‘‘You led me on quite a chase, let me tell you, Mei Ling. I can’t name the number of times you slipped away just as I was about to nab you, and I have to admit, you’d probably have gotten away from me again this time except you seemed to knock yourself silly jumping out of that window. Still, all’s well that ends well. If you would come this way, please?’’

‘‘What . . . ? Who . . . ?’’ My brain was still sluggishly processing his words when he unbuckled my seat belt and pulled me out of the car, his hands hard around my wrists.

‘‘Sorry, didn’t I introduce myself properly earlier?’’ he asked with a little chuckle. He kept ahold of my wrists with one hand, the other going to his chest as he bowed in the elegant manner that only the people of the Otherworld seemed to be able to master. ‘‘Savian Bartholomew, L’au-delà thief taker, at your service. And you, fair thief, are my prisoner.’’

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The members of the Otherworld, in general, get along well with the mortal world. We all have to live in it, after all, so it makes sense we’ve learned to adapt to mortal foibles and whims, but the people of the Otherworld who bear an official capacity tend to take the time and effort to make sure that the mortal world sees them in an appropriate light.

‘‘I don’t suppose it would do me the least bit of good to yell?’’ I asked as Savian the thief taker flashed an official-looking card at an airport official.

‘‘None whatsoever. I have the diplomatic authority to take prisoners in and out of this and seventeen other countries, so I’m afraid that any protests you make would fall upon deaf ears. Ah. I see we are to have the first three rows to ourselves. Excellent. Do you need to use the loo?’’ he asked politely, stopping before a bank of tiny airplane bathrooms.

I shook my head, clutching my now-sodden blanket around myself, my spirits as damp as the rest of me.

‘‘All right, then. If you’d sit there, please.’’

I glanced around the section of the plane that he’d evidently managed to keep clear, but there was no hope for it. The lights were too bright—I’d never be able to get away by shadow walking. I plopped down in the seat he indicated, furiously trying to think of a way out of this horrible dilemma. ‘‘No handcuffs?’’ I asked acidly as he reached for my seat belt. I slapped his hands and buckled it together myself, glaring at him as he chuckled again.

He took his seat, drawing a binding ward on me. ‘‘I don’t need them, Mei Ling. It took me some time to come up with a ward that would hold a doppelganger, but as you can see, it’s quite effective.’’