Diamond Fire (Hidden Legacy, #3.5)(23)

For most people using magic required conscious thought and effort. Like punching a bag or doing a push-up. They practiced and got stronger. For me, it was the opposite. Keeping my wings closed when I was around strangers was like always holding my breath. Opening them was effortless.

I didn’t need my full power for Jeremy. I only need a tiny bit of it, so I let him see a bare hint of my feathers. He blinked and smiled at me.

I opened my mouth and my magic stretched forward, fused with my voice, and wound about him, an invisible thread that lured him in. The effort to hold back my power, only letting a tiny bit through, was exhausting.

“They smashed some wine bottles. Do you like wine, Jeremy?”

He was focused completely on me now. “I’m more of a beer guy. I like all kinds of beer. I like IPAs the best. You know, when you can really taste the hops. It’s a real beer. It’s like studying surrealism. You drink an IPA and there is nothing abstract or vague about it. It’s citrus and hops . . .”

I had him. In the corner Runa sat up straighter and put her photo book down.

“. . . a baseline against which all other beers should be compared. Like is it stronger than an IPA? Is it sweeter or less hoppy? Do you like beer? There is a great biergarten we can go to right now and I will buy you an IPA.”

“Jeremy, are you good at decorating cakes?”

“I’m the best at decorating cakes. Better than people on tv.” Jeremy’s eyes went wide. “I watch The Cake Tournament and most of that shit is pure crap. I am a fucking wizard with fondant. If we had some fondant right now, I could really show you something.”

“There is fondant in the bakery,” I said.

“Oh no, we can’t use that. It’s poisoned.”

Leon smiled.

“That’s weird. Who poisoned it?”

Jeremy waved his hand. “My younger bro and two of his buddies from high school. That’s not important. I did all the hard work. I set this up.”

My voice wrapped around him, seductive and reassuring. “Wow, you must be very smart, Jeremy. Why would you set it up?”

“I never liked Primes. They act like they’re so much better than us. Oh, and this woman paid me a hundred grand in cash. I’ve got it buried in my backyard. I’m rich. I don’t have to work here. You should let me take you out. We could go to South Padre.”

I turned my tablet on and showed him the picture I had pulled up.

“That’s her,” he said. “Do you know her? Did she give you money? I would give you money. I’ve got money.”

“Do you know how she’s getting into the wedding?” I asked.

“Nah. She just gave me a bunch of syringes with stuff in them and said to inject the fondant. And she told me not to poke myself with them and to wear plastic gloves.” He rolled his eyes. “Duh, like I’m stupid.”

Now came the most difficult part.

I opened my mouth and sang. The words didn’t matter, only the magic did. Jeremy listened, his jaw hanging slack. The magic wrapped around him, like a glittering veil, and he began to sing with me. “Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool, yes sir, yes sir, three bags full . . .”

I fell silent and gently untangled my magic from him, as it whispered into his mind. Forget, forget, forget.

His head drooped, his chin falling to his chest. He pitched forward slowly. His stomach touched the table. Jeremy jerked awake. He blinked at me, his eyes looking wild.

“They smashed some wine bottles,” I said. “Do you like wine, Jeremy?”

“I’m more of a beer guy.”

“Did you have anything to do with the breakin?” I asked him.

“Nope. It’s a shame though. I mean who would be dumb enough to break into a bakery?”

“Where were you last night between one and two?” I was so tired now. My voice was shaking.

“I was home. My brother will vouch for me. We stayed up playing video games.”

“Okay, Jeremy, you’re free to go.”

“Great.” He got up and offered me his hand. I shook it. His handshake was limp. “Great to meet you.” He walked out.

Nobody said anything. Rivera stared at his phone. Leon was grinning at me like a lunatic and holding two thumbs up.

Rivera looked up. “Okay, he went into the kitchen.”

“Well, that was something else,” Runa said.

A wild thought occurred to me. I stuck my hand out. “Catalina Baylor, of House Baylor, Prime Siren.”

Runa looked at my hand, took it carefully, and shook it. “Stay out of my head.”

“Don’t poison anybody I know, and I will.”

“Is the memory loss permanent?” Rivera asked.

“I don’t know,” I said.

“We’re going to watch him,” Rivera said. “My guess is he told you everything he knows, and she’s too smart to give him anything that could lead us to her. We’re going to proceed as if we bought the teenager wine story. We’re going to put guards here, because it’s expected.”

“If she wants to get into the wedding, it will have to be the waitstaff,” I said.

Rivera nodded. “That seems most likely.”

Leon stirred. “Carlos will be a problem. If he suspects Jeremy did this, he won’t be able to control himself.”