Harley Merlin 12

once you’ve ironed out your wrinkles. We had an edge before, but that advantage seems to be getting smaller—or do you know something I don’t?” I folded my arms across my chest. “I mean, this probably brings him level with us again, right?”
Erebus laughed, his black eyes glinting. “All this fretting you do must be exhausting.”
“You think I get these bags under my eyes from kicking back and relaxing? You could send a family of six to Japan for a month with these bags—they took a lot of time and effort.” That just made him laugh harder.
“There is no need to worry about Davin.”
“Are you kidding? That’s all you’ve had me doing for the past three days—freaking out over getting this map redrawn before he deciphers his copy!” I couldn’t hold my anger back.
Erebus brushed his fingertips across his lapel. “I had to find some way to make you work quickly. Nevertheless, Davin does not possess the skills that I do. Thus, you needn’t worry yourself over him, now that I no longer need to use that impetus to spur you on with the map-drawing.”
“And threatening everyone wasn’t enough? Jiminy H. Christmas, Erebus! A little transparency wouldn’t kill you, you know!” I heard police sirens wail in the distance, cutting through me and ramping up my irritation.
“There is reason in everything I do. Did mentioning Davin work in speeding your progress? Yes. Therefore, transparency served no purpose. Now, let us move on to far more pressing matters… all in the name of your beloved transparency.” He smirked, before continuing. “As I said, Davin lacks the skills that I possess for my current endeavor in seizing the key to Atlantis. Even so, with regards to that, the key’s retrieval is more complicated than mere fetching, otherwise I would not be handing the task to you. With it being of vital importance, I would do it myself, if I could.” He sounded frustrated, his confident bluster fading for a moment. I couldn’t help but poke the bear a bit.
“More body troubles, or is it something else?” An alarm went off inside one of the nearby warehouses, splintering my skull like the police sirens.
Erebus’s jaw twitched. “Another matter that is none of your business.”
“How about telling me why you want to get to Atlantis? Or is that none of my business, too?”
“Ah, I’m pleased to see you’re starting to understand. Very little of what I do is your business. I am not indulging in any exploits that will endanger or enslave the mortal world—magical and human alike—so it is of no concern to you.”
Frustration rippled through me. “It involves me, so it concerns me.”
“That is your problem, not mine. Just be grateful my schemes are nothing like your mother’s and leave it at that.” Erebus raised his palms, ending this conversation. “I will call for you again in a few days, as I said. Be ready. Do not turn off your phone. I hate to resort to such measures, but necessity compels.”
He twisted his hands and vanished in a rush of hot air faintly scented with sulfur. Maybe I’d asked too many questions, but I needed answers. If he just gave me more of them, I wouldn’t keep asking. But that wasn’t getting through that thick skull of his.
And now I had this key to worry about, once Erebus came a-calling again. What would await me behind chalk door number one? A brand-new sports car? A teddy bear? An all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii? No… a boatload of trouble. I’d bet my life on it.

Four


Finch
The cab dropped me off outside the Winchester House, leaving my pockets a lot lighter. Fortunately, with the mansion closed this afternoon, there weren’t any tourists wandering around. Cecily and Richard were performing a goodbye ceremony for the German ghost. He’d filled in the gaps in his family tree so he could cross over without unfinished business. Apparently, things could get weird during these farewells, so they figured it was best to close up rather than have to deal with a bunch of screaming tourists.
I approached the right-hand statue by the front door. She was one of two sculpted women, supposedly carved in the image of Sarah Winchester, who held a shallow dish. Sometimes, people put flower petals into it, to pay their respects. Today, however, it was empty.
I put my hand on the dish and said the Aperi Portam spell, just the way Melody had shown me. A bronze shimmer flickered across the gap between the statues, and I walked through it, passing the slightly obscene fountain and striding up to the door.
“Finch!” Melody came running at me the minute I stepped through the door.
“Last time I checked.” I patted myself down, trying to be funny. But she looked worried.
“Mary told me you’d gone out. I tried calling your phone, but you didn’t answer. Is everything okay?” She scuffed the floor with the toe of her shoe. “You weren’t acting like yourself last night, so I wanted to make sure. Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand that dinner was probably too much too soon, after all that map-making, but you had me worried.”
I forced a smile. “I made the handover with Erebus. He chose somewhere suitably cloak and dagger, and I didn’t want to drag anyone else along. I should’ve sent you a message or something. And sorry about last night—I felt completely out of it and I didn’t want to babble nonsense all night. Your parents probably think I’m a weirdo now, right?”
Melody looked instantly relieved. She chuckled. “They’re used to weirdos here. Do you feel better now? Did everything go smoothly with Erebus? You don’t look hurt, so I’m guessing it did. Did he tell you anything else about Atlantis, or what he wants next? Did he know anything about—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa there!” I lifted my hands in mock surrender. “Go easy on me, Sarge. It’s too early in the day for the Gestapo.”
“Sorry.” Her cheeks flushed. “I got carried