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I thought back to the last time I’d seen their car split into illusions to confuse any would-be stalkers "Yeah"

He nodded "So when the duplicate illusions of the Conroys’ car drive past the streamers, they won’t make a breeze We just sit back and uess it’s not quite as stupid as it sounds," I said "Are we just gonna sit here and wait until we see them?"

Shelton drove up and down the rows of parked cars, eyes roving "Nah I’ht on a leopard-print Hummer with dark-tinted s and chron of a black li the same car?"

"The illusion spells are charmed into the limo," he said "It’s not a spell soet in" He stopped to inspect a black car Grunted, and eased off the brake "They either bought it or leased it from Overworld Security, a company that provides protection to celebrities and politicians Even if they got another one, it’ll look the sa lot without spotting the limo

"Don’t they have a driver?" I asked "I doubt it would be parked out here"

"It’d usually be waiting in the ecoaches, and even elephants waiting to pick up VIPs as they eh" He parked the sedan, got out

We walked to the stables and found Oliver shoveling a on

"G’day, guvnahs!" he said brightly

"Hey, Oliver," Shelton said, patting the boy fondly on the head "You seen the Conroys around here lately?"

"No, Harry I saw Miss Ivy and Mrs Conroy just two days ago, but not since" He heaved a shovelful of poop into the wagon

"Don’t worry about the tracker," Shelton said "I don’t think it’ll work on their limo"

"Did they take their car when they were here last time?" I asked Oliver

The boy nodded "They caht to the li from Queens Gate"

That would’ve been a day or so after school let out for the holiday break, I realized "They ain in January," I said

"Any Darkwater people lurking around here?" Shelton asked

"Yes, there were several looking for people who htly A fen clods dropped fro "Did you do soain, Harry?"

Shelton looked offended "Why would you ask that, kid?"

"Oh, please tell me about it," Oliver said "I would so love to hear another of your stories"

Shelton sighed "Stay away froled his thumb to indicate the two of us "They want our hides"

"You don’t need to tell htly "The one named Kassus sounded very upset"

My stomach clenched "Did it sound like they had any idea where ere?" I asked

He shook his head "I saw several of the brotherhood taking the arch to different locations I would say they’re casting a wide net"

"How did you know they’re with the brotherhood?" Shelton asked

"I hear a lot," Oliver said with a grin "Most people ignore the stable boy"

Shelton passed him a wad of tinsel, Overworld currency "Stay out of trouble, kid And let ot it, Harry!"

We walked back to the car, Sheltonthe way "I don’t knoe should stake this place out, or leave," he said "Man, I could really use a donut right now"

I didn’t like the idea of sitting for hours in a s back hoht side, it didn’t sound like Darkwater had any reason to suspect where we lived if Oliver’s assumptions were true

"Darkwater is headquartered inside the Grotto?" I asked as we clioing near the place Their security probably flagged our ies"

"It doesn’t sound like they have pictures of us," I said

"Nah, but they probably have drawings which will be close enough to tag us"

"I don’t want to go ho"

Shelton pursed his lips Started the car and backed out of the parking lot "I’ve got some ideas They may not pan out, but it won’t hurt to try"

I didn’t argue with him

He drove up the ra with stretched Huhini on display in a glassed-in showroon proclaimed the place as Luxury Transportation Shelton drove to the back, parked the car, and led e to indicate what lay inside I saw a sias pump to the rear of the co and up to a counter He dinged the bell A short lasses came to the front His eyes narrohen he saw us