LAMONT WAS ONLY a short distance from the shop when he felt the quick tingle that told him he was visible again. He was suddenly drained and exhausted. The effect had been perfect, but it hadn’t lasted. What happened? Had the chemicals in his body messed with his abilities? Or was he just out of practice? In the old days, he could stay invisible for hours with no effort. Now quick getaways seemed to be all he could manage. Was he losing that old Shadow magic? Maybe he needed to ration it. Emergency use only.
The climb up the apartment stairs had him huffing and puffing. When he got to the top, Maddy was waiting. She was not happy.
“Where the hell did you go?” she asked. Her hair was untamed and her eyes were still puffy from sleep, which made her look even more annoyed.
“I needed some provisions,” Lamont answered. He was unused to accounting for his whereabouts. Or being trapped in a hovel, for that matter.
“You know the whole city is looking for you, right?” said Maddy. “There’s probably a bounty on your head. You could have led them right to us!”
Lamont flushed slightly. He knew Maddy was right. It was stupid of him to put the others in danger. He needed to be more careful.
“Everybody okay?” Jessica peeked out from behind the door, wearing a thin robe and pom-pom slippers.
“Safe and sound,” said Lamont, with his best smile. He held up his armful of supplies. “Anybody hungry?”
He glanced at the credenza as he walked in. He had put the photograph right back where he’d found it the night before, and he was an expert at making things look untouched. Of course, he was eager to ask about it, but he wanted to pick the right moment, when he could get Jessica alone.
But right now, what he truly needed was some cooking equipment.
“Is this all you’ve got?” he asked, looking at the stained and blackened hot plate on the counter.
“What more do you want?” asked Jessica, sounding a little irked.
“Maybe a fry pan and some utensils?” said Lamont.
“Oh,” said Jessica, “we’re going first class.”
She reached into a small cabinet and pulled out a cast iron skillet and a metal spatula. Maddy reached above her head and pulled a large glass bowl off a shelf.
“Okay, I’m in business,” said Lamont. “Now scoot, both of you. Too many cooks, etcetera…”
Jessica and Maddy retreated to the sofa as Lamont unloaded his supplies onto the counter. Bando hovered around his feet, sniffing his shoes. Lamont turned on the hot plate, and then started measuring and mixing from memory. It had been a while, obviously.
“What are you doing in there?” asked Maddy, as a warm, buttery aroma started to waft through the living room.
“Don’t rush me, please!” Lamont called back from the kitchen.
In fact, his recipe didn’t take long at all. He had stolen it from a chef in a Paris café, and it had never failed to impress his overnight guests. The preparation required a little finesse, but it was worth it.
“Plates?” Lamont called out.
Maddy hustled into the kitchen and pulled three chipped dishes from a cabinet. Lamont moved quickly now, spooning streaks of strawberry jam onto thin circles of golden batter. With a few deft flips of the spatula, he was done. He brought the plates to the table as Jessica and Maddy pulled up their chairs.
“Bon appetit!” he said.
It was the first time either Maddy or Jessica had ever tasted crêpes Suzette, and they were just about speechless. Maddy devoured the first delicate wrap in about two bites. Jessica was only slightly more restrained.
“Sorry I couldn’t find any Grand Marnier,” said Lamont.
“What?” said Maddy, her mouth full.
“Liqueur,” he said. “One of the classic ingredients.”
“Doesn’t matter,” replied Maddy. “These are amazing!”
Jessica smiled at Lamont. She hadn’t seen Maddy this enthusiastic about a meal in a long time.
“Did you invent it yourself?” Maddy asked, licking her fingers.
“It was invented by the French,” said Lamont. “In the 1800s.”
“Vive la France!” said Jessica, polishing off her portion and smiling at Lamont.
“So how do you make it?” asked Maddy.
“Sorry,” Lamont said. “Secret recipe.”
“Don’t make me beg,” said Maddy. “Tell me!”
Lamont put down his fork. He sensed a vibration in the very center of his brain. He knew Maddy wasn’t really trying to pressure him. She was just a kid in a good mood, having fun. But she had something powerful inside her—more powerful than she realized.
Lamont felt it to his core.