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I picked up the leather satchel that the thief had failed to abscond with,the stiletto lady halfway as she click-clacked towards ratitude

“Thank you sothe satchel out of ers ended in souise the fact that they held their own special enchantments I knew ensorcelled press-on nails when I saw the queens Cool people, hella strong

But this wasn’t one of thes cut straight across her forehead in a lush fringe that framed a deceptively innocent face Her eyes studied athering inforh-collared white blouse and an equally severe pair of high-waisted gray trousers Her outfit was fashionable, in short, but, if the stilettos were any indication, not exactly very functional And I won’t even get into the assorters, wrists, and throat

“You’re a lifesaver,” the woain She seemed like the type ould breathe all her words, which I didn’t very much mind But I could tell that this da the role and going through the ht back, I realized, when she turned right around and started clicking her heels in the opposite direction

“Hey,” I called out, as the crowd gathered around us started to thin “That’s it? No kiss on the cheek, no big reward?”

She turned over her shoulder to answer, but never stopped walking “The kiss I can afford, but no rewards Sorry No dice” Her voice was normal now, clear, confident, resolute Those words hadn’t been breathed that time, that was for sure

Now, I promise I’m not that kind of douche, but the way stiletto lady had just dumped me on the street without so uy’s chest in” was bugging me Call me desperate, but I knew that whatever she had in that satchel was precious, and that she wasme a tidy reward I knew that because her face was splashed right onto a n read, next to aportrait of her face My hunch was right She was an enchantress

I wasn’t just going to let her off easy She threw evil glances over her shoulder as I followed her,She huffed as she swept through the open French doors of her atelier, ingerly on its surface I stepped in, giving the shop a casual glance, whistling as I took in the sights

Rows and rows of mannequins of all shapes and sizes shifted positions as they posed like ly to their bodies More gar fro for the right owner to co and pick up, say, a flaon slayer, or a shawl ically enchanted to warm up in the winter and keep you cool in the summer There was just one other shopper in the store, aout a rack of coats towards the back Beatrice seemed to pay him no mind

“This is a fancy place you’ve got here,” I

said

Beatrice cocked an eyebrow at lares “It really is,” she said, giving rateful that you helped with et back to my work”

I shook my head “Look, normally I wouldn’t be so pressed about this, but I’ your satchel for you Whatever’s in it is clearly valuable and probably costs a bomb And pro tip,like this happens”

Her nose wrinkled “This never happens here Not in all the months I’ve run this store, okay? Nobody just waltzes in and snatches raw ht off the counter It’s so barbaric”

“I agree Which is why I think you’ll agree that I deserve a nice, handsome little reward for my trouble”