“So, Fitz is de-influenced?”
I nodded to Thruor. “William gave him holy water and Clara’s making him an anti-demon amulet. He didn’t actually faint.”
Thruor grinned. “We win another one.”
“I don’t know if we won anything.”
“Every time somebody opens their eyes to reality, we win a little. In one battle.”
I nodded. “I suppose, but the problem is, if he drops the case they’ll just hire somebody else. Somebody we don’t have protected. I think we’re back to making Mike disappear.”
Mike, stepping out of the bathroom shook his head. “No. I’m not disappearing unless they convict me of something.”
I nodded. Thruor could probably break Mike out of jail if she needed to. If not, my father certainly could.
Heck, I probably could. Fire and illusion. I was an extension of my father?
No. He was associated with fire. He didn’t call it. The illusion, though, that was definitely his. And useful.
“What can we do? We can’t prove you weren’t there.”
“Well. We might be able to. I wasn’t with anyone I know, but I was in public. We could find somebody who saw me. Would add enough confusion.” Mike’s lips quirk. “Beyond reasonable doubt.”
They’d still fire him, I knew. But…it could keep him out of jail. “If anyone did, bets Tyz’vel’s leaning on them?”
“Not taking that. It wouldn’t take much. A bit of a bribe, maybe. Wouldn’t even need magic.” Mike sighed and sat down. “I probably won’t be able to stay in DC. I’m willing to sign that document for you.”
I shook my head. “I…can’t make a life commitment on false premises. I need to know for sure it’s the right thing for both of us. We’ll manage.”
“She said the same thing.”
If she’d asked me to, if she’d begged me, I knew I would cave.
“You could try getting her some work with the agency.”
“I tried that. They…don’t have much work for black girls. Designers ask for one or two. Catalogue people, same.”
Mike shuddered. “Should have figured.”
“Should always figure racism into the equation, I suppose. But she can’t get enough. She’s stuck until we go to college.”
“You’re going with the design idea.”
I nodded. “Fashion and design. I seem to be good at it.”
Good at appearances. My father’s daughter. But…it worked while I was here. And I remembered that was the other reason I didn’t want to swear any oaths.
I might, I knew, have to leave.