Allie Beckstrom 09 - Magic for a Price by Devon Monk Read Free Book Online Page B

problems or concerns arise.”
    “Thank you,” I said. “Any questions about apprehending the Seattle members
after
magic has been closed, when, hopefully, they and we will not be using magic, check in with Detective Stotts. Any questions about apprehending the Seattle members
before
magic has been closed, when I am sure they will be trying to use magic against us, contact me, Victor, Maeve, or Zayvionand Kevin. We will keep everyone up to date on any and all information we receive.
    “Second thing,” I continued. “I want all the hospitals, emergency services, communications, ports, and plants to be contacted to make sure they are ready for the switchover to straight electricity, natural gas, and oil.”
    A roll of conversation swelled and silenced. It had been years since Portland had gone traditional power only for any length of time. Years since a spell hadn’t been used to bolster a piece of equipment, or a person’s medical recovery.
    But humankind had lived without easy access to magic for centuries. I figured we could handle a few days—maybe weeks at the most without it.
    From the sound of the crowd, they were not as sure about that.
    The Hounds were still in the crowd. No surprise. Life as a Hound meant you didn’t turn down a job if one was offered. Actually, it was more than that. The Hounds had thrown in their lot with me. They’d stood beside me when there was no reason for them to believe any of us would walk out of the fight alive.
    They were loyal friends. And furious, dirty fighters.
    My people.
    They didn’t appear to be at all concerned about shutting magic down.
    “You expect us to convince everyone in the entire city to run on electricity alone?” a sallow-faced man somewhere in the middle of the crowd called out. “We haven’t been nonmagic for nearly thirty years. No one will do it. There will be riots in the street.”
    I didn’t know who he was. Didn’t much care, really.
    “You have a good point,” I said. “Unfortunately, itdoesn’t matter. The city has all the backup systems to go magic-free. We’ve done it for short stints during wild magic storms. It’s in all the emergency plans. It can be done. And it’s going to be done. Get ready, and spread the word. Because whether or not anyone likes it, I am shutting this city down in exactly one hour.”
    I picked up the mic, switched it off, then strode across the stage.

Chapter Five
    “N icely done,” Zay murmured as we stepped off the stage.
    “Do
not
talk to me, Jones.” I tromped down the stairs.
    The only problem with my plan of storming off was the hundreds of people standing in my way. Well, that, and a feet-freezing rush of claustrophobia. I got three steps down the side of the stage before I could go no farther.
    Zay was on my heels. He didn’t have to be touching me for me to know what he was thinking. I was confusing the hell out of him.
    “What’s wrong?” His hand landed on my shoulder, and he hissed as the full force of my phobia stomped through our bond.
    He pulled his hand away and exhaled, then was down the stairs, next to me. His arm looped around my back, propelling me through the crowd that parted like magic in front of us, with nothing more than his glare clearing the path.
    We crossed the room and were out the double doors to the wide-open hallway, and through that so fast, I couldn’t keep track of which doors we had passed. Then we were walking up the steps to the main doors—beveled glass and lead caught with rainbows from acentury ago—and on the wide columned front porch of the estate.
    Air. Real air.
    Zay let go of me and walked across the porch as if shaking off a pain, then paced back toward me, but keeping his distance.
    I just stood there, alone, with an armload of space, a world full of air and roominess. The wind was warm, even though evening was setting in, but it left me shaking and cold. Barging our way through that many people had made me break out in a sweat.
    Zay leaned one