is a nightmare."
"You have a place to stay for as long as you need," Farah said, sliding an arm across my shoulders. "Rent free, I might add."
I peeked through my hands and smiled. "Thanks, Farah. You're awesome."
"You could always ask Prince Simdan for a loan, though."
I shot off the floor, my entire body rejecting the suggestion. I was not going to bend the knee to the ultimate jackass and beg for loose change.
"Absolutely not. I just need a job. Something to tide me over until I find the bastard that cuffed me and break these chains."
"You can work in my store," Farah said. "Some of my customers would love to see you model." She wiggled her eyebrows.
"And that would be the last thing they'd ever see." Exhibitionism was Farah's thing, not mine.
"You're right," Farah said. "You're too violent for my store."
"Says the djinni with the weapons cache in her dressing room."
She shrugged. "Speaking of that, I need to get downstairs. I'm meeting a client soon who's looking for a specialty item."
"Sex or death?"
"Maybe both. Who knows?"
"Don't you want to know what he plans to do with it?"
"You've been out of the country too long. This is America, Alyse. We don't ask questions like that." Surprise must have shown on my face because she grinned. "I'm teasing. I vet all my clients. I don't take any crazies."
I straightened my Mets T-shirt and smoothed my khaki pants. "I need to get a move on anyway. I have a yoga class to attend."
Farah's mouth quirked. "You? Yoga?"
"Flynn suggested it." I didn't intend to make a habit of heeding Flynn's advice, but given my current condition, it seemed like a reasonable idea.
"Flynn suggested that you attend his girlfriend's yoga class?" She didn't seem overly fond of the idea. "Well, if you intend to meet his girlfriend for the first time, you need to cover that black eye. There's concealer in the bathroom under the sink."
"Thanks. Would it also be possible to get another gun?" I cringed, hating to ask. "Captain Angel Face engulfed mine in flames."
"These aren't weapons that you conjure out of nothing, you know. I have to pay for them."
I shifted uncomfortably. "Is that the equivalent of telling me that money doesn't grow on trees?"
Farah huffed. "How about I give you one after yoga class? I'm pretty sure yogis frown upon guns in class."
"What do you think I'm going to do?" I asked. "I have no interest in hurting Tessa. She has Flynn cooking sauce and shopping at Pottery Barn. She's clearly a secret mage."
"If you have no interest in hurting anyone, then why don't you leave your daggers here?" she asked.
"Because of these." I held up my wrists. "Once word gets out that I'm cuffed and in Philadelphia, I'll have everyone I've ever annoyed flying in for a visit. I don't intend to use the toilet without a weapon."
Farah inclined her head. "Maybe you shouldn't piss off so many people. Ever consider that?"
I shrugged. "Comes with the territory."
Her hands flew to her ample hips. "Well, if you're going to do yoga in Rittenhouse Square, you can't possibly wear that. You need pricier gear."
Never one to object to pricier gear, I nodded obediently. "Where do you propose I get some?"
"One block over is a boutique. Get lululemon and you'll blend. Tell Misty I sent you. She owes me one."
For the sex shop or the weapons cache, I didn't bother to ask. Some details were better left unknown.
R ittenhouse Square is the fancy pants part of Center City. In Victorian times, it rose to prominence as the fashionable neighborhood and its desirability stuck. These days the square is lined with expensive restaurants, shops and hotels.
The yoga studio was located down a quiet side street. I strutted down the sidewalk with my new raspberry-colored yoga mat and matching attire. I practiced swinging my ponytail from side to side. It was fun. This was definitely a cover I hadn't tried before. If I had my shapeshifting powers, I'd make myself more petite, lighten my hair and call myself Britney. I
"You have a place to stay for as long as you need," Farah said, sliding an arm across my shoulders. "Rent free, I might add."
I peeked through my hands and smiled. "Thanks, Farah. You're awesome."
"You could always ask Prince Simdan for a loan, though."
I shot off the floor, my entire body rejecting the suggestion. I was not going to bend the knee to the ultimate jackass and beg for loose change.
"Absolutely not. I just need a job. Something to tide me over until I find the bastard that cuffed me and break these chains."
"You can work in my store," Farah said. "Some of my customers would love to see you model." She wiggled her eyebrows.
"And that would be the last thing they'd ever see." Exhibitionism was Farah's thing, not mine.
"You're right," Farah said. "You're too violent for my store."
"Says the djinni with the weapons cache in her dressing room."
She shrugged. "Speaking of that, I need to get downstairs. I'm meeting a client soon who's looking for a specialty item."
"Sex or death?"
"Maybe both. Who knows?"
"Don't you want to know what he plans to do with it?"
"You've been out of the country too long. This is America, Alyse. We don't ask questions like that." Surprise must have shown on my face because she grinned. "I'm teasing. I vet all my clients. I don't take any crazies."
I straightened my Mets T-shirt and smoothed my khaki pants. "I need to get a move on anyway. I have a yoga class to attend."
Farah's mouth quirked. "You? Yoga?"
"Flynn suggested it." I didn't intend to make a habit of heeding Flynn's advice, but given my current condition, it seemed like a reasonable idea.
"Flynn suggested that you attend his girlfriend's yoga class?" She didn't seem overly fond of the idea. "Well, if you intend to meet his girlfriend for the first time, you need to cover that black eye. There's concealer in the bathroom under the sink."
"Thanks. Would it also be possible to get another gun?" I cringed, hating to ask. "Captain Angel Face engulfed mine in flames."
"These aren't weapons that you conjure out of nothing, you know. I have to pay for them."
I shifted uncomfortably. "Is that the equivalent of telling me that money doesn't grow on trees?"
Farah huffed. "How about I give you one after yoga class? I'm pretty sure yogis frown upon guns in class."
"What do you think I'm going to do?" I asked. "I have no interest in hurting Tessa. She has Flynn cooking sauce and shopping at Pottery Barn. She's clearly a secret mage."
"If you have no interest in hurting anyone, then why don't you leave your daggers here?" she asked.
"Because of these." I held up my wrists. "Once word gets out that I'm cuffed and in Philadelphia, I'll have everyone I've ever annoyed flying in for a visit. I don't intend to use the toilet without a weapon."
Farah inclined her head. "Maybe you shouldn't piss off so many people. Ever consider that?"
I shrugged. "Comes with the territory."
Her hands flew to her ample hips. "Well, if you're going to do yoga in Rittenhouse Square, you can't possibly wear that. You need pricier gear."
Never one to object to pricier gear, I nodded obediently. "Where do you propose I get some?"
"One block over is a boutique. Get lululemon and you'll blend. Tell Misty I sent you. She owes me one."
For the sex shop or the weapons cache, I didn't bother to ask. Some details were better left unknown.
R ittenhouse Square is the fancy pants part of Center City. In Victorian times, it rose to prominence as the fashionable neighborhood and its desirability stuck. These days the square is lined with expensive restaurants, shops and hotels.
The yoga studio was located down a quiet side street. I strutted down the sidewalk with my new raspberry-colored yoga mat and matching attire. I practiced swinging my ponytail from side to side. It was fun. This was definitely a cover I hadn't tried before. If I had my shapeshifting powers, I'd make myself more petite, lighten my hair and call myself Britney. I
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