They silently watched as the trio paused at the Adams Street stoplight a block away.
Cassie’s eyes narrowed to slits. “That fossil is planning to double-cross us.”
The scrivener laughed wryly. “It’s hard to summon up a proper sense of righteous indignation when we’re arranging a betrayal of our own.”
“Yeah, but we’re the good guys.” The pythia’s voice held a note of outraged innocence.
Her partner cocked an amused eyebrow. “I’m quite sure Mr. Metcalf would say the same about himself.”
Chapter 6—Smoke and Mirrors
Cassie and Griffin stood hesitantly before the chatelaine’s office door. The pythia gave her partner a wry glance. “Brace yourself. Here goes nothing.” She knocked tentatively. “Maddie, can we come in?”
Rather than the Arkana’s resident Amazon, the door was opened by a spiky-haired teenager. “Oh, hi guys. C’mon in.”
“Zach! What are you doing here?” the scrivener asked in surprise.
The duo stepped into the room.
“Maddie has me organizing some budget reports.”
“Have you seen Faye today?” the pythia asked softly. The memory guardian was still comatose in the vault infirmary.
“Yeah.” Zach’s shoulders sagged. “Same old, same old. I hate seeing Gamma like that. Alive but not alive. When is she gonna snap out of it?”
“You know the doctors had to induce a coma to avert the risk of permanent brain damage,” Griffin reminded him.
“Give it time, kid,” the pythia counseled. “It might be a month or more before the swelling comes down. Faye took a nasty tumble during the Nephilim raid. In fact, we’re lucky she’s alive at all. She needs time to heal.” Cassie paused and sighed ruefully. “Considering how hard we’ve been slammed in the last few weeks, I think we all need time to heal.” She stepped forward and gave the boy a hug.
He returned the embrace gratefully. “Gamma will be alright. I know it. She’s a tough old lady.”
“She is that,” Cassie agreed.
Scanning the office, Griffin asked, “Would you happen to know the whereabouts of our chatelaine?”
“She’s up in the chimney.” Zach referred to Maddie’s personal smoking lounge in the converted bell tower that capped the building. “Have you guys noticed that she’s been smoking more lately?” He peered at them earnestly. “I think everything that’s happened has sent her around the bend.”
“Oh, this is nothing,” Cassie countered. She traded a significant glance with Griffin. “You’ll know when Maddie’s gone completely around the bend.”
Undeterred, Zach persisted. “Seriously. Somebody needs to have a long talk with her about quitting cigarettes.”
“NO!” Both Cassie and Griffin shouted in unison.
“Jeez, you guys,” the tyro muttered. “It was just a suggestion.”
“And it’s an excellent one,” the scrivener agreed diplomatically. “But perhaps we should defer your proposal until after this Nephilim business has been sorted out.”
“Promise us you won’t say anything to Maddie til then,” Cassie insisted urgently. “Okay?”
“Okay, whatever,” Zach agreed warily. “But I don’t get what the big deal is.”
“If you want the scoop on what happened last time she quit, ask one of the other tyros about the war club incident,” Cassie advised him.
The boy’s eyes darted to the massive wooden club resting against the back wall. “Oh.” He hastily changed the subject. “So, did you talk to that diviner dude?”
“Yup. That’s why we’re here,” Cassie informed him. “To figure out a strategy with Maddie, assuming she’s willing to cooperate.”
“We’ll just go up to the chimney and speak with her there.” Griffin turned on his heel.
“Great! I’m going with.” Zach darted past the scrivener and out the door.
Cassie eyed her partner and shrugged.
Griffin shook his head and fell in line behind the others.
They took the elevator to the second floor, traveled through the corridor of empty offices and conference rooms, and climbed the spiral staircase at the far end.
The scent of cigarette smoke hit Cassie’s nostrils before they were halfway up. “Oh, wow.” She waved her hand in front of her face and coughed.
“See, I told you she’s smoking more,” Zach murmured from behind her.
The pythia paused at the top of the steps, steeling herself for an uncomfortable encounter. The last words she’d spoken to Maddie during the Circle assembly nearly resulted in a punch in the face. With false bravado, she strode into the bell tower. “Hey, Maddie. How’s it going?”
The chatelaine was sitting on a couch by the front picture windows, one arm slung over the back of the sofa, contemplating the view as she puffed away at a half-smoked cigarette. She turned with a start. “You!” she barked accusingly.
“Me.” The pythia smiled sheepishly. “And Griffin too.”
The scrivener came to stand beside her. “We were hoping to have a word with you.”
The chatelaine snorted. “I couldn’t stop you if I wanted to. Michel Khatabi and his delegation made it pretty clear that the Circle voted in your favor. Everybody seems to think I should fall in with whatever hare-brained scheme the two of you have cooked up.”
Cassie crossed the room and took a seat in an armchair near the couch. Griffin claimed a chair opposite her.
Zach slid into the room, presumably wishing to remain invisible.
“I see you brought your mascot,” Maddie remarked sarcastically.
“He is an interested party in what we have to say,” Griffin reminded her.
“Fine.” Maddie ground out her cigarette in an ashtray on the coffee table. “I’m listening.” She shifted to sit forward and face them. “Sit down, kid,” she commanded.
Zachary dragged a chair closer to the group and plopped down wordlessly.
“We met with the Nephilim yesterday,” Cassie began.
Maddie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You did what?” She seemed more intrigued than angry now. “How did you manage that?”
Cassie and Griffin recounted the various events which had occurred after Maddie stormed out of the Circle convocation: the decision to use the labrys key as bait, Daniel’s unexpected offer of assistance, and the meeting in Federal Plaza.
Once they’d finished, the chatelaine said nothing for several moments. She drummed her long, lacquered nails on one knee while considering the facts. Then she reached for her pack of cigarettes, lit a fresh one and took a long drag
