Slippers and Thieves Special Edition Page 6

  “Well, as the teenage daughter, it’s not on my need to know list. Can’t help you.”

  Turning away, I pretend to be super busy with the computer. In reality, I keep reading the same line onscreen, over and over. Is Marchesa trying to steal the Coffer of Wonders? I wouldn’t put it past her.

  “About the coffer,” I begin.

  “What?”

  “It’s bonded to the store, not my parents. It won’t help a person. Just in case you’re wondering.”

  Marchesa narrows her eyes. “Are you certain?”

  “The animates want to keep Cynder going. It’s my parents legacy. Helping a person ends when they die. Cynder can go on forever. That’s why the coffer is aligned to the store.” I keep scrolling the screen up and down like I’m actually reading stuff instead of fuming about what Marchesa might really be up to. “Kokkivo told me all about it.”

  Marchesa pauses. For a moment, I think she might leave. No such luck. Marchesa drags a rolling chair to my side.

  Uh oh. This is going to be one of her talks.

  Sure enough, Marchesa leans into my personal space. “Since we’re alone, I’d like to have some girl time.”

  “Sorry.” I put on my disappointed face. “No can do. I have really important school stuff I’m working on.”

  “Like what?”

  “Tests. Reading. You know. School.”

  Marchesa keeps going like I didn’t say a thing about having actual school work. “Look, I know it can’t be easy for you. Your father is more a prince of a man than an actual prince.” Marchesa gets this dreamy look in her eyes as she says that prince of a man part. Eew.

  “Meaning Dad isn’t rich. Got it.”

  “Your mother could have been the Cinderella of her own life story. Instead, she married your father and became the mother to another Cinderella. You know what that means.” She sniffles. “I want to help.”

  “Good point. I have an idea there, as a matter of fact. You can stop saying things that upset Mom.”

  “Me?”

  “You’re always chatting about how Ivy and Agatha have all this stuff I don’t. It makes Mom feel bad. So, you know, stop.”

  A look of rage flashes through Marchesa’s eyes, but it’s gone as quickly as it appeared. Still, I totally saw it.

  Hate you right back.

  Marchesa pats my shoulder. “If you need to talk, I’m here.” At last, she leaves.

  Thankfully.

  Once Marchesa is gone, I plan out six different speeches where I verbally shred the Frenemy Queen into little bits of bitchy. At some point, I notice Gustav tapping my hand. I look down.

  “Hey, Gustav.”

  “I have good news for you. I saw the pendant. It’s at Dirty Leon’s.”

  After that ugly encounter with Marchesa, I’m all jacked up on adrenaline. I need a mini adventure. After a little prep work, I’m ready to hit Dirty Leon’s. To be specific, I pull out picture of Legend Le Charme that was cut from Midtown Magazine. It’s something my father was experimenting on. To be specific, Dad was testing out a new enchanter spell. He wasn’t totally happy with the results, so Dad chucked it into the trash.

  Whereupon I rescued the pic.

  And now? I have the perfect opportunity to use it.

  15

  Elle

  Minutes later, I stand before a tall brick building. The sign reads, East Side Jewelers and Pawn Brokers.

  I push open the door. “Leon!”

  The place is little more than a tiny room with a grungy counter set into the wall. Dirty Leon stands behind a Plexiglass window. He’s got greasy dark hair and what looks like mustard caked onto his scraggy chin. The entire store smells like rotten dumpster.

  “No way, Elle. No, no, no, no, no.”

  “What?”

  “Not selling you anything,” declares Leon.

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t do business with kids.”

  In other words, Dirty Leon doesn’t like me. Mostly because he’s pretty sure I scam him on a regular basis. And in truth? I totally scam him on a regular basis. Hey, if he’d split reward money with me, I wouldn’t have to con him.

  I puff out my lower lip. “But I have lots of money, Leon.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Got any green necklaces?”

  “Yeah, I do.” Leon pulls out a pendant from a shelf behind him. “Like this?”

  That’s it all right.

  “Perfect,” I state. “How much?”

  “Four thousand.”

  “That’s way too high, especially since the real thing cost zero.”

  “Zero?”

  “It was stolen, Leon.”

  “So call the cops. I’m not a church here. People try to sell stuff, I help them.”

  “If you give it to me, then I’ll return it to the owner and we can spit the reward. You know I’ll keep my word.”

  Leon folds his arms over his chest. “Nope.”

  “Fine. I’ll pay four thousand.”

  “Price just went up to eight thousand.”

  “Ha! I knew it.” I point at his nose. “You just won’t sell to me.”

  “Clever thing. I don’t sell to any kids. You’re all hustlers.” Leon turns around and resets the pendant into a nearby box.

  Fine.

  Reaching behind me, I pull out the magazine picture from my back pocket. I can’t wield enchanter energy, but my father sure can. Once I flatten out the image, my father’s spell kicks into action. The pic twists in the air before speeding across the floor. With a whip-fast movement, the sheet slides under the door and out onto the sidewalk beyond.

  Could there be easier ways for me to lift that pendant? Sure.

  Are there ways which are more fun? Not that I can think of, and I focus on this stuff a lot.

  The door slams open.

  I gasp. “Oh, no! It’s Legend Le Charme!”

  Leon pales. “The Legend Le Charme?”

  Sure enough, it sure looks like Legend Le Charme. Dad used magic to blow up the picture from the magazine and make it come alive. It’s even visible to Leon, who has zero in the way of magic himself. So long as you look at Legend straight on, he looks like the real thing.

  In other words, my daddy’s a badass enchanter.

  “Yes, it is I, Legend Le Charme, owner of Le Charme Jewelers.”

  Leon tilts his head. “People pose as Le Charme. Is this some kind of hustle?”

  “Moi? Un Poseur?” Fake Legend reaches into pocket. “Check out these gemstones. I have miles of them back at my amazing palace.”

  “Palace?” Leon scoffs. “Don’t you live in a hi-rise? There was a dinner party there last week.”

  Uh oh. Who would have thought Leon was a fan?

  “Of course,” says Fake Legend. “We just call it the palace because it’s so palatial inside.”

  I nod. That’s a pretty good comeback. More points for Dad.

  I slap on my most innocent face. “Why are you here, guy who is obviously Legend Le Charme?”

  “I wish to buy this particular pendant,” says Fake Legend.

  “Oh, no! I came here to buy it.” I sniffle. “You can’t take it away!”

  Leon narrows his eyes. “How much are you willing to pay?”

  “Let me see the pendant, kind sir,” says Fake Legend.

  Leon pulls out the item from its nearby box. The pendant dangles from his hand. “What do you think?”

  Fake Legend sighs. “That’s clearly rather low quality. I know these things. But, I’ll give you four—“

  I cough.

  “Thir—”

  Cough cough.

  “Twe—”

  COUGH.

  “Ten. Ten dollars.”

  I fan myself with my hands. “Hoo, I think I had a fur ball there. All better now, though.” I slam down a twenty. “No! I can’t let this rich creep take away what is certain to be my favorite necklace. I’ll pay twenty.”

  Leon gestures toward Fake Legend. “
This is a good customer. A fair customer. Sold for ten dollars.”

  Fake Legend holds out his hand. Leon grabs my twenty and sets the pendant onto the animate’s palm. After that, Leon turns to me and grins.

  Eew. Looks like Leon had parsley with lunch.

  “Take that,” declares Leon.

  I ball my hands into fists. “Leon, you thief!”

  Fake Legend now walks backward-style out of the store. It’s an odd way to move, but it’s not like turning around is an option. I help to cover up the move by continuing to glare hot death at Leon.

  Once Fake Legend is outside, I stomp out of the store in a huff.

  “Got you that time, Elle!” calls Leon.

  Sure, you did.

  Once outside, I find Fake Legend is, once again, a small and crumpled-up piece of paper. I scoop up the wad and peep inside. There’s the pendant, just like I’d hoped.

  Yes!

  Pulling out my cell, I text to the number from the online ad. And yes, I have an alias for just such occasions.

  BountyHunterBabe: I have the pendant.

  VampTheVamp: Excellent.

  I read the name over and over. That alias is familiar.

  BountyHunterBabe: Vlad, is that you? It’s Elle.

  VampTheVamp: It IS me! Should’ve known you’d deliver

  BountyHunterBabe: Hey, I’m awesome

  VampTheVamp: Where do you want to meet

  Which raises a good question. I can’t meet Vlad in my home neighborhood—there are simply too many chances to get discovered. An address pops into my head; it’s the one from the Denarii League. So I type it in before texting my parents that I’ll be home in an hour. Vlad agrees.

  Time to meet my vampire buddy.

  16

  Elle

  An hour later, I hang in an alley of Midtown Manhattan. A flash rain just ended, so it’s one of those summer afternoons where sunshine turns the sidewalk all steamy. New York is the best.

  Any minute now, it will be time to hand over my un-stolen necklace to Vlad. The worst part about vamps? The drama. Vlad is especially bad in this department. Don’t get me wrong. Vlad’s also one of my best customers. He just needs to leave the cape at home.

  Sure enough, Vlad stalks down the sidewalk. He looks like something from a black and white movie, what with his slicked-back hair, super-pale skin, and shiny cape wrapped across his arm-slash-face. Normally, anyone with a smidgeon of magic attracts tourists like shmears to a bagel. But Vlad is so over the top that he looks more like a human groupie than a real vamp. It’s a common problem. There are very few old, nasty and subtle vampires left.

  Vlad stalks into the alley. “Mmm cmm ummm whmm fmmm tmm?”

  “I can’t understand you with that cape over your mouth.”

  “Oh.” Vlad lowers his arm. “Do you know if the weather is fine today?”

  I roll my eyes. “It’s me, Vlad.”

  “Elle, we’re supposed to use the pass phrases. This is a secret mission for us Magicorum.”

  Vlad looks so miserable that I can’t help but play along. “What’s the weather today? All sunshine, all the time.”

  Vlad makes an ‘o’ face, which is meant to look like he’s exhaling with relief. He doesn’t need to breathe anymore, but I do appreciate the attempt to look alive.

  “Do you have the pendant?” he asks.

  I open my purse. “It’s in here.”

  Vlad reaches for the tiny velvet bag. “Thanks.”

  I close my Gucci. “Payment?”

  Vlad reaches into his cape and pulls out a hefty envelope. I scoop it from his hands and scan the contents. Two hundred.

  “All right, you’re good to go.” I hand over the item in question.

  “Great. My coven will be thrilled to have this back, you know. It’s an heirloom.”

  “Pleasure to do business with you.”

  Vlad takes off; I jam the envelope into my purse. That’s when Jacoby materializes at the alley’s exit. His face is angry and thunder.

  “Hi Jacoby.” I step toward the sidewalk. Jacoby doesn’t move. “You need to let me pass.”

  “No.” In the dim alley, Jacoby’s eyes flare with silver light. He’s really ticked.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Did you visit the Queen of Hearts?”

  I set my fist on my hip. “So what if I did?”

  He steps closer. “You should have asked me for company. Protection.”

  “I can handle myself.”

  Jacoby does that predator move where he backs me up against a wall. He frames his hands on either side of my head. “Allow me to accompany you home.”

  A fluttery feeling spreads throughout my stomach. Not that I’ll let Jacoby know he’s getting to me, though.

  “Look,” I declare. “This stalking stuff is a little weird. Okay, a lot weird.”

  “Not where I come from. It’s the not-killing-you part that’s strange.” He leans in, stopping when his mouth is inches from mine. Is this about to be my first kiss? I could do worse than Jacoby.

  Nah. It’s the principle of the thing. Stalker behavior should not get rewarded.

  “Mom says I should never have become friends with you. She told me having a dark elf as a buddy is like taking on a life-sized barnacle. There’s no scraping you off.”

  “And yet, you went ahead and befriended me anyway. I keep an eye on you for one reason, Elle. Not every Cinderella meets her prince, you know. Some fall for very charming elves.”

  All of a sudden, it’s very hard to pull in a breath. “Do they?”

  “If you gave me a chance, you might find I’m the love of your life.”

  Words from the Queen of Hearts through my head. Marchesa and Legend Le Charme will try to stop me from being with my true love. Is that Jacoby?

  A small smile rounds Jacoby’s mouth. Does he guess what I’m thinking? Probably. Dark elves have all sorts of odd powers.

  Jacoby pushes away from the wall. “We can talk about it another time. I’m patient. Not to mention how we both have many long years ahead of us.”

  Not for the first time, I find Jacoby to be a living riddle.

  And like Mom says, a life-sized barnacle.

  17

  Alec

  For days, my chat with Legend after the Le Charme Extravaganza rattles around my brain.

  Is Le Charme Jewelers going bankrupt?

  If that’s true, it could mean trouble for our dwarves. They’ve mined our jewels for centuries. And considering where they work, it’s not like I can text to see if they’re all right. And if my parents know I’m visiting them, then Legend and Diamond will definitely want to come along. I can’t let that happen.

  Well, not if I want the honest truth.

  Asa result, checking on the dwarves becomes a matter of waiting until the penthouse is empty so I can use our enchanted portal and visit them solo.

  Not as easy at it sounds.

  If Diamond is out of the penthouse, then Legend is here. And vice versa. Long story short, it’s taken a few weeks, but at last, the penthouse is empty.

  And I’m off to visit the dwarves. Finally.

  I step into the library. It’s a two-story tall room lined with shelves of leather-bound books. The place is also packed with leather couches, candelabras, and Persian rugs. A large chair sits in one corner. It’s a simple thing, almost laughable in this ornate room.

  It’s by far the most powerful object in our entire penthouse.

  After sitting on that chair, I pull out a small red gem from my pocket. Gripping the stone in my hand, I reach out to the gem with my mind.

  Ready?

  The stone replies in a sultry female voice that only I can hear.

  Always. What do you want?

  Take me to the dwarves.

  Anything for you.

  The stone glows red in my fist. Crimson mist appears on the floor surrounding the chair. An electric charge of power fills the air.

  The chair transforms.


  A series of red circlets surround the chair. The round shapes spin faster and faster, creating a sphere of power around the chair itself.

  Both chair and orb hurtle through the earth.

  It takes a few minutes, but the chair eventually stops. Instead of hanging out in the ornate library, I now stand in a low cavern lined with torches. A line of fifty dwarves hack away at the walls with picks. Once I rise, they all pause from their work, turn around, and fall to their knees before me.

  “Our prince,” the murmur.

  “Please stand,” I state. Kneeling is part of their traditional greeting, but it’s still awkward.

  Their leader, Wilhelm, is the first to rise. The rest follow. Wilhelm is a stout dude who stands about four feet tall. He wears a brown tunic to match his long beard. “It’s the little prince! You’ve gotten so big. How old are you now, forty?”

  “Fifteen,” I say. “But that’s like forty in dwarf years, am I right?”

  “Sure enough.” Wilhelm steps closer.

  “You look leaner.” I scan the other dwarves. “You all do. What are they feeding you?”

  “Not as much as before.” Wilhelm sets his thumbs into his leather belt. “We understand; funds are tight.”

  I frown. “That wasn’t always true.”

  “No. Time was, Le Charme was swimming in gold. We ate off silver plates the day you were born.” He pats my shoulder. “Come, let me show you our latest stones.”

  With that, I go through the requisite tour of their latest rocks. To dwarves, each tiny gem is like one of their children. Wilhelm explains in detail which stones are for what settings. A pile of oversized gems catches my eye.

  “What are those?” I ask.

  “Discarded stones. Those don’t perfectly fit Le Charme designs. We set them aside for later.”

  I’d ask him what he means by perfectly fit, but that would start an hour-long lecture on stone quality and settings. All of which is interesting, but I can’t hang out here for long. My parents are due back any minute.