A deep, scratchy voice said from inside,“Enter.”
I opened the door and stepped across the threshold. The office was empty. It seemed my second chance to meet the man in charge would be taking place over the telephone speaker after all. Thank goodness.
“Hello, I’m Lily Fernsby,” I said in the general direction of the telephone on the desk. “I am told you wished to speak with me.”
“Fernsby, yes,” the voice said.
I needed to wait for him to tell me what this was regarding. I needed to hold my tongue. Maybe I wouldn’t be suspended, or worse, fired. Maybe everything would be all right.
“I have a mission for you,” the voice said.
“Oh.” That was surprising. Unless…was I about to be demoted? Was this a mission to scrub toilets with my toothbrush?
I spotted movement from the corner of my eye. Silas hadn’t left. Instead, he’d followed me into the office. I narrowed my eyes at him and waved for him to leave, grateful the boss couldn’t see any of this.
Silas shook his head then turned his attention forward, ignoring me.
“You’re to travel to Inorog, Roldaria at noon on July thirteenth,” the boss said.
This was it? I wasn’t in trouble, but was being handed a mission so important that the boss wanted to give it to mehimself? I couldn’t believe it. My unease melted, giving way to excitement. This was going to be great. I’d crush this mission and prove my place at the library. Then it was only a matter of time before I returned to my rightful position and to my rightful office. Forget the events of this morning, I was about to embark on my comeback tour right now.
“When you arrive, you’ll locate the Tawdry Tavern on the corner of Munte and Cetate streets. Ask for Vinny. You have until the twentieth to complete the mission.”
Feeling smug, I glanced over at Silas and stuck my tongue out at him.
He held his hands together behind his back and raised a brow at me, like he was better than my childish behavior, and I should be, too. Why was he holding back instead of flipping me off? Did he think the boss could sense his stoic professionalism through the phone? That was the stupidest thing ever. Silas was the stupidest person ever, with that grumpy face, those pretty lips, and infuriating way he called me sweetheart whenever he thought he’d gotten the better of me.
The boss’s empty executive chair rolled back from the desk.
It was empty, right?
I sucked my tongue back into my mouth and stared at the seat. It wasn’t like there was wind in here to move it. Could the chair have a wonky wheel? Was the flooring uneven?
What if it was something worse…what if the boss was right in front of me the whole time…an invisible man?
All the air whooshed from my lungs.
A smug grin pulled ever so slightly on Silas’s cheeks.
That was it—the boss was invisible. He’d been here the whole time. Silas had known all along, but he hadn’t warned me. Silas had been on his best behavior because he knew we were being watched. Just like he knew I was making a fool of myself, again, because when I was with Silas I couldn’t help myself. Somethingin me snapped. He was expecting just that, and taking full advantage.
Heat rose up into my neck. I stayed completely still, hoping I was wrong, praying that if I was right that I’d become invisible too. That could be a phoenix ability, right? Who knew? Not me. Maybe if I squeezed my eyes shut really hard I could backtrack time. Maybe if I wished it hard enough, I could undo my gross error in judgment.
I’d simply messed up. Again.
“Do you understand?” the boss asked, snapping my attention to the chair in front of me.
“Yes,” Silas said.
“Fernsby?” the boss asked.
“Arrive at Tawdry Tavern and speak to Vinny.” I nodded.
Silas turned to me, no longer holding back his grin.
I narrowed my eyes in a look that I hoped made his insides crawl. His smile deepened, and a dark twinkle appeared in his eyes. He wastoosmug. Had I somehow missed something else?
“Very good,” the boss said. “The two of you will be partners in this.”