Page 106 of Playing with Fire

Fortunately for everyone involved, Kevin’s truck had an extended cab. I took the man’s keys, loaded the box with the phoenix feathers into the back, and got behind the wheel.

Only an idiot would join me, but I had somehow found five of them. Kevin and the three cops opted for the backseats while Quinn’s grandfather took shotgun. I cracked up laughing at the loud but brief argument over how four men would fit on a bench made for three. The two losers were Chief Hollands and his youngest cop.

“Perhaps one of you would like to stay here,” I suggested.

“No,” they snapped.

Chief Hollands ended up sitting on his cop’s lap, and I considered it a miracle I didn’t laugh in their faces. I turned around first. “Buckle up, boys.”

A chorus of curses in the back made me smile, but they obeyed.

Kevin’s truck rumbled to life, and I followed the pink, glittery glow. Since I was using a map as a focal point, my magic would hopefully acknowledge the existence of roads. Maybe one day I’d figure out why it worked.

Then again, maybe I wouldn’t. It was magic, after all.

The trail of pink, glowing chalk led me far from civilization, up a mountain, through a river, and into the woods. The ‘river’ was only a few inches deep, but that didn’t stop me from singing annoying Christmas songs to irk my passengers.

Grandma apparently lived in a stone fortress. I whistled. “Who the hell builds a three-story gothic mausoleum out in the middle of nowhere? Are those gargoyles on the roof?”

“Those are called crenelations, darling girl. And no, those would be petrified incubi and succubi.” Quinn’s grandfather sighed. “How is it my grandson discovered a wayfinder and married her without realizing what she is? How is this even possible?”

Kevin snickered. “Probably the way the CDC had no idea what she was for a decade. You’re no vanilla human, Mrs. Quinn. How naughty of you. Don’t do it again—and come in for a proper evaluation of your talents.”

I had a feeling Kevin would be added to the short list of people I actually liked. “Non-invasive evaluation?”

“We save the invasive evaluations for those with immunities.”

I narrowed my eyes and turned in my seat to glare at the man. “Remember, Kevin. I turn into a unicorn and can breathe fire.”

“I don’t believe in unicorns.”

Annoyance and amusement waged a cruel war, and I ended up cracking a grin. “When you have the seat of your pants lit on fire by an angry unicorn, remember it’s your fault for your lack of belief.”

“You’re going to be so entertaining to evaluate.”

“Any evaluations will have to wait until after she gets her extravagant honeymoon with her groom.”

“What honeymoon?” After killing the engine and pocketing the keys, I shot a glare at my grandfather-in-law. “I was unaware there was going to be a honeymoon.”

“I may have suggested little Samuel plan something nice to distract him. It kept him from attempting to kill people for not finding you faster.”

Kevin chuckled. “Still, I’m pretty impressed, Bailey. That’s the nicest piece of wayfinding magic I’ve seen in my entire life. Direct, best route, no detours, and you even used the roads efficiently. That’s something special.”

I blushed. “Really? It’s not magic. It’s a curse. We’re going to walk inside and bad things will happen. Actually, only the gorgon is coming inside with me. He’s expendable.”

In reality, he was immune to gorgon dust, but I didn’t want to risk anyone else being exposed.

“I regret my inability to petrify your tongue.”

“My life is complete. I have annoyed a gorgon king. Come on, Your Most Royal Majesty, Archambault Quinn. If you end up petrified, I won’t laugh too hard while I’m dumping neutralizer on your statue. Then again, you would make a pretty decoration. Curse you and your family’s good looks. I’m a crow stuck among peacocks. This is not fair.” I threw open the truck door, jumped out, and retrieved the phoenix feathers from the back. Tucking them under my arm, I marched towards the doors.

Quinn’s grandfather was nice enough to close the driver’s side door for me before following me. “Have you had a psychiatric evaluation yet? If you haven’t, you should have one.”

Nice. I’d been deemed insane by a member of the crazy Quinn menagerie. “Says the gorgon following me into a building contaminated with gorgon dust. I’ll laugh so hard if you end up a statue. I’ll never let you forget it. I will call you in the middle of the night, and when you answer, all you’ll hear is my laughter.”

“You left the meter in the car.”

“Don’t need one. There’s only one way to deal with this sort of problem.”