Harley Merlin 12 Read online

Curiosity was the order of the day. I wanted to know everything about these past servants and their supposed collaboration with the djinn. This book might have some useful information on my particular category of slave, and maybe even a way to escape said slavedom.

  After I read the book, I knew my next port of call. Kadar, Raffe’s djinn, was a small fry. He hadn’t racked up enough years to be connected to the mainframe and collective memory, but Zalaam was plenty old.

  Let’s hope Levi’s man-flu hasn’t affected his djinn.

  Later that evening, I coerced myself into wearing a button-up shirt and dragging a comb through my hair. After all, I didn’t want Harley to flay me. It was the only button-up shirt I owned—the one Saskia had bought for me at Bandersnatch’s Boutique of Haute-Nonsense. I’d thought about going whole-hog and putting on the entire overpriced getup, if only to peeve Wade by being the best-dressed guy in the room. In the end, I settled for an old pair of black trousers and the silky shirt. And, not to toot my own trumpet, but I didn’t look too shabby.

  I set out solo to the Waterfront, not wanting a gaggle of Muppet Babies in tow when I had a bookshop to scour. Melody would be at her coffee date with Remington by now, with Luke third-wheeling. I’d bumped into Krieger on my way back from the Aquarium, where Melody had gone gaga over selkies and sea sprites and Kraken. He’d commented on how crappy I looked, though in a more polite way, but I’d shrugged it off and switched the topic to Remington. Apparently, the poor guy hadn’t been in any state to collect samples, and neither had Leviathan, so they’d agreed to work on Fish-face tomorrow instead. Leviathan had been pretty agitated after seeing Harley; the power inside her had an impact on most monsters she ran across.

  He’d make a great pet, sis. Stick him on a leash and walk him around, but make sure you’ve got heavy-duty poop-bags.

  For a brief moment, I’d thought about asking Krieger for an evaluation, to see if my pills needed switching up. But then I’d remembered the hassle of it all when I’d first gotten my prescription. Too many questions, too many trials, too many experiments with this pill and that pill, some of which left me like the walking dead, others which knocked me out completely, and others which made me feel like… someone else entirely. So, I’d decided against it and headed off. I was coping with what I had, for now.

  I entered the interdimensional shopping mall and found Buy Its Cover pretty quickly. There were a bunch of bookshops, but none had a name that tickled my funny bone quite the same way. Whoever ran this place was a pun master after my own heart.

  A bell tinkled above the door as I stepped into the store, and that musty old-book smell bombarded my nostrils. A few tables had “New Arrivals” written on stands, but the shelves belonged to the ancient and the yellowed. The kind of books where you could sense how many thumbs had gone before yours, flicking the aged pages.

  “Can I be of assistance, young man?” A smiling old woman appeared behind the counter and shuffled over to me. She evidently didn’t recognize me, though I was something of a big deal in these parts. If I did say so myself.

  “I’m looking for a book called The Dark Souls of the Magical World, by Jabir ibn Hayyan.” I hoped I’d said that right. “Red cover, ruby on the spine. I’d look through all these shelves myself, but I’m in something of a hurry.” I gestured to the myriad tomes. It wasn’t like the book I needed would come whizzing out of its own accord.

  The old lady’s eyes widened. “Goodness, now that is a book.” She shuffled off and ran her fingertip along the books before stopping in front of one, exactly as Melody had described. Holding it reverently, she brought it to me.

  “Is this it?” I asked. It looked the part.

  “Oh yes, it certainly is.” She smiled eagerly. “Will you be making a purchase?”

  “How much are we talking?” I had my credit card with me, but it wouldn’t take much to max the thing out.

  “Ten thousand dollars.” She practically squealed the words. Now her excitement made sense. Buying this book probably would’ve paid the rent on this place for a year. And left me in debt for the rest of my life.

  I tried not to choke. “A bargain, but I’ll have to check with my buyer first.”

  “Would you like me to put it on hold for you, dear?”

  “No, that isn’t necessary. I just need to make a phone call.” I scampered outside, leaving the bell ringing.

  Crap! What was I supposed to do now? Melody hadn’t mentioned such a massive price tag, and I sure as hell couldn’t afford it. Oh, you know what you have to do, the gremlins whispered in my head. They weren’t usually the best with ideas, but I had to agree with them this time.

  The only way to get that book was to steal it. Buying it wasn’t a possibility. I didn’t have that kind of dough, and I didn’t have time to rustle it up.

  It didn’t sit well with me, to swipe it from under that kind old lady’s nose, but I was fresh out of choices. Maybe I could’ve called Saskia, but that’d bring flirtations and protestations of “You only want me for my money,” which I didn’t have the patience for right now.

  Ah, screw it. If that book could free me before I wound up dead in Atlantis, then drastic measures called for drastic action.

  I found a darkened alleyway between stores and Shifted into O’Halloran before heading back to the shop. I pretended I’d been running, panting for breath as I burst in, badge-flashing like my life depended on it.

  “I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am, but we have it on good authority that one of Davin Doncaster’s minions has targeted your shop, using the form of one of my people. We have been watching your shop, in case they struck, and he was just spotted a moment ago, leaving here,” I wheezed. “Security personnel are chasing the Shapeshifter as we speak, but the book they were sent to steal is no longer safe here. Unless… they took it? Did they take it, ma’am? This is of vital importance.”

  The old lady trembled. “N-no, they didn’t. I’ve just put it away.”

  “That is good news, ma’am. I thought I might’ve come too late. May I take it from you, temporarily, and put it in lock-up at the SDC? It will be returned to you as soon as we know the threat has passed.” O’Halloran would kill me for this, but hopefully he’d never find out.

  “It’s a v-very valuable book.”

  “Which is precisely why we must keep it out of the hands of those who’d use it for ill, ma’am,” I insisted, O’Halloran’s voice coming out perfectly. The beauty of Mimicry. “You’ll have it back soon enough, I promise. I will personally ensure nothing happens to it. Please, ma’am, this is a matter of life and death.”

  “Life and death?” she shrieked, hurrying to the shelf and removing the book.

  “I’m afraid so, ma’am.” That wasn’t entirely a lie.

  She pressed the book into my hands. “I wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt.”

  “Thank you, ma’am. Truly, you’ve helped the SDC a great deal today. I’m only glad I arrived in time. Doncaster’s minions are slippery creatures—they can’t be trusted.”

  “I had no idea. He was so convincing.” She wrung her hands, which made me feel awful. I was convincing. One of the perks of Mimicry was the ability to Shift my Esprit, as well as the rest of myself. And I’d Shifted it into O’Halloran’s badge—an item unique to him. No one else had it.

  “They always are, ma’am,” I replied. “It would be best if you didn’t mention this to anyone. We’re still watching Waterfront Park closely for any strange activity, and I’d hate for these troublemakers to be tipped off.”

  She nodded effusively. “Of course. I won’t say a word. I hope you can catch them before they make any mischief.”

  “As do I, ma’am. As do I.” I held the book to my chest. “Now, I won’t take up any more of your time. Thank you again for your service.”

  “Thank you for your service,” she said. “It’s a comfort to know that we’re being protected by the likes of you.”

  “Good day to you, ma’am.” I tilted my head at her
before exiting the shop with the book safely in my arms. Yeah, I felt bad, but she’d get it back. I planned on returning it… at some point. Hopefully before O’Halloran found out that a Shapeshifter had used his identity to steal from a local shop. Then, there really would be a manhunt.

  Eight

  Finch

  Walking like John Wayne with the dusty book wedged in the back of my pants, I made it early to Ignatius’s Restaurant—a chintzy Italian joint with waxy gingham tablecloths and candles shoved mercilessly into wine bottles. Still, I’d heard the food was better than the décor. And my tummy growled like a rabid wolf on the hunt for calzone.

  To be honest, I’d rather spend my evening finding Melody and having a little alone time with this here book, but the prospect of Harley hounding me for the next decade held me to my promise. Besides, I’d been away for a while, and I’d kept her in the dark even longer. Now that the truth was more or less out, I owed her a family dinner. Even if cozy get-togethers weren’t really my jam.

  “Good evening, sir.” The host picked up a solitary menu. Wow, do I really look like that much of a sad sack?

  “Hi there. I’m meeting people here, but I’m early.”

  The host made an “ah” of understanding. “What name is it?”

  “It’ll be under Merlin.”

  He ran his hand down the list. “Yes, here it is. Merlin. I believe another guest has already arrived. She must be as eager as you, but with gnocchi like ours, it’s only natural. If you’ll follow me?”

  I stifled a laugh. “Lead the way to the gnocchi.”

  My good humor died as we rounded a corner and arrived at a big wooden booth with shiny, red vinyl upholstery. Very much in keeping with the rest of the restaurant’s chintz. I’d expected the guest to be Harley, as the hostess with the mostest. And she was a stickler for punctuality. But Ryann sat there instead, alone at the table. She had her head bowed over her cellphone, tapping frantically.

  Oh boy… I’d have preferred Santana and that scaly biter of hers over trying to make small talk with the girl I was madly in love with. Emphasis on madly. I was a couple missed pills from going around with a top hat and a March hare, and maybe a dormouse in my teacup.

  “Can I get you a drink, sir?” The host interrupted my trip down the rabbit hole.

  “Uh… lime and soda, please.” Something boozy would only feed the gremlins. Cecily’s beloved Riesling had taught me that. It might have stopped my hand from trembling, but I didn’t want it to become a crutch.

  “Very good, sir.” The host scuttled off, leaving me stranded at Awkward Central.

  Ryann still hadn’t looked up. A small smile curved the corners of her lips as she typed. A “sick smile,” Mrs. Anker had called it. I was ten, trying to woo my first girlfriend. We’d used MSN Messenger back then. I’d changed my username to “Finch<3Jenny” and everything. It’d lasted a month and gave me my first taste of heartbreak, and I’d never forgotten Mrs. Anker’s relentless teasing. But Ryann didn’t have to worry about heartbreak. Dr. Feelgood adored her. I mean, who wouldn’t?

  “Good game of Angry Birds?” I slid onto the bench opposite her.

  She gasped. “Finch! I didn’t see you there.”

  “Ouch.” I pressed a hand to my chest.

  “Just let me finish this and I’ll be all yours,” Ryann said, returning to the glow of her screen. If only that were true…

  “The Boston Strangler giving you the details on his latest victim?”

  She arched a disapproving eyebrow. “I’m texting Adam, if that’s what you mean. I’m meeting him after dinner, and we’re trying to decide whether to catch a late-night movie or drive along the coast. What do you think—a movie or a drive?”

  “A movie, every time, as long as it’s not some crap blockbuster. Well, unless it’s Marvel. Then always go for the Marvel movie.” I stayed casual. Clearly, her having a vague idea of how I felt about her, and knowing she’d had some conflicted emotions about me, hadn’t changed a thing. Hello, friendzone, my old pal.

  “Adam’s not really into movies. He always whispers about how they’re doing the medical stuff wrong.” She chuckled to herself as she typed back. “I think we’ll go for a drive.”

  Then why did you ask?! The constant reminder of Psycho Killer irked my gremlins. And me. It was getting harder to figure out where I ended and they began. I tapped my fingernails on the table, agitated. The cold, anxious sweats came on again, making this stupid silk shirt stick to every part of me. I wanted to rip it off, Hulk out, and scare a few servers to boot. Maybe then Ryann would notice me sitting here. I wasn’t asking her to bare her soul—I just wanted her to acknowledge my existence instead of staring at her phone.

  I’m losing it… I closed my eyes and dug my fingernails into the palms of my hands, fighting to keep it together. This wasn’t her fault. She loved Adam. Loving her didn’t give me the right to get pissed off about that. I mean, there was a reason why genies didn’t grant wishes to make people fall in love with other people. The heart wanted what it wanted, and Ryann’s didn’t want me. So, I had to keep calm and not be an asshat. Slap THAT on a T-shirt! It beat “Keep Calm and Carry On,” any day.

  The only trouble was, my gremlins wanted what they wanted, too. And they wanted me to topple over the edge of self-control and give in to every impulse, no matter how bad. They’d wanted it from day one, and these pills weren’t doing their job anymore. I had no idea why, but since my orange-poison Magical Mystery Ride, they’d stopped being effective. Taking more had helped a little, but that wasn’t exactly sustainable.

  “Hey, are you okay over there?” Ryann’s hand touched mine. Her phone was gone, stuffed in her bag.

  I blinked slowly. “Me? I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine. You’re all… twitchy.” She peered at me intently. “Is it Erebus?”

  “Can we not talk about him?” I asked softly.

  She gave my hand a squeeze. “Sure, no problem. I just want to make sure you’re all right. I haven’t seen you since Kenzie’s apartment. I didn’t even know you’d come back.”

  “Ta-da.” I rallied a weak laugh.

  “Did you get everything done?” She slapped herself lightly on the forehead. “Ah, sorry—I can’t help talking shop. I won’t say the E-word, but I’d like to know what we’re up against, if you can manage it? I know you must be having a hard time.”

  “Understatement of the century.” I sighed, feeling calmer with her hand on mine. “But yeah, I got everything done. For now, anyway. Have you heard from Kenzie since you left her apartment?”

  Ryann tilted her head from side to side. “Yes and no. She’s been busy with her mom and sister, so she hasn’t been replying. But they’re awake and okay, and Krieger looked over them and gave them the all clear.”

  “That’s the kind of news I like to hear.” Thinking of Kenzie, at home with her mom and sister, pushed my gremlins farther back. Erebus had screwed me over plenty, but he wasn’t a total douchebag—not to other people, anyway. He’d stuck to his end of the deal with Kenzie, and he’d saved Saskia and Garrett from the Jubilee mine, as well as the miners who’d have been crushed otherwise. The two of them had told me about that in an influx of texts that my phone picked up post-monastery, once I was free of its communication embargo.

  “Have you talked to Harley?” Ryann gently let go of my hand. “I haven’t said anything, aside from you being on E-word business. But I keep expecting her to whip out a spotlight and use Wade to play good cop, bad cop.”

  “Well, you don’t have to worry anymore,” I replied. “I told her everything today—mostly everything. I left out the monastery, but only because I didn’t have the energy. She knows I’ve been tasked with finding Atlantis, so she’s up to speed.”

  Ryann’s smile widened. “I’m proud of you, Finch.”

  “Nothing to be proud about. It was just easier if she knew. Turns out, making someone aware of danger is a good way to stop said someone from doing stupid things,” I
replied.

  “Did you just come back to see her, then? So you could tell her the truth?”

  I took the book out of my waistband. “Actually, no. Melody ransacked her mind palace and found out that this existed. According to her, it’s got a bunch of stuff in it about djinn and Erebus’s former servants. She thinks it might be my way out.”

  “Where did you get it?” She stared at the tome. On closer inspection, it proved to be an impressive piece of craftsmanship. Black vines swirled across the bright red leather, twisting up toward the letters in the center that spelled out the book’s title. Tiny rubies were embedded on the cover in addition to the larger ruby on the spine, and they all glinted in the ambient lighting of the restaurant.

  “A bookshop.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Which bookshop? This doesn’t look cheap, Finch.”

  “You’d be surprised. It was very cheap. Free, in fact.” I grinned.

  “You stole it?” She gaped at me in horror.

  “Why would you jump to that conclusion?”

  “Finch, did you steal it or not?” she hissed.

  I sighed. “Fine, I stole it, but only because it was ten thousand dollars. Do you have that kind of dough lying around? Didn’t think so. Nobody does, except Saskia, and I wasn’t about to ask her. Can you imagine? She’d be all, ‘What will you give me in return?’ and make me feel like I needed twenty showers.”

  Ryann shook her head. “You can’t just take things, Finch.”

  “I borrowed it. I fully intend to give it back.”

  “Do I want to know how you ‘borrowed’ it?” She sounded disappointed. Well, she could go on being disappointed, because I had a damn good reason to swipe it. Honestly, I was a little disappointed myself—that she’d fixated on the theft and not the fact that this book could get me free from Erebus.

  “I Shifted into O’Halloran, told the old lady I needed it on important business, and that I’d bring it back soon,” I replied stiffly. “Done and dusted. Nobody got hurt; nobody’s upset. It’s all good.”