kind of criminal kingpin.”
She shrugged again. “Basically. And maybe a murderer. Hopefully, Eve will finish that truth potion soon.”
I leaned back in the chair, my stomach full. It should have made me content, but stress over the murder kept me on edge. “I need to sneak into the morgue. It’s my only clue.”
Mac nodded. “I’m wary of your source, but he’s got a point. It’s worth checking out.”
I chewed on my lip. “Yeah, but how? I’m a wanted woman. My face will be all over the place.”
“We need to make you unrecognizable.”
“A makeover?”
“More like a disguise. Or invisibility, though that’s harder.”
“Does Eve have that stuff?” I was going to owe her a lot of favors.
“No. I mean, maybe she has some of it. But the people you really want to see are the witches.”
“The ones I’m not supposed to get on the bad side of?”
“Same ones. But sometimes, we need their help.”
“Can I trade them more favors?” I was throwing them around willy-nilly, but I needed to save my cash for living expenses, and somehow, it was easier to promise favors to be paid in the future. Maybe it was a bad idea, but it sure was easier. And why solve a problem today if I could solve it tomorrow?
“That’s what they’ll want, probably, yeah.” Mac looked out the window, and I followed her gaze. The sun had set, and it was darker outside. “It’s nearly the full moon. The witches will be having one of their masquerades tonight. We can sneak in, then try to sweet-talk them into helping us.”
Helping us. Gratitude w
elled inside of me. “Thanks, Mac. Seriously, from the bottom of my heart.”
“This is cool. And you’re cool. I don’t mind.” With that, she surged to her feet and clapped her hands. “All right. We need to get dressed up!”
I stood, grinning at her. Damned if this wasn’t cooler than my normal life.
8
The Devil
One by one, my muscles unfroze. The room was silent—the woman had been gone an hour, maybe more. Already, it felt like she had never been there. Her scent had left the air, along with the slight warmth she brought. The strangest sense of loss echoed through me, and I frowned.
Loss? Why the hell should I feel loss?
Why the hell should I feel anything at all?
But I did, and it was the oddest damn thing.