“Killing people isn’t necessarily a big thing, not if they have it coming or they’re trying to kill you,” Karl concluded. “Where does that leave us with people like Morton and D’Arcy?”

  “I don’t understand,” Zaena replied.

  “How far would they have to go before you would take them out?” Karl asked. “Because it’s not like either of them is going to personally stick a gun in your face. They’ll just try to screw you through their guys or mercs.”

  “I’m not sure. I worry more about them threatening you and Grace.” Zaena sounded more certain. “That could be considered my deadly line. Wickedness should be punished, but what is true honor if I can’t protect my friends and loved ones?”

  “I… What the hell?”

  The people in the car at the front of the line threw open their doors and jumped over a nearby hedge, leaving their vehicle next to the drive-through window. Their actions were explained a couple of seconds later when a man in a ski mask crawled through the window. He held a gun and a brown paper bag. The people in the second car in line ducked and covered their heads with their arms. He waved the gun and fired it twice in the air before running their way.

  Zaena snorted. “There’s a man in need of justice.” She reached for her door but stopped when Karl grabbed her arm.

  “I’ve got this.” Karl gestured at the robber.

  The criminal ran down the driveway, passing the cars on the driver’s side and waving his gun. Zaena questioned his exit strategy and wondered if he’d encountered resistance on the inside.

  Karl smiled and threw open his door as the robber ran past, smacking him with it. The robber grunted and fell back. His gun went flying.

  Zaena watched as Karl stepped out of the car and cracked his knuckles. A huge grin appeared on his face.

  “Sometimes life’s complicated,” he announced, stomping over to the robber and yanking him up. “Sometimes it’s easy.”

  Karl headbutted the man with a loud crack. The robber’s eyes rolled up. Karl tossed him to the ground.

  A uniformed police officer ran around the corner with a drawn gun. Karl gestured at the unconscious robber.

  “You okay, big guy?” the cop asked, looking Karl up and down. “The bastard threw an old lady at me and ran.”

  Karl nodded at the robber. “I’m fine. He’ll probably have a concussion.” He frowned at his door. “Damn. Now I’ll have to get that buffed out. It’s like the asshole was a cartoon character hitting a wall.”

  The cop knelt and turned the robber over. He handcuffed him.

  “Wait.” The cop chuckled. “You’re Karl Smith!”

  Karl grunted. “Yeah, I am.” He sat back in the driver’s seat. “Now I have to go to a different place to get my burger.” He closed the door. “Stupid idiot should have hopped in the car at the front of the line and drove off.”

  “If things go poorly with either Miss D’Arcy or Miss Morton, I could always have you headbutt them,” Zaena suggested with a smile.

  “Yeah. I could do that. You still want to go through with the meeting?”

  “Yes. Please set it up for tomorrow morning if possible. I can always regret it later.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Zaena might not have trusted Amanda Morton, but she couldn’t complain about how comfortable her office chairs were. The CEO had nothing but bright smiles for Karl and Zaena.

  There were no conditions or veiled threats, though Zaena wondered if meeting her in her building and office was wise.

  Amanda leaned back in her chair, an almost smug look on her face. “Before we begin, do you need anything? Coffee? Tea? Juice?”

  Karl smirked. “I don’t suppose you can get me a beer?”

  “I don’t want people drinking in my building during the day,” Amanda offered with a smile. “I will keep that in mind for next time.”

  “I’m not here for refreshments,” Zaena insisted. “We went to Panera before we came.”

  Karl gave her a pained look. She didn’t see the problem. Was admitting to a common breakfast a horrible negotiation mistake with a powerful woman?

  Amanda laughed. “Oh, I’m glad we can talk like this. I know we’ve had contentious dealings in the past, but I didn’t want there to be bad blood between us. I’m glad that when I reached out to Selene with this information, she convinced you to talk to me.”

  “We’re here,” Zaena replied. “That doesn’t guarantee we’ll be involved in whatever schemes you’re proposing.” She narrowed her eyes. “Note that whatever anomalies I encounter aren’t necessarily going to be offered to you freely.”

  “Oh, I’m sure we’ll work something out. Believe it or not, we’re all on the same side. I’d argue I’m more on your side than the government, but I’m sure Selene’s told you all sorts of stories about how untrustworthy and selfish I am.”

  Karl snorted. “She didn’t need to tell us stories. We’ve run into your mercenaries, who tried to kidnap and murder us.”

  “That was the result of miscommunication,” Amanda insisted, waving her hands. “I’m a businesswoman who has dedicated her life to making the world a better place. Selene’s a government official who has spent her career covering up things. Truth is anathema to her.”

  “She did it for the protection of your country,” Zaena offered. “Not out of personal interest.”

  “Government power isn’t different from financial power.” Amanda snarled, “and ‘I did it for the greater good?’ That’s what they always say. I’m not saying she’s always wrong to do that, but when a person starts out keeping a secret for the greater good, it isn’t that long before it becomes a secret for its own sake.”

  “You’re going to bring the secrets out into the light?” Karl asked with his voice thick with doubt. “The secret billionaire trying to develop magic pills just wants people to know the truth?”

  “Water that starts at the top of a mountain flows to the rivers and ocean eventually.” Amanda pointed out. “I’m not trying to turn you against Selene. I’m just saying be mindful that everyone has their priorities, including me, and they might not be yours. Consider who can help you with your long-term goals.”

  “Understood,” Zaena replied, “I’d rather not waste time with your pointless attempts at manipulation. We’re here for a reason. Let us get to that. I’ll decide my lasting allies when I have enough evidence to determine who I should trust.”

  Amanda nodded and turned her screen. There was a satellite image of what appeared to be a glacier with a crack in it.

  “My people have come across some information suggesting there might be an anomaly in Iceland,” Amanda explained. “There was questionable localized seismic activity in southeast Iceland recently. This crack appeared and disappeared within minutes. My people tell me it’s extremely unlikely to have been the product of natural forces.”

  Karl frowned. “Why hasn’t the DIA heard about this? You’d think they would have noticed.”

  “That’s a good question.” Amanda looked at the screen. “I asked Selene point-blank about that. She acted annoyed, as she typically does, but she did admit the government doesn’t have any data to support this event. My people acquired this from a commercial company, but when they followed up the next day, the images were gone.”

  “That’s suspicious,” Zaena noted.

  “We agree about that.” Amanda turned her screen back toward her. “It’s possible Selene is simply lying about it. I wouldn’t put it past her, but I fail to see why she’d lie about it, only to call you two in when I supply the information.”

  “She could have been afraid you’d come directly to us,” Karl suggested.

  “Or someone else wanted no one to see this and cleaned it up. My people, in this case, were more lucky than good.”

  “Someone went through that many different companies and messed with all the pictures?” Karl asked. “Is that even possible?”

  “It’s not as if every part of the Earth is under twenty-four-seven coverage by every satellite,” Amanda explained with a disappointed expression. “It’s a small number of companies that would have needed to be handled in this case, given the narrow time window of the anomaly and the particular location. In this case, too, those companies happened to be American. Make of that what you will.”

  Zaena frowned. “A crack in ice? Powerful water or earth magic could accomplish that, but perhaps it was some scheme by a wicked nation. A subterranean explosion using conventional technology.”

  Amanda turned the screen back toward the pair. “Oh, I almost forgot.” She tapped on her keyboard.

  The image changed. This time it was a high-angle shot from the air of a small town.

  She clicked the mouse, and the color inverted on the image. Zaena questioned the choice until she spotted something in the corner.

  Zaena’s heart rate kicked up. It was the familiar blur in the air that marked elven camouflage.

  Amanda pointed at the spot. “This is similar to the magic you do, isn’t it, Zaena?”

  “We don’t know that,” she replied in a calm voice. “It might be an artifact of how your data was recorded.”

  “The image alone wouldn’t be enough, but combined with the disappearing cracks and the questionable deaths?”

  Zaena’s eyes widened. “What questionable deaths?”

  “Two scientists died on that glacier. Allegedly, they somehow got surprised by a sudden storm and crashed their snowmobiles.”

  Karl shrugged. “It’s not impossible. Or are you saying the storm wasn’t recorded?”

  “No, there was plenty of independent local confirmation of the storm, though everyone does agree it came out of nowhere. There was a single survivor.”

  “What does she say?”

  Amanda frowned. “She claims it was nothing more than an accident.”

  “What reason do you have to doubt her?” Zaena asked. “Why would she lie?”

  “Because she doesn’t want to tell anyone she was attacked by elves?” Amanda smiled at Zaena.

  “What? How?” Zaena was disguising her ears, and her dealings with Morton and her people had involved helmets or disguises.

  Amanda waved a hand. “I’ve collected too much information and seen too much to miss the obvious. Selene thinks she’s better at hiding information than she is, especially from someone with my resources, and your reaction tells me I’m correct.”

  Zaena sighed.

  “Well, aren’t you clever?” muttered Karl.

  “It’s also clear to me the government knows a lot more about Zaena than I do,” Amanda continued. “I don’t care to try to press you for more information, but I do hope you’ll be more willing to share with me as we move forward.” She leaned back in her chair and threaded her hands in her lap. “My offer is simple. I have a tactical team ready to go investigate, which will be coordinated by my main right-hand man Jefferson. Of course, if this anomaly involves elves, it makes sense to send an elf to lead the team dealing with it and take care of any hostile elements present.”

  “I’m not an executioner,” Zaena noted.

  “You’re not afraid of violence,” Amanda replied. “And don’t pretend that Mark Wong wasn’t like you.”

  “Mark Wong was given a chance to end his wicked ways.”

  “Exactly.” Amanda smiled. “All I’m asking for are blood samples, that sort of thing. If this turns out to be a misunderstanding, I’ll leave that for you and the government to sort out. However, we have at least two dead scientists and a potential threat to Iceland. I don’t think it’ll harm anyone for you to investigate.” She gave Zaena a bright smile. “Plus, given your abilities, if this does turn out to be a hostile matter, you can pacify the individuals involved with minimal risk to innocent people. What do you say?”

  “I can’t decide right away,” Zaena noted. “I’ll need some time to consider things.”

  Amanda sighed. “I understand that, but this incident didn’t just happen. The quicker we become involved, the better.”

  Karl lifted his brow. “What? You’re not going to go without her?”

  “No,” Amanda replied. “There’s no point in throwing away lives. I’ve learned that the hard way.”

  “Give me a day to decide,” Zaena insisted.

  “Everything about this bothers me,” Grace noted.

  Team Princess had gathered at her house and dining room table to discuss the mission. Zaena kept thinking about the level of magic required to bring on a storm or crack a glacier enough for a satellite to pick it up.

  “An enclave,” Zaena declared.

  Karl frowned. “What?”

  “It’s possibly an enclave,” she explained. She motioned around the room. “Even with artifacts, there wouldn’t be enough power for an individual elf to cast spells that impressive.”

  “You sure?”

  Zaena nodded. “We use magical storms near the kingdom on occasion to protect it. They require a combination of powerful rituals, artifacts, a nexus, and several elves working together.”

  “Huh. That’s handy, then. It’s got to be either the Mountain or Ice Elf enclave.” Karl snickered. “It’d be funny if the Ice Elves ended up being in Iceland.”

  Grace frowned. “That’s all the more reason to be careful. They might not like a Royal Elf sniffing around their enclave. Didn’t you say the Ice Elves were almost as bad as the Night Elves?”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” Zaena replied, “but they were strong proponents of human culling. They didn’t practice any of the extreme and wicked magics the Night Elves did.”

  Karl agreed. “It’s not like they’d have more than a handful immune to the Creeping Azure, but Grace is right. It’s like I said the other day. You need to bring Dino Boy.”

  Grace nodded. “I agree.”

  Zaena cleared her throat. “Beyond whether or not he wants to come, it’s not as if I can summon him at will.”

  “Big deal,” Karl replied. “He’s been around a lot lately. Just wait. I think he’ll find it amusing enough to tag along on this little expedition. He’s just going to want to hide out in the desert for a week after coming back.”

  “What if Miss Morton heads to Iceland without me because I want to wait?”

  Karl gave her a stern look. “We’ll make it clear you’re not going without him. Give him at least a few days. I think it’s a bad idea to leave the country without someone you trust at your back.”

  Zaena looked at her two friends. Karl was right. There was no reason to take unnecessary risks.

  “Very well.”

  A couple of days later, Zaena was heading down the hall from her apartment when she heard Karl talking around the corner.

  “That’s the situation. I know you’ve got to do your own thing, but if these are Ice or Mountain Elves, you’re going to need their help anyway.”

  “True,” came a reply with a familiar accent. Vokasin. “I hope this goes quickly. I don’t like the cold.”

  “I figured, Dino Boy.”

  Zaena hurried around the corner with a smile. “We should contact Miss Morton immediately.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Zaena sat in a comfortable seat in the main cabin of Amanda Morton’s private jet. She stared at the windows in wonder. Though she could fly, she’d never been this high up.

  Vokasin reclined in a seat across the aisle from her, sipping a drink while his feet rested on a table.

  He looked out of his place in his cloak. They both were hiding their ears with magic. Though Morton knew the truth, neither elf saw any reason to risk revealing their race to the flight attendant who kept coming through.

  The nearby Amanda Morton lifted her glass of wine and took a sip. She had a playful look in her eyes, despite her subordinate Jefferson standing behind her and scowling. “Now that I have both of you here as a captive audience, I’d like to discuss certain things about your people.”

  Zaena raised her hand and summoned a sound curtain. “I’m protecting this conversation, but what about your flight attendant?”

  “She knows not to come in when we’re discussing business.” Amanda swirled the liquid in her glass. “You can stop eavesdroppers?”

  “Yes, and what about Mr. Jefferson?”

  Amanda shrugged. “He will keep quiet.”

  The man grunted and crossed his arms.

  “Keep in mind we’re not your captives,” Vokasin noted. “We could both kill you with ease and escape from this plane without trouble. I don’t know if that’s unclear to you.”

  Jefferson let out a growl. He stepped forward but stopped at a shake of his boss’ head.

  “Be mindful that our guests might have different standards and understandings of etiquette.” Amanda motioned toward the back of the plane. “Please go back there and wait until I call for you.”

  Jefferson gave the elves a last annoyed look before stomping past the curtain into the back of the plane.

  “I apologize for his aggressiveness,” Amanda offered. “I apologize for my use of the word ‘captive,’ but it wasn’t meant to offend, Mr. Vokasin.”

  “Just Vokasin,” he replied. “I have no title. I need no title.”

  “Interesting.” Amanda’s gaze flicked to Zaena. “I know there’s something deeper beneath this, something far more complicated than what little I’ve been able to pick up. I also suspect you’ve already told Selene D’Arcy why you came to San Francisco. Would you care to share it with me?”

  “No,” Zaena replied flatly. “I would not. I don’t trust you yet. Prove yourself and make up for your past mistakes, and I’ll reconsider.”

  Amanda replied, “That’s fair. I hope this little outing convinces you that I’m as valuable an ally as the US government, and in many ways, more flexible.”

  Her hand shook for a second. She took a deep breath and set her glass down on a table.

  Zaena admired how luxurious Amanda’s private jet was, compared to the cramped plane interiors she’d seen depicted on television. There were only a handful of leather seats spaced comfortably apart, with individual tables in front of them. Past another door behind the curtain, there was a folding bed available.