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found unspeakably endearing. “I’m intrigued,” he said. “All this is new to me, understand, sorcerers, mysterious societies, underworlds within underworlds…I used to think I was just very lucky, and likable. I believed no more in magic than anyone does. Your associate, Mr. Hamil, has shown me things I can’t explain, and so I have no choice but to believe there is a whole side to the world I never imagined before. He tells me you are the most able guide to that world I am likely to encounter.”
    “So that’s a yes?”
    He frowned. “I have…one concern. Mr. Hamil is often accompanied by small children. Forgive me if this is indelicate, but…is he a pedophile? If so, I’m afraid I can’t work for anyone who would condone such a thing. When I was a child…Well, let’s just say I’ve
always
been very attractive, and there were those who tried to take advantage when I was young.”
    Marla shook her head. “No, you’ve got him all wrong. Hamil…no. It’s not like that. He’s organized the street kids of this city into a small army. He keeps them fed, makes sure they stay healthy, and when they get old enough, he helps get them off the street. It’s not about sex. I’m not saying his motives are totally pure, but they’re motivated by healthy self-interest, not any perverted shit. Nobody pays much attention to street kids. Nobody thinks they notice much, or that they care if they
do
see things. The kids get everywhere, and they’re
nosy.
They’re perfect spies. That’s why Hamil stays so
fat
—because he’s got so many mouths to feed.”
    Joshua frowned. “I don’t understand. What does his weight have to do with it?”
    “Sympathetic magic, Joshua. Hamil keeps himself fat, and his kids never go hungry. They’re all connected to him. It’s like…you’ve heard of the Fisher King? A king connected to the land? If he’s sick, the crops fail, and if he’s healthy, everything thrives? Hamil’s like that, on a small scale. He’s sated, and so are his kids. Plus, fat is an indication of wealth, magically speaking, and by
appearing
prosperous, Hamil
stays
prosperous.”
    “There are many fat people who are not prosperous,” Joshua said. “It is an American epidemic.”
    Marla shrugged. “Those people aren’t
sorcerers,
Joshua. Hamil is. And he’s not a pedophile. Sorcerers can be morally flexible, but I’ve got a few limits, things I won’t do and won’t let my people do, even if they can be magically potent. Any kind of rape. Permanent mental domination. Nonconsensual human sacrifice. Things like that.”
    Joshua’s eyes widened. “But…
consensual
human sacrifice?”
    “It’s not my thing—I think it’s sad and creepy—but I can’t think of a good reason why people shouldn’t be able to end their lives if they want to, and if they choose to do it in some magical ritual, hell, whatever. I’d rather they donate their organs to medicine, but it’s not my place to say.”
    “I see,” Joshua said. “Yes. I think this could all be very interesting.”
    “Great,” Marla said. She wanted to take him in her arms and welcome him into her family. “Come to the nightclub, tonight, midnight. Hamil will give you directions. I’ve got a little meeting you could help me with. Nothing major, so it won’t be the end of the world if you fuck it up, but if you do okay, we’ll see about keeping you around.”
    “A test of my abilities?” He looked amused.
    “I don’t doubt your abilities. I do doubt your punctuality, your seriousness, your commitment, your loyalty, your willingness to follow orders, and your general stick-to-it-iveness. That’s what I want to test.”
    “Fair enough.” He rose and extended his hand. Marla hesitated. Could she take his hand without dropping to her knees and sucking his fingers? Fuck yes, she could. She’d once kicked a hound from the underworld across a room. She’d killed Somerset, one of the most infamous sorcerers of all time. She’d