“He’s good in a bind,” Tristan replied as Sebastian tried to unsuspiciously approach the bush.
“Probably because he gets himself into so many of them. Not like that, fer feck’s sake—would ye look at him! He might as well have on Mr. Tom’s getup with the way he’s slinkin’ and slouchin’
around. Just act normal and get the thing. Let’s go. I’ve never seen someone so awkward in all my life.”
She had a way of talking about Sebastian and to him that made him incredibly nervous. They definitely should’ve brought Nessa. If she were around, this was about when she’d step in and smooth everything out. Because he could be way more awkward than this.
He tried to act normal, no longer quite certain what that entailed, and peeked behind the bush to find Phil drinking out of a flask and looking through a Playboy, of all things.
“Hey, uhhm.” Sebastian cleared his throat, and Phil looked up. “I just need the other walkie-talkie.”
“Oh.” Phil pulled it out from deeper in the bush and handed it over. “Sure thing.” He hefted the magazine. “This has some pretty funny jokes.”
“Right, yeah. Okay then.” Sebastian tried to walk normally back to Niamh, but her glare was a tad unsettling. “He’s reading a Playboy,” he blurted as he got closer.
“He found that a town over. A bunch of boys were giggling about it. They dropped it when Phil stuck his head out from around a tree to see what they were laughing at.” Niamh slipped the walkie into the satchel and slung it over her shoulder. “One of their dads is probably gonna miss it. They don’t make those anymore, I don’t think. C’mon. We’re behind schedule.”
She led them into the bar and claimed the seat she’d had the last time, in the corner with an open stool to her right. Sebastian got motioned into the open stool, nearly forgetting to drink down the revealing potion to help him see anyone using an invisibility concoction. He pulled a second out of his pocket and slid it to Niamh as Tristan stood against the wall next to Sebastian in the corner of the bar, quickly blending in with the wall.
The dying sun threw long shadows across the floor as the evening waned into night. The bar was half lined with singles or doubles, none of them wearing the telltale watches, and one booth was occupied in the back. No one bothered to glance up as Sebastian and Niamh sat down.
“Hey.” The bartender from the other day—Timmie or something—sauntered down the bar, her gaze on Niamh. “How goes it?”
“Good, now. Uneventful day.” Niamh put her elbows on the bar, holding the little vial in her cupped hand, hidden from the bartender. There would be more in the satchel in case the few vials Sebastian had in his pockets weren’t enough.
Timmie glanced at the door with a frown. “Where are the guys?”
“Ah.” Niamh rolled her eyes, leaning back a little. “They got in a tiff about something-er-other.
They didn’t want to see each other at the bar, so neither came. Don’t worry, they’ll be back out soon enough. This happens all the time. They’re as bad as brothers, so they are. And the stupid things they fight over.” Timmie poured Niamh a whiskey, listening. “One time Ulric caught Jasper wearing his socks. The wrong socks ended up in Jasper’s drawer and he wore them. Well, ye should’ve seen ’em!
Yellin’ at each other, threatenin’ to give the other a box. They’re children. Yer better off not troublin’
yerself. Didn’t I say so the other day? Well now. Here’s the proof.”
Timmie laughed. “I’m not looking for forever, I’m just looking for a good time. And those boys are a real good time.” She winked at Niamh, finally noticing Sebastian. “Who’s this?”
“Sure, ye know him. He was here the other day.” Niamh took a sip of her drink. “The gangly gargoyle, remember?”
“Oh yeah,” she said, squinting at Sebastian and then glancing at his cape. “That’s right. Didn’t he
come with the female gargoyles? The ones that don’t shift?”
“Yes, yeah,” Niamh said without missing a beat, quickly building a new story about him. “Yeah, he didn’t make the cut as a guardian, but he wouldn’t be left behind, so he pleaded with the ladies to bring him. Those female gargoyles are only here to look after their mates and watch the pack kids and what have you. Don’t know why they gave in. He’s pretty well useless. He can’t even run a mop