When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears: The Goblin Wars, Book Three (12 page)

“The boyo has the gift of music,” Mamieo explained, taking the sugar bowl from the counter. “In Mag Mell, he can make things happen by singing. Here . . . he hears the songs over people. Stay a bit and you’ll likely see for yourself.”

“I don’t think he should,” Finn said. “He’s not prepared for it, Mamieo. All hell is going to break loose, if not today then sometime soon. He’s safer away from here.”

“I’ll survive. Other people stumble into misfortune. McGillahees stumble into good luck. This is my story, after all.”

“Is it, then?” Finn asked. “That’s the McGillahee touch you were talking about?”

“Yes,” Seamus said. “Things I do just have the tendency to turn out well. So, I will survive.” He pointed at Teagan. “And she will, too. The angel will, of course. You, I’m not too sure about, Finn. But I’ll do what I can.”

“Is this about your dream?” Mamieo asked. “The one with the motorbike?”

“Yes,” Seamus said.

Finn’s eyebrows went up. “And a lawyer’s going to survive what’s coming?
A lawyer?
Don’t tell me you’ve ever done anything like this, McGillahee. Because I won’t believe you.”

“Of course I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve been in school. But I’m going to be very, very good at it.”

“How can you possibly know that, man?”

“It’s simple.” Seamus smiled. “I’m good at everything.”

“Oh,
God
.” Raynor rolled his eyes toward heaven. “If you
had
to send me to the Irish, couldn’t you have left the Scots out of it?”

Ten

T
HE
song echoing down the laundry chute in Aiden’s sweet soprano changed to a lyric about a shark’s teeth and a body on a sidewalk oozing life. The upbeat rhythm belied the bloody words.

Mr. Wylltson frowned. “‘Mack the Knife’? Who on earth—”

The kitchen door opened and Abby came in, followed by Leo, who was carrying two heavy white plastic sacks.

“Leo,” Seamus guessed. “Leo Gagliano.”

“Do I know you?” Leo asked.

“I’ve heard of you.” Seamus took one of the sacks from him. “I’m Seamus McGillahee, legal counsel to the Mac Cumhaills.”

“Are you trying to put someone’s eyes out?” Abby asked.

“What?”

“I’m bad-fashion intolerant,” Abby explained. “It’s like that glutes intolerance people get?”

“Gluten,” Teagan corrected automatically. “Glutes are the muscles in your buttocks.”

“Whatever,” Abby said. “Intolerance gives you cramps, right? That jacket’s giving me eye cramps.” She put her hand to her temple. “And a headache.”

“We finally have something in common, Gabby,” Finn said. “The man gives me a headache as well.”

Aiden jumped out of the maid’s stair. He had put on one of his dad’s white T-shirts for a Jedi tunic, and his light saber hung from a rope belt.

“Hey, Choirboy.” Abby took her hand from her head. “What’s with the glow sword?”

“I’m going to Lennie’s,” Aiden told her. “We might have to fight bad guys.”

“Hey, you tell cousin Lennie that if any bad guys show up, he should give me a call,” Leo said. “That’s what family’s for.”

“And how would you deal with them?” Seamus asked.

“The same way I dealt with the last one,” Leo said. “You have a problem with that?”

“The Scottish and Italian boys are all yours, John Paul.” Mamieo took Aiden’s hand. “I’ll just see Aiden safe across the street before I take my walk.”

“Mine?” Mr. Wylltson said. “Why are they mine?”

“Because you’re a man of peace, and a father besides. Me—I’m about to start knocking heads together.” Mamieo paused at the kitchen door. “And there’d better be fortune cookies left for us when we get back.”

“Leo,” Mr. Wylltson said, “we appreciate the takeout. It was very thoughtful of you. Seamus, why don’t you take off your coat and stay for dinner?”

“Maybe he doesn’t like Chinese food,” Finn suggested. Teagan thought he sounded a little too hopeful.

“It’s Sun Wah’s,” Leo said. “Everybody likes Sun Wah’s.”

“That’s true,” Seamus said. “I love their roast duck.”

“Yeah? Well, I didn’t bring any duck. We’ve got braised chicken with straw mushrooms, though.”

Abby took a stack of plates out of the cabinet. “The guy in the corner is Raynor, Leo.”

“The one who loaned me the truck?” Leo went over and shook the angel’s hand. “Would you be interested in selling it?” Leo circled Raynor, looking him up and down. “So, Abby says you’re an angel.”

Raynor sighed.

“I’d be onto you, even if Abby didn’t tell me anything.”

“How?” Seamus asked.

“I drive limos for a living. I know the streets, the flow. But when I’m driving that truck, it’s like Father Gordon blessed it or something. I need a green light, I get a green light. I need a parking space, I find one. This is Chicago, right? That’s unnatural.”

“Brynhild is outside?” Raynor asked.

“Who?” Leo asked.

“My truck. Her name is Brynhild.”

“Is that right? She’s parked right in front of the house. How’s that for a miracle?”

Raynor was on his way out of the room before Leo had even finished speaking.

“I guess he’s really not selling.” Leo pointed at the food. “Dinner’s compliments of Uncle Vito, by the way. He’d really like to know how you made the bodies disappear, Tea.”

“Don’t worry,” Abby cut in, handing Teagan a pair of chopsticks. “It’s not like, ‘You eat our Chinese food, you owe us.’ Vito’s not like that. He’s just trying to be nice because he knows you didn’t talk, either. You want spareribs with honey, Mr. Wylltson?” She started loading them on a plate before he could answer.

“How does he know that they didn’t talk, Abigail?” Mr. Wylltson asked as she handed him the food.

Leo smiled. “I said
some
of Chicago’s Finest think the Gaglianos are evil. They’ll be calling you back in, Tea—you and Finn. Vito just wants to be sure we’re all on the same page.”

“What page is that?” Finn asked, taking a piece of sweet and sour pork.

“The one where everybody’s lips stay zipped,” Leo said. “I’d personally appreciate it if you didn’t mention that I put a knife in the teacher’s back. I’m trying to get into school, and that’s the kind of thing you don’t want on your application. So”—he looked at the door Raynor had gone through—“you keep our secrets, we keep yours.”

“You’re applying to college?” Finn asked.

“No, Dumpster Boy,” Abby said. “He’s applying to Hogwash like in the movie. He’s going to be a wizard.”

“I believe you mean Hogwarts, Abigail,” Mr. Wylltson said. “You really should read the books.”

“Speaking of books.” Leo glanced at his watch. “I’m late to my math tutor.”

“You go,” Abby said. “I’ve totally got this.”

Leo zipped his fingers over his lips, made pistol fingers at Tea and Finn, and left.

“What was
that
all about?” Teagan asked.

“You mean the math? Zia Sophia,” Abby said. “She convinced Leo to go back to school. He’s going to be an accountant. And now you’re going to sit down, eat, and tell me all about it,” Abby said, handing Teagan a plate.

“I can’t eat and talk at the same time,” Teagan protested.

“Fine. Eat, then talk.”

“You go ahead,” Finn said. “I’ll take a plate out to Gil. I expect he’ll want some of everything.” Abby loaded a plate for the phooka.

“Are you going to sit down?” Teagan asked as Abby leaned on the table. “There’s an empty chair.”

“No, I like standing.”

Teagan took a few bites, then started the story with Kyle showing up at school. She’d reached the part where they were captured by the phooka band when Finn came back in.

He helped himself to a plate and ate quietly while Teagan went on, telling how they’d been captured by the phooka and chased by the Cú Faoil. About the Samhain Fair, the phooka baiting, and finding Fear Doirich and Mab. When she got to what happened when they returned to the school, Seamus leaned forward, suddenly more intent.

“Okay,” Abby said when Teagan was done. “We got a few problems. First, the girl Kyle had by the hair. She’s an eyewitness, but I think she was probably too scared to really see what was going on. Angel—our Michelangelo, I mean—is working on that one already, talking to her about what happened so she’ll remember it the way she needs to. Second, the cops will have Finn’s fingerprints on Leo’s knife. And then there’s the goo.”

“Goo?” Seamus asked.

“A few months ago, Kyle exploded right here in this room, same as Isabeau,” Abby said. “We thought someone had murdered Tea, right? So we called the cops. They took samples, you know? If they compare it to the stuff they scrape off the ceiling in the cafeteria . . . it’s got to be the same, right?”

“I would think it would be similar, at least,” Seamus agreed.

“You know who the prime suspect was then?” Abby went on. “Finn, that’s who. So there’s files. He’s going to be in them. And Tea will be in them. But files get mislaid. It can happen.”

“
Can
happen?” Seamus asked.

“Will happen.” Abby took out her phone. “It’s like Leo said. Uncle Vito doesn’t want us involved. And anything that involves Tea involves me. Can you think of anything else? Anything at all?”

“Security cameras at the school.”

“Jing took care of it.”

Mr. Wylltson shook his head. “Jinghez Khan?”

“He’s always in the computers anyway,” Abby said. “All the cameras were digital, so it wasn’t a problem.” She tapped in a speed-dial number, then turned away from the table as she talked. “Leo, are you there yet? Whatever. Here’s what we need to take care of.” She rattled through the list of problems she’d just discussed. “Oh, and get somebody to watch the clubs. Any really good-looking people show up wearing shades at night, we need to know about it.”

“The clubs.” Seamus thumped the table. “I hadn’t even thought of that. When the Highborn start drifting in from Ireland—and they will, if they have no easier way—that’s where they’ll go first. I think I love you.”

“Yeah? Well, I don’t like lawyers.” Abby slid her phone shut. “Plus, you’re too old for me. Your lips are totally starting to wrinkle.”

Seamus blinked. Teagan realized that she was staring at his lips. Even Mr. Wylltson couldn’t help looking.

“May I use your restroom?” Seamus asked. Mr. Wylltson gave him directions, and Seamus left the kitchen.

“He’s going to the bathroom for a wrinkle check.” Abby laughed. “Maybe I can sell him some of that new Luscious Lip Crème we’ve got at Smash Pad. You think school’s going to be closed tomorrow, Tea? I’m not feeling so good.”

“That’s what happens when you stay up all night watching over your best friend’s body,” Teagan said. “You’re going to get some wrinkles yourself.”

“That would be the least of my worries.” Abby leaned closer and whispered loudly. “Tea, does my butt look . . . lopsided?” She turned around quickly, then turned back.

“No,” Teagan said. “Why? Do you have something in your back pocket?”

“Oh, my god!” She reached behind her. “Does it
look
like I have something in my pocket? I got to go check on something.”

“Bathroom’s taken,” Finn said. “Better go upstairs.”

Eleven

A
BBY
didn’t come back until Teagan was almost finished eating.

“I need to talk to you,” she rasped. “It’s important.”

“Why are you speaking like that?” Finn asked.

Abby glared at him. “I’m
whispering
. Hello? That means it’s private.”

Finn leaned back. “You’re calling that a whisper? It’s more like a screech.”

“Whatever,” Abby said, smacking the side of her head as if she were trying to clear water from her ear. “Let’s take a walk, Tea. I can’t talk here.”

“Abby, I really, really need a shower,” Teagan said. “And clean clothes. If you could wait—”

“I can’t,” Abby interrupted. “You need me, and where am I? I’m there. This time I need you. Seriously.”

“All right.”

“You could bring Aiden home,” Mr. Wylltson suggested. “Since you’re going out.”

“I’ve got to be going as well.” Seamus headed for the door. “I’ve got some ideas of my own about where to look. I’ll see myself out.”

“You forgot your coat,” Finn called after him.

“Keep it,” Seamus said. “I’m changing professions. It doesn’t suit a gentleman adventurer.”

“Gentleman adventurer?” Finn shook his head. “The man gave us a ride home, and now he’s an adventurer?”

Abby dragged Teagan after Seamus toward the front door. Outside, they ran into Mamieo, Thomas, Roisin, and Grendal coming up the steps.

“Find anything?” Seamus asked.

“Not so much as a
cat-sídhe
whisker. Though it took a bit longer than I anticipated.” Mamieo glared at Roisin. Teagan looked from Roisin to Thomas.

“How did you persuade her to go along?”

“He murmured sweet things in her ear,” Mamieo said.

“Mocha latte,”
Roisin said, happily holding up a cup from the coffee shop down the street. “Yum!”

“The girl went into the coffee shop and wouldn’t leave without her latte.” Mamieo looked even more annoyed. “You’d think she didn’t want us to find those Dumpster Dogs.”

“She just doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation,” Thomas said. “Is there any food left? I’m starving.”

“Plenty.” Abby stepped aside to let them pass. She changed the subject abruptly. “Seamus isn’t planning on moving in, is he?” Abby asked. “Because if you stuff one more person into the house, I swear it’s going to explode.”

“Abby . . . maybe you should move back to your mom’s. You’ve seen what the goblins are like now. Things are going to get crazy around here. Really bad.”

“I can’t right now,” Abby said. “My older sister moved back and took over my room. Besides, you heard what I told Isabeau. She messes with you, she messes with me. Tea . . . are we in instant danger?”

“I don’t think so,” Teagan said.

“Good. I have a problem.”

“The handsome and lovable Jinghez Khan?” Teagan guessed.

“You’re crazy smart, Tea, but you’re not the first person I’d ask about guy problems, you know? It’s this.” Abby pulled up her hair and turned so that Teagan could see the side of her neck.