I cocked my head to the side, and Spike frowned right before Eleni slammed the staff on top of his foot. He dropped me. Then he lunged at Eleni. She pivoted low, spun, and hit him with the staff twice. That only made him growl louder.

Air suddenly whooshed into the room, and a peacekeeper with tufts of hair covering his face stood, half-crouched. His yellow eyes landed on the scene. It was Charlie, the kishi who knew Frankie’s mom. I never thought I would be so happy to see him again. Soon the lobby was swarming with peacekeepers, and they quickly apprehended Crusher and Spike.

Somewhere glass shattered, and Zeran shouted, “She’s getting away.”

I looked in time to see Butcher climb out of a window and disappear.

Eli stopped checking himself for spiders and glared at Charlie. “Oh, now you show up after ignoring Frankie for weeks.”

“I haven’t been ignoring her.” Charlie cackled, baring his very sharp teeth. “I’ve been busy keeping the peace.” He looked around. “Where is she?”

“We’re about to find out,” I said, turning on Spike and Crusher, who the other peacekeepers had lassoed together. “Where is Frankie?”

Spike spat on the floor. “Eat dirt, little godling.”

I shoved my staff against his chest. “So we’re going to do this the hard way, okay then.”

“Hold on, Sister,” Eleni said, then she addressed Crusher: “You’ll tell us.”

“Tell them nothing!” Spike barked.

But Crusher’s eyes were still glazed over from fairy magic. “Tyana Nulan took her,” he said in a robotic voice.

I cursed under my breath—and I was glad Mama wasn’t here to wash my mouth out with soap. “Where?”

Crusher shrugged with a sleepy look. “I don’t know.”

Charlie spun around so the human side of his head faced us. His human cheek was slightly less hairy than his hyena side, but not by much. Instead of a growl, his voice was rough around the edges. “I want to help you get Frankie back, but my duties must come first. If I don’t track down Butcher, she’ll destroy everyone who has the misfortune to be in her path.”

There could only be one reason Nulan had taken Frankie: she wanted us to come after her. But it didn’t matter if it was a trap. I had to rescue my friend.

Twenty-Four

A MENACE

ELI MOCKINGLY WAVED at Crusher and Spike as the peacekeepers dragged them away. Still dazed with fairy magic, Crusher smiled and waved back with all four of his tentacles. Spike growled and twisted in his bonds, but the peacekeepers held on tight to him.

“Phew,” Eli said once they were gone. “Those two would be all right if they weren’t the absolute worst ever.” He cleared his throat, his face turning serious. “How are we going to find Frankie, and when do we leave?”

“Why would Captain Nulan take Frankie?” Zeran asked.