Tessa watched it play out with absolute fascination, nearly forgetting about the pain that was nagging her to get back to work.

  It was a story about a woman and the stars. Only there were no stars, just stygian darkness. The woman traveled far, and every night she laid a trail of stars in the sky to light her way home. For years she traveled, and the stars trailed after her, like breadcrumbs across the heavens.

  It wasn't a story with a happy ending though. The woman never followed the stars home. She never again took comfort from the arms of her lover as they looked up at Orion together. Instead, she wandered forever, and that is why the night sky is so full of stars.

  With that final word, the soft echo of Pops's voice faded; and with it went the strange swirling of lights in the room. Tessa had actually seen the stars fall into place as he had spoken, and now that the story was finished, she felt oddly bereft, as if her life was just a little bit emptier than it had been a moment before.

  For a long time, no one spoke; but Tessa finally said softly, "That was beautiful. Thank you. And thank you for supper. It was very good."

  She really wasn't used to complimenting people, and the words felt a little awkward on her tongue. She tried to smile, but it just wasn't her way.

  "I have to go," she said apologetically.

  "Of course, dear," Floure said gently.

  The way she said dear was completely different than the way Gisele said it. Floure said it with kindness and compassion, and it was enough to make Tessa cry, but she didn't.

  "You are welcome anytime," Floure went on as she stood and took Tessa's hand.

  Tessa pinched her thigh with her other hand, hoping it would chase away the tears that wanted to build up, and it did.

  "Thank you," Tessa said quickly before stepping away and practically running for the door.

  She hated emotions and expressive eyes. She hated people liking her. She hated people caring about whether or not she lived or died.

  She was halfway down the street when Julian caught up with her.

  "I'm sorry," he said as he took her hand and linked his fingers through hers.

  "For what?" Tessa snapped.

  "I wasn't thinking. I just want them to know you."

  "So much better to share the misery," Tessa laughed.

  It was not a happy laugh. She did not feel happy. She felt angry and sad and disappointed that this was all the life she was going to get.

  She pushed those thoughts away and tried to focus. First things first, she had a case to solve. Two cases actually, but she had pretty well taken care of the first one. She would return the artifact to Ian tomorrow with a vague statement about a master thief and leave it at that.

  As for the artifacts that the Magistratus was missing, that was a whole different kettle of fish. She couldn't return them because Pops needed to sell them. If he didn't sell them, she was certain the patron, of the arts, would be very disappointed. And she, of all people, knew exactly what happened when the patron was disappointed.

  She wasn't going to expose Pops to that. She refused. She would simply have to tell the tetrarch to close the book on that particular case and walk away. And if that didn't work, she would drag up enough dirt to bury his entire family. After all, blackmail was what the Graves family did best.

  "Where are we going?" Julian asked when they stepped back into Denver proper.

  "Home," Tessa said, an edge of desperation to her voice.

  She needed Ollie and Gisele; she needed them to tell her what to do. She just couldn't figure it out. The patron was too smart for her, too clever.

  If there had been a desk or bar top in front of her, she would have banged her head on it, but since there wasn't, she just kept walking.

  The closer she got to the house, the faster her feet moved. She suddenly felt like a child, running towards the house, hoping against all hope that today Ollie would be there. She hardly ever was, but today, surely today, she would be.

  Tessa frowned as she tried to remind herself that she was no longer a child. And furthermore, Ollie would be there. She had promised to come home today.

  Tessa's heart was beating faster than it needed to be, and she didn't understand why she was suddenly so upset. She didn't need Ollie. Ollie was always leaving. She was better off without her. Hadn't Virgil said that? He had said that Ollie was a bad influence, and Tessa was better off without her.

  Tessa dropped Julian's hand and began to run.

  She didn't know what had possessed her, and she didn't care. She needed to know that Ollie was home, that she had returned like she had promised.

  Tessa crashed through the backdoor and ran down the hallway. The sitting room door was open, and she bounded through it, gasping with relief when she saw Ollie curled up on one of the chairs, book in her hand.

  Tessa stared at her, feeling like an absolute idiot. Of course Ollie was here. She had promised she would be. She had no idea why she had been so worried.

  Ollie looked up from her book and smiled at Tessa, and then a horrible thing happened. Tessa began to cry.

  Chapter 9

  With a muttered curse, Ollie dropped her book and jumped from her chair.

  "What's wrong?" she demanded as she grabbed Tessa's arm and started looking her over for injuries.

  "Nothing," Tessa blubbered.

  "Nothing?" Ollie exclaimed. "You're crying!"

  "It's stupid," Tessa sobbed, but then she threw her arms around Ollie and hugged her tightly.

  Ollie hugged her back, worry coursing through her. She had seen Tessa suffer horrible pain without so much as shedding a single tear, so something must be really wrong.

  A movement in the doorway caught her attention, and her eyes darted towards it. Julian was standing there, impassive face impossible to read.

  "What is going on?" Ollie hissed.

  He shrugged.

  "Get her whiskey," she ordered.

  He disappeared down the hallway, and Ollie wished they had traded places instead. She knew at least two hundred and eleven unique ways to kill a person, but she had no idea what to do to help Tessa.

  "Tell me what's wrong," she coaxed as she moved them towards the couch.

  "You were gone," Tessa managed to say. "And now you're back."

  "You didn't want me to come back?" Ollie asked carefully.

  Tessa started crying harder.

  "Shit," Ollie muttered. "I'm not good at this, Tessa. Just tell me what's wrong!"

  "I was afraid you wouldn't come back," Tessa whispered. "I'm sorry. You promised you would. I don't know why I was so scared."

  Horror filled Ollie when she realized that she had caused this; she had made Tessa cry. But before she could say anything, before she could apologize, Tessa went on.

  "It was an awful day," she muttered. "My head hurts so bad I can barely fucking think, and I don't know what to do anymore. Please tell me what to do."

  Ollie couldn't do that; she didn't know.

  "I… We'll have our meeting tonight," Ollie finally offered lamely.

  "I'm sorry," Tessa muttered as she released Ollie and pulled away. "I don't know why I'm crying. Pops told this story, and then Floure looked at me like that, and I just… God, I'm tired, Ollie. I'm not sure I can do this."

  "You can," Ollie insisted. "You have to."

  Tessa laughed bitterly and said, "But what if… No, you're right. I can't let him win. I won't." She wiped her eyes roughly and said once more, "I'm sorry."

  "Why are you sorry?" Ollie demanded.

  "For crying and for thinking you wouldn't come back," Tessa shrugged.

  "You have every reason to cry," Ollie insisted, suddenly understanding why Curtis got so frustrated with her when she refused to let the tears flow. "And I'm sorry. Because you also had every reason to think I wouldn't come back."

  "You said you wouldn't leave me," Tessa stated. "I believe you."

  Ollie reached out and wiped a stray tear from Tessa's cheek. She didn't know how Tessa could stand it. How could she stay upright like she was doing? How could she keep pushing forward? No one else could. Only Tessa.

  "You're so goddamn strong," Ollie whispered.

  Tessa shook her head and said, "No. Not really. I'm gonna take a shower. Get the others; we need to have a meeting."

  With that she stood and left the room, all signs of emotion and fear gone. Whatever had possessed her to cry a few moments ago was tightly under control once more.

  Ollie stared after her, marveling at Tessa's iron resolve to win. Tessa would never stop. She wouldn't. Not until the patron was dead.

  But then what? That was the question, wasn't it? What would happen to Tessa when her armor of survival was no longer needed? What would happen once she won?

  Deep in the back of Ollie's mind she already knew the answer, and since she did know the answer, she hurried from the room to gather the others. The less time she spent on her own, the less likely she would be to do something dumb.

  When Tessa returned to the sitting room a little while later, she had gotten herself back under control. There were no tears; there was no sadness. She was a detective, and she had a case to solve. It was the sum of everything.

  She strode into the sitting room, pain her ever-constant companion, and scanned the room to make sure everyone was there before sitting beside Julian.

  She grinned at him as she took his hand, savoring his brief look of surprise. She was done holding herself back, and he would just have to get used to it.

  "Magnus," Tessa said loudly.

  "What are you doing?" Gisele asked.

  "Calling Magnus."

  "A please goes a long way, dear."

  "Not between Magnus and I, Grandma," Tessa said pointedly.

  Gisele sighed heavily.

  "I'll call you Gisele when you don't interfere between us. My house, my butler, my rules."

  "Fine. Be as rude as you like," Gisele said with a pouty moue.

  Tessa rolled her eyes and reached for the whiskey bottle that was sitting on the tray near her chair.

  "How did New Orleans go?" she asked Ollie.

  "I won five arm wrestling matches," Ollie said carelessly. "One against an ogre."

  "Nice," Tessa said. "Was that why you went?"

  "No," Ollie muttered. "I wanted more five-seconders, but Jarmen doesn't have any and can't get any either."

  Tessa didn't need Ollie to spell it out any more than that. Poisoning the patron, of the arts, she added hurriedly, was not an option.

  "Jury is looking for something that blocks magic temporarily," Tessa said.

  "I've never heard of such a thing," Ollie replied.

  "I doubt if they advertise it."

  Just then Magnus shuffled slowly into the room.

  "You rang, Ms. Graves?"

  "I have a question. I assume that the house is like a cone of silence?"

  "A cone of silence?" he repeated, eyebrow cocked.

  "No one can listen in?"

  "No one can listen in," he stated, voice slightly offended.

  "You're listening in, but you will not tell a soul what you overhear?"

  "That is correct."

  "Not even the patron?" she asked.

  She paid for her words, as she had known she would, but she had learned that Magnus had to have very clear instructions.

  "Not even the patron."

  She frowned, wishing her mind was a little less cloudy.

  "Let me clarify, you will not repeat anything you hear to anyone outside of this room."

  "I will not."

  "Or to anyone who is currently inside this room," she said, struggling for absolute clarity.

  After all, the patron could glamour himself to look like anyone he wanted. She was certain he wouldn't though. She was certain he was too arrogant to take on the form of Ollie or Gisele. Furthermore, he could hardly make himself shorter. She would know right away if it was someone pretending to be Ollie or Gisele, but she wasn't certain if Magnus would.

  Magnus must have taken pity on her, a concept that absolutely horrified her, because he said, "I will not speak or write, in code or otherwise, about anything I overhear in this house to anyone at all, including the five people who are currently inside this room."

  Tessa sighed with relief and said, "Tha— You may go."

  "Tessa!"

  "Grandma!"

  Gisele actually growled.

  Tessa smiled tightly and said, "Magnus and I have an arrangement, Grandma. One that has nothing to do with you."

  "In that case, thank you, Magnus. Your service is exemplary, as always," Gisele said sweetly.

  "As you say, Mrs. Graves," Magnus replied, bowing towards her slightly.

  Tessa rolled her eyes, and when she looked back, Magnus was gone.

  "I've no idea how he can move so quickly when he wants to," she muttered.

  "What was that all about?" Gisele demanded.

  "I decoded the tetrarch's message," Tessa said softly.

  "Oh," Gisele said.

  "Yeah."

  "What message?" Ollie asked.

  "It's a long story," Tessa said. "The short of it is that Gisele rubs elbows with the tetrarch, but she didn't tell us. She did, however, tell the tetrarch about the patron and his position in the government; and the tetrarch sent us a coded message, which I decoded."

  Ollie opened her mouth, but then she pursed her lips together angrily and gestured for Tessa to go on.

  Tessa absently rubbed the back of her neck. She was not looking forward to what came next.

  "As you all know, I'm looking for the patron of the arts," she said very carefully.

  Everyone, except Curtis, stared at her in confusion, but they were smart. They would figure it out.

  "And we know that the patron, of the arts…" She had to add that, and she had to do it fairly quickly. Anytime she said or thought the patron without that addition, she paid for it. "We also know that he is a senator in the US government," Tessa said.

  She was on shaky ground now so she took a couple gulps of whiskey before pushing forward.

  "What we may not have known, or at least I didn't, is that there is a committee of US political leaders who know about the Hidden. This committee is responsible for making requests of the Hidden government. They are allotted twelve requests per year, one for each month, and the requests cannot be infinite. For instance, they cannot ask for vampire babies to be given to them. They can only request the service of a vampire for a given time, three to six months or whatever."

  She had the sudden urge to bang her head on a desk, but since there wasn't one in front of her, she took a few more drinks instead.

  "The committee was first formed in 1800," Tessa went on. "And there are only ever three members on the committee. The secretary of defense, the secretary of commerce, and…"

  She paused here, not because she was trying to build up tension, but because the next words were actually physically difficult for her to say.

  "And the third member is currently the Pennsylvania senator Shane Hundley," she said stiffly. "Or as we know him, the patron of the arts."

  She finished off the bottle, but it did little to dull the pain hammering through her mind.

  "Apparently, he has been responsible for more than half of the last five years' worth of requests. The tetrarch included a list, although I really wish he hadn't," she mumbled.

  She could hardly begin to imagine what the patron would do with a scutum witch, three witch sweepers, a vampire, and two trolls, but she was certain it wasn't anything good.

  With every word she had spoken, the pain had increased. Her brain wasn't stupid. She could call him Slappy Clownface all she wanted, but she was still talking about the patron, and she knew it.

  Her entire head was pulsing with pain, and it was wedging its way into her eye, making it hard to see. Out of sheer desperation, Tessa tried to call for Badri with her mind, and she sighed with relief when the sitting room door swung open and Badri breezed in, placed a fresh bottle of whiskey beside her, and whisked away the empty one.

  "I really do love that man," she murmured before drinking half of the bottle.

  "Hey," Julian grumbled.

  "Not as much as I love you," she whispered in his ear.

  "That's right you do," he whispered back.

  His hand was massaging her neck, and she leaned into him, breath catching slightly when his lips brushed over her ear.

  Ollie cleared her throat and said loudly, "Was that all the message said?"

  "Yes," Tessa replied.

  "So it will absolutely have to look like an accident," Ollie stated.

  "Or no body no crime," Gisele suggested.

  "That's not really a thing," Ollie replied. "If a high-ranking senator goes missing, they will definitely look for him. But they won't look for anything or anyone if it looks like an accident."

  "So no weapons," Curtis surmised.

  "Not any obvious ones," Ollie grumbled.

  "We're narrowing down our options quite nicely, I think," Gisele announced cheerfully. "All we need is one senator and a very long staircase."

  "He's a witch," Tessa pointed out. "He could probably float."

  "Only if he's an aerial witch," Ollie countered.

  "If he's an earth witch he could float something up to soften his fall," Julian put in.

  "One senator and a lake," Gisele ground out.

  "Unless he's an aquatis," Ollie muttered.

  "I give up!" Gisele spat. "Just find a way to kill the bastard!"

  They all stared at her in shock, and Gisele's face turned bright red, a color that Tessa had never seen on her.

  "Sorry," Gisele muttered. "I just… Does anyone else have anything to add or should I read?"

  Tessa had plenty that she could add, but Julian's hand was making slow steady circles on her back just above her waistband, and she found that she wasn't interested in talking about the patron, of the arts, anymore.

  "I wrote a very fetching scene today," Gisele went on hopefully.

  "Can a scene be fetching?" Ollie asked.

  "Certainly, dear."

  Ollie made a noncommittal noise, and Gisele said firmly, "I'll prove it."

  With that she lifted a stack of papers and cleared her throat.