Katie MacAlister - Playing with Fire

‘‘Hmm. We’ll have to go scout it out and see if the renters have arrived. Let’s hope not, because it’ll make life so much easier if we can use their gardens to get into Dr. Kostich’s.’’ I hoisted myself to my feet and rustled through my bag, pulling out what Cyrene called my cat burglar outfit-black pants, shoes, and shirt, topped with a leather bodice containing several inner pockets, and a small dagger that I wore at my ankle.

‘‘I still don’t see why you’re going to all this trouble when you could simply pop the quintessence thingie in the mail to Dr. Kostich,’’ Cyrene said as she plopped down on the bed.

I disappeared into the bathroom, one eye on the clock as I quickly changed clothes. ‘‘For one thing, I’d never mail something so valuable. You don’t seem to understand just how important quintessence is to alchemists-it’s the above and below.’’

‘‘Huh?’’

‘‘Everything. It’s everything to them, everything they strive for, everything they want to achieve, everything they want to know. It is the living thing that breathes life into all their processes. I didn’t actually think it existed until I saw it. Its importance demands that I replace it where I found it.’’

‘‘Pooh. I say let the mage go without it.’’

‘‘Cy, you don’t seem to understand-this isn’t just an ordinary mage. This is Dr. Kostich, the man who runs the entire L’au-delà. And let me tell you, there are a lot of other things I’d rather do than mess with the guy who leads the Otherworld.’’

‘‘He doesn’t rule naiads,’’ she said indignantly. ‘‘We’re elemental spirits!’’

‘‘And naiads are a part of the L’au-delà. Since Kostich heads up the committee that rules it, that means he has the power to affect even you.’’

‘‘Oh, how bad can he be? He’s a mage,’’ she said dismissively. ‘‘They’re all about arcane magic, and that doesn’t affect you or me.’’

I emerged from the bathroom, tucking my knife into its sheath before donning the leather bodice. ‘‘No, it doesn’t, but there’s something he can do that is very much a problem.’’

‘‘Oh? What?’’

‘‘He has thief takers after me now, Cy.’’

Her eyes opened wide.

I nodded at her look of horror. ‘‘Do you think the mysterious Mei Ling is going to remain so very mysterious with a couple of thief takers on her butt? They’ll track me down in less time than it takes you to get dressed unless I get Kostich to call them off.’’

‘‘I don’t quite see how you’re going to arrange that,’’ she said, frowning as I lay prone on the floor, reaching under the heavy oak dresser to find the small box I’d taped to its underside.

‘‘That’s the easy part. He’ll do anything to get the quintessence back, even calling off the thief takers. The hard part…’’ I got to my feet and tucked the precious invisible box away in my bodice. ‘‘The hard part is going to be getting to him. He’s sure to have tons of security after last night, and I can’t trust the quintessence to anyone but him. You know what you have to do?’’

‘‘I’m the distraction. I show up at the front door and attract everyone’s attention while you slip in the back via the garden connecting to the rental house next door. Then you find Dr. Kostich, give him back the thingie, and assumably have him call off the thief takers.’’ Her face was unhappy for a moment before a sunny smile broke through. ‘‘You need me, May. You really need my help.’’

I smiled back. ‘‘Kind of mind-boggling, isn’t it?’’

‘‘Unprecedented, but it won’t be the last time, you’ll see,’’ she promised, gathering up her things as I headed toward the door. ‘‘I’m taking a vow. This blackmail is the last time I will cause you any trouble. From here on out, things are going to change. I’ll be the best twin you ever had, see if I’m not!’’

It’s kind of scary how declarations of that sort come back to haunt you.

‘‘This is ridiculous. I can’t… oooph… urgh… can’t get in… ow! Stop pulling my hair; that’s not going to do any good!’’

‘‘Sorry. I was just trying to help.’’ Cyrene stood in the open doorway and frowned at me as I struggled to enter. ‘‘I didn’t have any problem walking through it. What do you think the matter is?’’

‘‘It’s… warded… gah.’’ I gave up trying to shove myself through the ward, panting with exertion.

‘‘Warded? Oh, one of those drawn spells that Summoners and Guardians use? The sisterhood doesn’t hold with those.’’

‘‘There are a lot of other beings in the L’au-delà, Cy. Even if the naiads don’t see the use in warding places, most of the rest of the Otherworld does. Diviners, oracles, Guardians-they all use wards. Ow.’’ I stopped and rubbed my head where it had hit the wood of the door. ‘‘Why couldn’t a mage have taken the house? Arcane magic has no effect on me, but this… Someone who really knows wards drew this one. I can’t get through it.’’

‘‘Why can I get through it?’’ Cyrene asked, puzzled.

‘‘You’re not bound to a demon lord,’’ I said succinctly, and backed up a few steps to survey the front of the house. ‘‘Why would a rental agency ward a house?’’

‘‘To keep dark beings out? Not that you’re a dark being, but you work for one… which I’m really, really sorry about…’’

I made an impatient gesture to cut off yet another apology, and examined the windows. ‘‘I just don’t understand why a rental agency would take that sort of precaution. I wonder if it has something to do with Dr. Kostich living next door? Perhaps he arranged for the wards?’’

‘‘That could be,’’ Cyrene said thoughtfully. ‘‘Although why would he care about this house?’’

I shrugged and continued my examination. The property consisted of a two-story stone house, covered in pink and red flowering bougainvilleas and climbing ivy, flanked on either side by a tall white fence. I eyed a fig tree branch that hung over the fence. ‘‘I don’t suppose it really matters. I need to check out Dr. Kostich’s garden. You stay put while I go take a quick look.’’

‘‘I’m not going to stay here while you have all the covert fun! I’ll go, too.’’

I gave her a little push back into the house. ‘‘Fine, but you don’t have to climb the fence with me. Go out to the back garden. Use your flashlight, and don’t turn on any lights in case a security guard is doing a drive-by. I’ll meet you out back.’’

Her brow wrinkled. ‘‘May… what if the people who rented the house show up?’’

‘‘It’s after midnight, and it’s a good hour’s drive from the airport, so I think it’s safe to say that no one will be arriving here tonight.’’ I grabbed the keys from the front door and tossed them to her. ‘‘I guess it’s good we borrowed these, given the trouble the wards are posing me. I’ll have to return the keys to the rental agency in the morning before they notice they’re gone.’’

It took me a couple of tries to get over the tall fence, but I managed it without damaging much more than my ego. I limped through the back garden, a wonderland of citrus, olive, and fig trees that bordered immaculately groomed lawns, a small swimming pool, and long terraced stretches that led down to the shore. The night air was heavy with the scent of lemon and orange blossoms mingling with the tangy breeze that lifted from the sea a few hundred yards away. It was a tiny bit of paradise, and I paused for a moment, breathing deeply and wishing to the depths of my soul that I could turn my back on everything and live quietly in this beautiful garden.