Pet Psychic Mysteries Boxset Books 5-8 (Magic Market Mysteries Book 2) by Erin Johnson (reading diary .TXT) 📗

I was under more scrutiny than ever. And now that Peter wasn’t speaking to me or bringing me in on police consultant jobs, I was back to struggling to make ends meet.

And while my fake pet psychic business had picked up a little from word spreading around my corner of the Darkmoon District about the police hiring me for my talents, I wasn’t bringing in nearly the money I earned as a consultant for the cops.

I sighed as I marched back downhill through the lush landscaping, Heidi’s heels clicking along behind me as she and Will bickered. If I hadn’t gone back to being poor and desperate, I’d never have let myself get sucked into this “business opportunity.”

“Why not?” Heidi whined.

“Uh…” Will let out a humorless laugh. “Because I was mostly tagging along for something to do. But no thanks! Don’t feel like getting sucked into a pyramid scheme tonight.”

I stopped and spun around to wait for them to catch up.

Heidi tipped her head to the side and raised a finger. “Actually, that’s a common misconception. We’re not a pyramid scheme, we’re—”

Will and Heidi rejoined me. “Oh, it’s we now.” He thumbed at her. “Caught and cleaned.”

I nodded my agreement, and we turned to go, but Heidi stomped her foot. “Guys, wait!”

Will huffed, and I crossed my arms, but we both slowly half turned to face her.

She splayed her palms. “Look, you already came all the way up here, there’s tons of food inside….” She flashed a grin at me.

Snakes. The girl knew her audience. I was always hungry… especially now that I was broke once again. My shoulders slumped.

“Just come in and support me. You don’t have to buy anything.”

Will and I exchanged looks. He leaned into one hip. “Open bar?”

Heidi’s smile broadened and she nodded.

I looked up at Will again and shrugged. “We did hike all the way up here. I probably need some sustenance to make it back down.”

He arched a brow. “And I need a stiff drink.” He looked Heidi up and down. “Fine.”

“Yay!” She clapped and bounced on her heels. “Okay, we have to hurry for real though.” She slid between us and once more dragged us back up the path, past the fountain and up the stone steps to the hotel.

She glanced right and left at each of us as we climbed, my thighs burning. The island of Bijou Mer was a mountain, and getting up to the top tier was a workout. Also, I really needed to get in better shape.

Heidi clicked her tongue. “You didn’t wear white though. They told everyone to wear white.”

Will huffed. “Right… and this isn’t a cult pyramid scheme.”

I smirked.

“And besides—I wore white.”

Heidi shot him a look. “Your lab coat? Really?”

I grinned wider until she whipped her head my way and leveled that disappointed look on me.

I recoiled. “What? I didn’t have any clean whites. It’s such a pain to have to pay for separate loads.” And again—I didn’t have the money to do laundry at the moment.

She tipped her head to the side. “Okay, but did you have to wear all black?”

“I’m just expressing the mood of my soul.”

Will snickered.

“Whatever you guys think, this is a big deal to me, okay? These tickets are going for nine hundred merkles apiece.”

Will choked.

We reached the top of the stairs and stepped out onto the level ground in front of the hotel. The chanting of the protestors grew louder. Women, faces red, shouted at us and jabbed their signs in the air. “Potent Potions poison people! Potent Potions poison people!”

I lifted my brows at my friends. “Try saying that three times fast.”

A few security officers in black uniforms rushed out of the hotel entrance just as we reached it. I glanced back as they stretched their arms wide and ushered the women back.

What was I getting myself into?

3

The Harder They Fall

Heidi, Will, and I jostled into the crowded lobby, nearly shoulder to shoulder with the huge crowd gathered for the Potent Potions summit. I curled my lip at the prominent Potent Potions logos on everything.

The gold double P’s surrounded by a silver heart glowed on the walls, was stamped on the black tablecloths, and was worn on necklaces, rings, and bracelets by many of the women. I’d bet they’d even paid to put their brand on the toilet paper.

A woman brushed by me, looking me up and down before continuing on through one of several sets of double doors to the dark auditorium beyond. I crossed my arms and huffed. So what if I was the only one wearing black in a vast sea of ladies decked out all in white?

Will, a good head taller than anyone else here, gazed across the crowd. “How many people are here? There have to be thousands.”

Heidi looked smug and shouted to be heard above the murmur of voices. “I told you it was a big deal.”

A magically amplified voice rang out over the general din. “Please take your seats in the auditorium—welcoming night speeches will commence shortly. Please take your seats in the—”

“Ee!” Heidi gripped my arm. “It’s starting—come on, let’s try to get good seats.”

Will sniffed. “I think that ship’s sailed.”

“Not before I get some food.” I rose on my toes, spotted a waiter moving by with a magically hovering tray, and pounced. Once I had a little handful of crab puffs and bruschetta and Will was double fisting champagne flutes, we were ready. Or as ready as we could be for the sales pitch Heidi had paid for us to attend.

We edged in at the back of the mass of perfumed bodies that jostled and shoved their way into the auditorium and ended up taking spots way in the back. We slid down a row of black auditorium chairs, tripping over feet and bumping into knees, until we found three seats together. I dropped into mine and sighed, grateful to get off my feet.

The whole place buzzed with people and conversation and energy. I raised my brows as I chewed