The Flute Keeper's Promise (The Flute Keeper Saga) by Ashley Setzer Page A

mimicking
Bazzlejet’s voice as best I could. “I just had a little spill.”
    “Get it together, Hotstuff,” said
the caller. “We need you back at HQ by moonhigh tonight. We’re expecting to rendezvous
with the transport team by sunrise.”
    Hungry for all the information I could
get, I said, “Transport team?”
    “Yeah. Oh, and J and W said they
have some new blueprints for you.”
    THWACK! Bazzlejet smacked me over
the head with one of the pillows he’d used to stuff his dress. The shell phone
flew out of my hands and he grabbed it.
    “Please repeat,” Bazzlejet squawked
into the phone.
    Reeling, I regained my footing and
tackled Bazzlejet at knee-level.
    “Close communications,” he shouted
into the shell phone. He tumbled over and the phone went skidding across the floor.
By the time I recovered it, the person on the other end was gone.
    “What is your problem?” Bazzlejet
said, straightening his wig. He found his pillow and stuffed it back down the
front of his dress.
    “Who was that?” I said. “What
blueprints?”
    “None of your business, Missy.
Owwww!” He rubbed his shoulder. “Why’d you have to hit me so hard?”
    “Just tell me what’s going on!” I
said. “What is W.R.A.I.T.H. up to and why does it involve Lev? He’s there now,
isn’t he? He’s always there.”
    Bazzlejet grinned. “Oh, so that’s
why you’re in a tizzy? Sorry, but I don’t know anything about your boyfriend.
I’ve got my own orders thankyouverymuch.”
    “Then what are your orders?”
I asked in exasperation. “Who are J and W?”
    “I dunno, I’ve never actually met
them in person,” Bazzlejet said. “And I wouldn’t tell you if I did know. I’m
afraid I can’t be persuaded.”
    “Please, Agent Hotstuff,” I said,
trying a sweet, coaxing tone. “I’m not an outsider. I’ve been inside
W.R.A.I.T.H. What can it hurt to tell me?”
    “But you are an outsider,”
Bazzlejet said. “Last time I checked, you were still in line to be a priestess,
right? So you’re on the outside. And that’s where you belong. Boss says it’s
the best place for you.”
    I couldn’t hide the anger that
crept into my voice. “Othella said that? Is she trying to protect me again? I
don’t want to be protected!”
    “Shhhh!” Bazzlejet hissed. “Chloe’s
coming.”
    I heard the click of Chloe’s
high-heeled slippers in the hallway. Bazzlejet ran to a mirror to check his
disguise.
    An army of attendants and Pixies
followed the princess. She was dictating orders to them.
    “See to it that they have enough
food. I don’t want them living on wild roots and mud,” Chloe said to a Gnome
who was scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment.
    “Shall I put out a flyer?” asked a
hovering Pixie. “I could forward a message to all stops on their route.”
    “Excellent,” Chloe said. “Make it
so. Ah, Emma!”
    I tried to return the greeting but
the royal entourage besieged Chloe with questions.
    “You have your orders!” Chloe
shouted to her staff. “Direct all further inquiries to Lord Finbarr. I’m
retiring until dinner.” She shut the door on the small crowd.
    “Princess!” Bazzlejet exclaimed in
his grating girl voice. “How was the council?”
    Chloe glared at him. “Why are you
still here? Go busy yourself with something.”
    “Will do, Your Highness!”
    Chloe rolled her eyes as Bazzlejet
skipped away to an adjoining parlor. I kept a close watch on him. I hoped to
follow him to his clandestine meeting later that night.
    Sweeping a hand to her forehead,
Chloe sprawled out on a fat, pink cushion. “Ugh!”
    “Did it go that badly?” I asked.
    “Yes and no,” Chloe said. “The
Seelie Court was as stubborn as I expected. They said they didn’t want our best
and brightest leaving the castle to share precious expertise with commoners .
They absolutely refused to give up any of the clergy for such a mission.”
    “Uh oh,” I said. “So what’s the
good news?”
    Chloe sat up and