Ronnie just nodded, trying to shove aside her curiosity as they approached the booth where Marie Antoinette was. Someone had glamoured it to look like she was holding court at Versailles, and if it weren’t for the gigantic Minotaur glowering at them in a too-tight- black t-shirt and sunglasses, Ronnie could almost forget where she was. 

This is some crazy shit, she thought, eyeing the bouncer carefully. Vent owes me a fuckton for this. 

Eve was lounging on a chaise, fanning herself with an ornate hand fan. When they sat down in the plush chairs across from her and Earnest dropped a handful of shimmering coins onto a plate, the woman gave a coquettish silent giggle before bringing the fan to her mouth.

With a flick of her wrist, the rest of the bar disappeared, leaving them alone in the sitting room, and Ronnie’s jaw dropped in surprise. “Um,” she said cautiously, glancing over at Earnest, who hadn’t yet made a move, “we’d like to ask you a few questions, Eve.” 

Eve picked up an ornate cigarette, taking a delicate puff before blowing out the smoke. The words ‘ask away’ floated in front of them in a soft, flowy script. Blinking, Ronnie turned to Earnest, thoroughly confused- the grekelhind just shrugged. 

“Okay,” Ronnie said slowly, staring at the enchanted ceiling and smoothing her skirt, “we’re here because we hear you found a buyer for Vent’s totem… and we need to get it back.” 

“Hold the fuck up,” a gravely voice snapped, causing her to jerk her head back down. The woman was frowning at her, a cigar dangling between her fingers and waving with every word. “You tellin’ me Vent sent you into my gig?” 

Stunned, Ronnie blinked again. “Eve?” 

“Yeah?” The woman leaned forward, her legs akimbo as she glared at the two of them, her fierce expression and tone at odds with the delicate fabric of her dress. “What, you got a problem with how I do my job or somethin’, human?”

Ronnie recovered quickly. “What do you mean, your job? And it’s Vent’s totem, asshole — you didn’t think he’d want that back?”

“Humans don’t have ears? Or are you just dumb, like most humans?”

Earnest bristled at the insult, but Ronnie just rolled her eyes. It wasn’t even creative, as far as insults went. “Who do you think he’d send to get it back?” She grinned, baring her teeth.

Eve went white under the stage makeup, eyes darting between the two of them. “Fuck, the Rainmaker, and… fuck, then that makes you...” She licked her lips. “I don’t want to die.”

Earnest dropped his glamor completely. “Then I suggest you talk, Eve. What do you know?” His voice was a low rumble.

Ronnie glanced at him briefly and instantly knew it was a mistake. She forced her eyes back to Eve to keep from gawking.

“I don’t know nuthin’, I swear!”

Ronnie snorted. “Let’s start with your gig. Who hired you?”

“I don’t know! It was some middleman, real secret-like. He worked for a buyer and wanted the totem! Knew I had … experience gettin’ hard-to-get items.”

“Meaning you’re a thief,” Ronnie said.

“I’m a leprechaun! Sue a guy for usin’ magic to make a livin’!”

Ronnie supposed that was fair. Leprechauns had an affinity for finding items, and not much else in the way of magic. “Keep going.”

Eve glanced over at Earnest again and hurried away. The cigar fell and extinguished itself on the carpet. Earnest moved closer, keeping Eve within grabbing distance.

“That’s all I know! I swear!”

Earnest’s hand dropped to the carpet to scoop up the cigar. The coin briefly vibrated in Ronnie’s hair as he blew hot air on the ashes, reigniting them. “I don’t believe you.”

Eve gulped. “I never met the buyer! Only the middleman, and when we did, it was with all that spy shit humans love so much!”

“What about the seller?” Ronnie asked. She reached over to sketch a rune in the fallen ashes of the cigar. It wouldn’t fire, of course, but it didn’t look like Eve was thinking too clearly. “Seller’s already got the totem, right?”

“I knew a guy who knew a guy, you know? My job was to set up the exchange and make sure it went smoothly, and I got 10% clean — supposed to be easy money.”

“I’ll let you keep your life for a name.” Earnest moved the cigar closer. His other hand pretended to pick at his teeth. “It’s been a while since I’ve ripped a throat out, though. Might be nice.”

“Man, you know how this works,” Eve whined, the wig quivering. “I can’t give you a name. It’s locked.” 

Ronnie sighed. “Riddle bound?” 

“Yeah, like that,” Eve replied, glancing between her and Earnest, settling on her. 

She didn’t know if she should feel insulted that the grekelhind was apparently scarier than her battle-won reputation, but Ronnie didn’t press the issue. Glancing at him, she had to admit he cut an impressive figure when the glamour dropped. Her eyes lingered on well-defined muscles under the delicate scaling, five pairs of dragonfly wings outstretched and mimicking the purple, gray, and gold rippling hues across his body. Despite the dead air of the room, his mane of hair seemed to dance, and she could smell molten metal in the air. Aside from his fine claws, grekelhinds were otherwise human-shaped, and the suit's fabric stretched to accommodate his new frame.

Earnest arched a brow at her, eyes flashing sunlit yellow before his coloring went rainbow-hued — her dress sparkled to match. When Eve raised her perfectly powdered eyebrow, Ronnie rubbed her face to hide her blush as she stared directly at the booth. “Hit me with it, then. We’ll sort it out.” 

“And I leave alive?” 

“Vent just wants the totem; he didn’t tell me to murder everyone I questioned along the way,” Ronnie snapped. She killed, sure, but she didn’t do it without reason, and it annoyed her that the leprechaun regarded her that way. She was still above the watermark for her soul, albeit barely. 

“Yeah? And what about him?” Eve jerked a finger.

“My honor,” Earnest said, causing Ronnie to frown as she felt his magic brush along her skin — apparently, Lirianna’s wards allowed verbal bindings. “Bound willingly to the lady’s word.” 

Eve relaxed. “Alright, but you know the drill. I can only say it once.” 

Ronnie glanced at Earnest. “Can you memory charm the riddle in here?” 

He practically pulsed his will to keep his emotions in check. “Yes, such magic is below the notice of the wards.” 

“Okay, do it,” Ronnie said. Eve drew a long breath and smoothed her skirts, her face hallowing out, eyes going vacant, the voice flowing and sweet when it poured from his lips. 

“Minutes are hands, forever dancing. Born of the mighty sky, below the mottled and gilded ground. Bury, bury, dig and shovel, dive into the belly, sing into the void. Touch with three, walk with five, and taste the cost of envy. And when reflection calls to past transgressions, confession alone will clear the path. Then speak, for I am the risk, the reward, and the ramifications.” 

Ronnie pinched the bridge of her nose. This wasn’t just about figuring out the name locked inside the riddle — this was a quest, and whoever had the totem had locked themselves behind a fucking epic. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! How the hell were you going to crack this in two days?” Ronnie snapped at Eve as they fully came back to their plane. 

Eve frantically shook her head. “Me? No, no. The seller, they want me, they summon me to them.” She smirked, clearly unhappy. “I was in over my ass before I realized it — I’m blood-bound until the totem gets sold or the binder is dead. Hence why I wanted to unload that fucker as soon as possible.”  

“Fuck,” Ronnie muttered. 

“You have no one way to contact them otherwise?” Earnest asked. 

“Unless I fancied myself a journey, no.” Eve sighed and lit another cigar, the sound of ashes crackling echoing throughout the glamoured room. “On the upside, this whole fucking thing starts at that watch shop downtown, so I guess you can bargain for time on the path. That’s as far as I got.” 

“But the trolls turned you down,” Ronnie said. “Who’s going to buy the totem if they don’t?” 

“That’s the problem — no fucking idea, except we all know what happens if the conduit’s totem gets sold off this plane.” Eve shook her head. “Should have never fucking gotten involved.” 

Ronnie whistled. That was bad.

Planar travel was possible, but it was strictly for the wealthy. Vent was a gatekeeper to travel — no one he disapproved of got permission to cross. As his personal fixer, she had carte blanche to cross as needed. Worse, Vent was the only way off the plane … so without him, this plane, her home, would end up screwed.

It hadn’t taken long for most of the population to come to depend on being part of the planar community.

“I don’t think I need to explain Earth’s magic ranking in terms of the fold?” Eve asked in the silence.

Ronnie laughed. “How we’re the low of the low? No, I’m well aware. Fuck.” She laughed, unsure what else to do, and even though tears stung her eyes, she gave Earnest a wry grin. “I guess we’re going on an adventure, huh?”