“Wasthisamagialreatureattak?”FelixturnedtoStramitz.“InthemiddleofdowntownEdinburgh?”

“Multiplebitemarksintheeiling,”Stramitzrepeated.Sheturnedawayfromthesorhedwallanditsbitemarksandfousedontheman—halftheman—onthebed.Thewoundpatternlookedfamiliar.Hewasn’ttorn—“Thatmanwasbitteninhalf.”

Felixbithislip.“Whatdoesthis?Aspell?A…dragon?”

“Theyhaveawitness,”Phillipsofferedwhenheamebakintothesuite.

“Ohyeah?”Felixarhedabrow.“Howbigarehisteeth?”

Thewitness—ArhieEversworn—wasaporterwhohadbeentetoworkandhadtakenhispreioustimemakinghisroundstohekonthepenthouseearlierthatm.Andhe’dalsomispedhisemployeemasterspellkeythatallowedhimintoanyroominthehotel.FelixtookpointontheinterviewandamedownonEverswornhard.Theporterwasi,Igorawasertain,buthewasdefinitelyhidingsomething.

“Thisdoesn’tlookgood,Arhie,”Felixrepeatedformaybethefifthtime.“Youweretetowork,tetohekonthesuiteinquestion,andyourspellkeyismissing?Itallseemsvery—”

“fluent,”Stramitznarrowedhereyesandtheporter’sgreeneyeswidened.

“Yeah,”Felixontinued.“Alotofpieesomingtogetherandpointingtoyou.”Everswornstaredathisfeet.FelixmetIgora’seyesandwaitedforherapprovalbeforementioningthespelllog.“Now,theseurityspellloggotsrambledintheminutesbeforeyousayyouenteredthepenthouse.Anyreasonyouanthinkof,Arhie,thattheseuritysystemwouldmalfuntionlikethat?”

“What?”theporterbreathed.“No,ofoursenot.”

Stramitztookastepforward.“Soyoudidn’tnotieanythingoutoftheordinaryonyourwayuptothepenthouse?”

Theportergulped,andStramitzthoughthelookedoddlyfamiliarwhenhestaredbakather.ShemadeanotetosendoutinquiriesonhimtoalltheotherDMLEoffiesbeforetheendoftheday.Eversworntookabreathandasked,“Didyouhavethelogforthefourteenthfloor?”

“Ijusttoldyouthelogsweresrambled.Now,didsomethinghappenonthefourteenthfloor,Arhie?”

“Yes,”hesaid,thenshookhishead.“No,”herushed.“Imean,er…maybe?”

Igorastoppedherselffromsmiling.“Youdorealizeyoustatedeverypossibleresponsetothequestion?”

“Sowhihisit?”Felixsaid.

Everswornhuffed.“No,Ididn’tseeanything.”

“Don’tleavetown,Mr.Eversworn.”Igoraraisedherbrows.

“I—Iwon’t.”

Ontheirwayoutofthehotel,Phillipsaskedifthey’dgotanythingoutofthewitness.Igorabrushedhimoff,buthepersisted.“Youdidn’ttellmehowyourasewasoedtothis—thisi,”Phillipsstuttered.

“Wedidn’t,”Igoraagreed.

Felixturnedaround,rollinghiseyesather.“Themaninthebedroom,”hesaid.

Phillipsblinked.“MarwanZivantus?”

“Wearewthemissingpersonsaseforhisdaughter,BertrieZivantus.”

“Andyouthinkit’spossiblethetwoasesareoed?”Phillips’faesrunhedindisbelief.

Stramitzraisedherbrow.“RihPureblood’sdaughtergoesmissingandaweekterhe’skilledin—”shemotionedobtusely“—anoddlybizarreandviolentmanner?”

“It’sprobablethetwoisarereted,”Felixofferedandthenwalkedaway.

Theyheadedbaktotheoffie,andIgoraknewtheyneededtomakesuretheasestayedintheirontrol.ShebarkedoutalistofthingsforFelixtofinish,sentoutherinquiriestotheotherDMLEoffies,andrequisitionedalltheneessarysuppliesforalonghaulstakeout.WhenArhieEverswornfinishedhisshift,they’dbereadytofindoutwhathewasmostdefinitelyhiding.

Harryouldn’tbelieveit.Ronwasgoingtokillhim.He’dsomehowmanagedtosrewuphisfirsteverassig.Eightmonths,eightbloodymonths,ompletelywasted.AshewalkedbaktoTravertel,heallowedhimselfonesmallbeaonofhope.Maybehe’dbeabletosalvagesomething.Maybetherewasstillahane,anotherangle,anotherjob—

TheehoesofhisoionwithValentinemadehimringe.

“Theythinkit’soedtosomethingbigger,”thehotelmanagerwhisperedastheywathedIigatorsZahaandStramitzleave.

Harryblinked,unsurewhatheshouldorshouldn’tsay.Hewasstillquestioninghisdeisiontomaintainhisoverdespitehisinstints—internallysreamingheneededtodosomething.Buttherewasalsoasuspiioninhisgutthattoldhimthatwhathappenedinthepenthousehadnothingtodowithhisase.Therewasalsothesenefromthefourteenthfloorwhihstillhadhimreeling.“Like…riminals?”

Valentinesrunhedhisfaeandgaveaslightshakeofhishead.“No.Say…whileyouwereinthere,didyouseeanytypeofanimal?”

“Animal?”Tobeho,Harrywasn’tsureofanythingthathesaw.Theywalkedtotheemployeelokerroomandstopped.“Likeadog?”Harryblurted.Thenherememberedthekneazle.Beforeheouldsayanything,Valentinehadraisedhishand.

“No,notadog.”ValentinestudiedHarryandthenabruptlyadded,“Also,you’refired.”

“What?”Harryburst.“Why?”

Valentinebeganwalkingbaktohisoffie,andHarryfollowed.“You’rejusttooinvolvedinthis,”theoldermanreplied.

“Iwasjustdoingmyjob!”Harrysaid,tryingnottoraisehisvoie.

“Thatremainstobeseen.”Valentineblinkedbakathim.

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