Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

almost anything—especially alcohol-soaked two of them were often seen together out on the town. jaws and egos.
    The grand staircase marched up to the second floor, I stepped into the swirling crowd, letting the sea of forming a wide landing, before splitting in two and windtuxedos and shimmering gowns sweep me along from one ing up either side to the upper floors of the mansion. clique to the next. A set of glass doors on the left side of Finn had chosen well. His position gave him a view of the ballroom led out to a terrace. A massive orchestra had the entire ballroom below.
    been erected on the right side in front of another set of
    “Let’s get started,” I said. “Before someone decides to glass doors. I plastered a smile on my face and strolled proposition me. Where’s Dawson?”
    through the ballroom, flitting from one knot of people
    “He’s in the center of the ballroom, about a couple to the next, until I reached a quieter space along the unhundred feet behind you on the right. Although I derside of the staircase beside a potted bonsai tree with wouldn’t suggest approaching him now, given his current gnarled limbs.
    company.”
    I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and called
    “Current company? What does that mean?”
    Finn. He picked up on the third ring.
    “You’ll see. Just keep looking in that direction. Daw“I’m here,” I said. “Where are you?”
    son’s easy to find. He’s the only one wearing a cowboy hat
    “I see you, Gin. You look smashing, even for a faux tonight.”
    hooker.”
    I peered through the crowd. It took me several seconds
    “Finn,” I growled.
    to spot Dawson, and Finn was right. He was the only
    “To answer your question, I’m on the second floor, cowboy in attendance. In addition to the giant hat on his leaning over the railing and surveying the majesty laid head, the dwarf also wore snakeskin boots and another out before me.”
    lariat tie topped with turquoise. All of which looked riMy eyes flicked up. Sure enough, Finn was exactly diculous with his tuxedo. But Tobias Dawson’s fashion where he said he was. Leaning against the marble banister, sense wasn’t what made me frown, then curse. It was the Scotch in one hand, cell phone in the other. Roslyn Philcompany he was keeping. lips stood beside him, wearing a strapless white evening Mab Monroe, Jonah McAllister, and Elliot Slater. Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 282-283
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    Web of Lies 285
    over the crowd. He wasn’t quite as wide as he was tall, but his frame was all solid, compact muscle. A cut with one of my knives would have felt like a bee sting to him. 26
    Slater’s complexion was pale, almost albino, and his tousled thatch of blond hair disappeared into his large skull. His eyes were a light hazel, and the only real color on his chalky face. A large diamond ring flashed on his pinkie. Another inch or two, and I could have worn it as a bracelet.
    And then there was Mab Monroe herself. The Fire elemental was a few inches shorter than me, but she radiated raw power, even more so than Elliot Slater did. Her hair was as red as polished copper and curled softly to her shoulders. In contrast, her eyes were a deep, liquid “Fuck,” I said.
    black. Ink would look dull and diluted next to her gaze.
    “Fuck is right,” he replied. “Because no hooker in her Fire and brimstone. That’s what Mab Monroe always reright mind would try to get in the middle of that sandminded me of. wich.”
    The Fire elemental wore a floor-length evening gown My eyes slipped past Dawson and studied the three done in an emerald green that made her hair seem even people he was standing with. of course, I’d met Jonah redder than it actually was. She wore no jewelry except McAllister in person yesterday, when he’d come to the for a flat gold necklace that ringed her throat. My eyes foPork Pit to threaten me into dropping the charges against cused on the centerpiece of the design. A circular orange his son, Jake. The slick-talking lawyer looked distinruby a little smaller than my fist surrounded by several guished and handsome in his tuxedo, and his thick mane dozen wavy rays. The intricate diamond cutting on the of hair resembled silver that had somehow been swirled gold caught the light and made it seem as though the rays around his head.
    were actually flickering. A sunburst. The symbol for fire. I hadn’t had any dealings with Elliot Slater, the giant Mab’s personal rune, used by her alone. For a