Page 67 of The Mirror and the Curse
But no matter what, she could do something special for Kai. Something he would never do for himself.
After a morning spent babysitting her brother, Eddi steeled her resolve to seek out Geoff Bryant, the oddball staff member who would supposedly protect her from another magical attack. To date, his prevention score was zero, but she hadn’t died yet. Why not offer the saboteur one more chance? If her father knew about the most recent “event,” he would never allow her to fly, so Eddi kept her mouth shut.
The gray-bearded dwarf who had manned the resort’s front desk for as long as Eddi could remember beamed a smile as she approached the lobby desk. “Your Highness, how good to see you today! I’m sure you’re enjoying having your complete royal family here at last.”
“Yes, Mr. Sten.” Eddi smiled. “I spent the morning with my baby brother. He’s grown up so much over the summer!”
“Delightful.” Sten’s dark eyes twinkled. “Now, how may I help you?”
“I need to talk with Geoff Bryant about an important matter. Is he available today? It isn’t an emergency, so I didn’t feel free to summon him with my wristband.”
“Certainly, certainly. I will call him to the front desk for you.”
Five minutes passed before the Magical-Creature Controller entered the front doors. Blinking at the sight of his seriously ugly face, Eddi realized she was seeing a glamour too powerful for her eyes to penetrate even with Kammy’s imparted magical ability. Briefly she wondered exactly what he was hiding. Not that it mattered.
After the obligatory greetings, she drew him aside to ask, “Would it be possible to anonymously enter Kai and Flurry, his winged horse, in the maiden-filly race on Saturday?”
Geoff’s lips curled upward, his eyes seemed to penetrate hers, and she felt her face go hot. “The entry fee is rather high . . .” he said, raising one brow. His rich, mellow voice seemed familiar . . . but then, she had heard him speak with Kai in the Vetrician gardens.
“I will pay it. Just . . . don’t tell anyone.”
“Cash would be the only sure way to keep it anonymous.”
“How much?”
He named the sum, a high one, but she had that much and more on her; she had scarcely touched her spending money for the summer.
“Okay. Um, how do we do this?” She glanced around, wondering how to hand it over without attracting attention. Her father’s accountants usually handled things like this—she told them which races she wanted to enter, and they did everything else.
As a group of people passed, giving them curious looks, Geoff said, “I can return with the pizzas by seven o’clock, no earlier,” and yet . . . at the same time she clearly heard him say, “Will you trust me to take only the amount of the fee?”
It was magic, of course. Only she heard his real question.
“That would be most satisfactory.” She handed over her little purse.
As he accepted it, still jabbering about pizza, she heard a quick summary of his plans for her protection before and during the race. Then, with a worried frown, he added, “After examining your saddle band, I am confident of the culprits’ identities, but I must catch one of them in the act . . . and I’m not entirely certain how to make this come about without subjecting you to another attack. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, yet I cannot entirely guarantee your safety.”
Them?As in, more than one suspect? She couldn’t think of a way to ask for details, but what did it really matter? Kai trusted him. “Pick whatever toppings you like. I’m good with it.”
His appreciative smile revealed crooked teeth, and he bowed with surprising grace. “Seven. Tonight. At your door.”
“Excellent.” Eddi turned away, hoping she looked like a princess who had just ordered pizza delivery rather than one who’d just agreed to risk her life to catch a villain.
When Geoff returned her purse at her door that evening, he gave her another of his shrewd smiles. “You may speak freely; I set a spell to conceal our conversation. I delivered the ‘pizza.’ Also took the liberty of paying part of the entry fee. Hope you’ll forgive me—I needed to be part of this. Great surprise for a truly deserving friend.”
Eddi wanted to protest, but since Kai wouldn’t know who’d given it to him anyway, what did it matter?
“Now my job is to make sure he uses the gift,” Geoff added. “The filly race is the last race before the Cup, which will make it difficult for you to watch.”
“I should be able to see most of it from near my pavilion.”
“Got it. I’ll set protective spells around you beforehand. Just make sure you and your horse are ready well ahead of time. Although I don’t have final say on Race Week arrangements, I’ll do my best to arrange for your pavilion to be close to the playing field.”
Two good things followed Eddi’s interactions with Geoff Bryant: Kai did agree to fly in the race, and Geoff was true to his word in that White’s pavilion stood in the second aisle from the service road, only three rows up from the grandstands and announcers’ tables, and its main entrance faced away from the road, providing more privacy from the throngs of guests. Just a short walk down the aisle allowed Eddi an excellent view of both the starting field and the brand-new viewing screens on which fans and guests could watch most of each race instead of only its beginning and end. Tirador’s pavilion was in the first aisle, so Eddi could avoid encountering Raquel without too much effort. She had been less pleased to discover that Flurry’s pavilion stood directly across the aisle from hers, but White’s delight in having his friend near made this bearable.
Kai’s manner toward Eddi since he rescued her was affable, yet it was a pale shadow of all they had shared earlier in the summer. The careful emotional distance he maintained stabbed her like a unicorn’s horn through the heart, and at times she thought he outright despised her now. Knowing that she might see him any time she looked out the front flap of her pavilion was a kind of torture.
Nevertheless, she would watch his race. She had to. If Kai moved on to another job after this summer season ended, she might never see him again. With an effort, she pushed that thought away. There would be plenty of time to mope in days to come.
