Later that night,long after the appropriate hour for her to be moving outside of her rooms, Cricket snuck silently to her father’s office. Her wings were glamoured away so she wouldn’t leave any dust behind her, and instead of her usual bright colors, she wore all black. She didn’t want anyone to notice her creeping along the corridors, not for this.
Careful to step over the places she knew creaked, the floorboards old enough to cause sound with movement, she reached the office and carefully turned the knob. Thank the Fade her father wasn’t worried for his privacy in his own home because the door was unlocked and swung open on silent hinges.
Cricket slipped inside and closed the door behind her, easing it until it barely clicked. Still, because it echoed, she waited for the sound to fade and listened for any other movements before turning to the office.
The ledgers were kept in the glass paneled bookcase to the right, the floor to ceiling shelf completely full of leather-bound books. They held all the active favors and debts to the Snapdragon family. There were so many of the books, she took a moment to breath and hope she could find what she was looking for quickly. They were organized by year more than anything else, but that was about it. The possibility of this taking too long to be beneficial were high, but Cricket was determined to try. There was a month before the next Race Game, and the deadline for entry was looming close. She had to find a teammate and get things together before then.
Opening the glass case, she pulled out a book at random and began flipping through it, searching for anyone who might be a good teammate. So many fae were listed, so many owing her father something for small things, but none of the favors she saw were large enough to trade. Besides, the fae would be too afraid and would likely betray her despite the favor being called in. For fae, they’d fear her father more than her. She skipped any elf or demon, knowing those were dead ends before they ever began. The first book proved to have nothing of use.
Grabbing a book from higher up, Cricket flipped it open and read the date of twenty-five years prior. At least this could prove fruitful maybe if she found the right partner.
Again, Cricket skipped any fae, elf, or demon. There weren’t many vampires in the books and even then, she wasn’t sure if sitting in the same car with a vampire was a good idea. Fae blood was potent, and most vampires wouldn’t be able to resist.
“Come on,” she whispered under her breath, flipping through the pages desperately. There had to be someone in the books who would be a good partner and wouldn’t betray her.
She was so focused on flipping the pages, she nearly missed him, but when she realized what she’d done, she eagerly went back a few pages and stared at the photo of a scowling man.
Radley Whiteclaw, alpha of the Chesapeake Wolf Can.
An alpha would be smart and powerful. He’d certainly be brave, and he’d most likely want to settle the debt. It would count no matter if he settled it with her or someone else. It was tied to the family, not to her father.
Determined, she took out her phone and took a picture of the entire entry for Radley Whiteclaw, making sure to get his address and everything she could. The image of him scowling had her pausing. Perhaps she wouldn’t so well-received, but he couldn’t hurt her, not when he owed a debt to the Snapdragons, some magic put into place long ago when someone thought to kill the person they owed a debt to. Now, it was common practice for the binding contract.
Closing the book and slipping it back into its place, Cricket carefully set everything else back to order and slipped out of the office with none the wiser.
She had her partner. She just had to convince him to navigate.