The Art of Stealing Time: A Time Thief Novel by MacAlister Katie

It’s an impossible task. I walked half the park, but everywhere I looked, there were a hundred possible hiding spots. If she’s here, we’ll never find her.” He stopped next to his wife, smiling down at her with obvious affection.
    “I’ve come to exactly the same conclusion.”
    Kiya leaned into Peter, kissed him, giggled when he squeezed her behind, and handed him the blanket while announcing, “I’m going to go see what Sunil is up to, and perhaps ride on the carousel, too. I haven’t seen one in donkey’s years, and if there’s one thing that living with a former-animus-now-turned-lich has taught me, it’s to embrace whatever life gives you.”
    Both men watched as she walked off to the bright section of the park where a couple of carnival rides were running, their garish lights and tinny music enticing many people into nighttime revelry. Gregory smiled at the besotted expression on his cousin’s face, giving him a nudge with his elbow. “You’re going to be the one who’s arrested if the local coppers see you with that leer on your face.”
    Peter grimaced, then smiled. “You have to admit she’s a sight for sore eyes.”
    “She’s very pretty, but I prefer my women dark rather than strawberry blond.” That hadn’t been the truth until a few days ago, but it was perfectly natural that now and again a man’s tastes changed.
    Peter shot him a curious look, and slowly the two men followed the path that Kiya had taken. “Since when?”
    Gregory shrugged. “Brunettes usually have an air of mystery to them that bodes well for not losing interest after a few weeks. Have you ever heard of Gwen Byron? Full name Gwenhwyfar Byron?”
    “Yes.”
    Gregory stopped, startled.
    “She’s the woman you saved the other day. At risk of not only your own life but your career, and quite likely mine as well,” Peter continued, giving him a dark look.
    “Ah.” Gregory continued to stroll alongside his cousin. “I thought you meant that you had heard of her in an official capacity. Other than the events of two days ago.”
    “No, the name doesn’t ring a bell, although we can always run it past Dalton.” He pulled out his cell phone and typed in a text to his boss. “You’re damned lucky, you know.”
    “That you didn’t tell Dalton the full truth of what happened?”
    “No. Well, yes, but what I meant is that the shuvani didn’t punish you for saving that Welsh girl’s life.”
    “I’ve always paid my debts,” Gregory said somewhat stiffly. “That minion of Death was well rewarded for the time I took from her. Besides, she’s immortal. Yes, we have to pay for that which we take, but the shuvani only comes down hard on us when we steal from mortals. She minds less if you take time from someone who has the potential for a life measured in millennia rather than years.”
    Peter held up his hand. “You don’t need to lecture me about the ways and hows of Travellers, cousin. I might not have been raised in the family, but I assure you that I am well versed in how we can be punished for thefts. Ah, here’s Dalton’s response.”
    Gregory leaned over to see the text on the small phone.
    No records for person with the name Gwen Byron. Are you sure it’s not an alias?
    “Hmm,” Gregory said, mulling that over. “I have a pretty accurate mental lie detector, and it didn’t seem to me like she was giving me a false name.”
    “It’s a bit odd that there’s no record whatsoever,” Peter said, frowning at his phone.
    “But not unknown. After all, the Watch doesn’t maintain a database of all individuals in the Otherworld. It didn’t have me in it.”
    “No, but you said that the lawyer had killed Gwen. The first time, before you rescued her. That would imply that she had something to do with him.”
    “She isn’t Magdalena Owens. She’s not old enough, according to what Dalton told us yesterday.”
    “That’s only because he found some updated records from a few months ago when there was