Read Online Wish Bound (A Grimm Agency Novel Book 3) by J. C. Nelson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J. C. Nelson
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burp or cough could set the bed on fire. Once, Liam had a stomach bug and spent three days in a steel room waiting for the virus to burn itself out.
The gnome chieftain’s eyes grew round as the flame guttered out, and he knelt before me. “Forgive us, please. You didn’t come for so long we thought you abandoned us.”
His round eyes and the droopy hat triggered a memory. “Petri?”
“Chief Petri.” He scampered, hopping like a bird, closer and closer, until he stood in front of me. With a deft swipe, he sliced loose the bindings on my body. “Please don’t be angry.”
“Angry?” I punched at him, narrowly missing his head. “I’m furious. You trapped me in here. You shot me with . . . What exactly are these?” I threw one of them, nearly spearing him to the ground.
Petri looked over the darts, nodding. “Antibiotics, ketamine, and you won’t be catching rabies or feline distemper anytime soon. We’ve missed you so much.”
“What happened? The last time I saw you, you were racing monster trucks on the weekend. You were doing so fine.” I used Petri’s spear to cut loose the last of the vines and rose.
Petri hopped up onto my shoulder, dodging my attempts to grab him in a fist and strangle him until he popped like a tiny sausage in a pointy hat. “Racing got old. Then extreme sports, skydiving without a parachute, and gun-fighting got old. And one day, the shipment of staples didn’t arrive on time.”
Since Grimm handled all deliveries in Kingdom, I mentally made a note to blame Mikey for everything, which was almost always a good idea. “Staples?”
“So I killed Jakov and took his staples for my own. A few days later”—he swept his spear in a circle—“we found a new way of living. But you didn’t come to see us. So we carved a Marissa of our own.”
“You could have at least done a good job on the face. Can you get me Fairy Godfather’s package? I just want to go home. It’s been a bad day.” I stumbled through the jungle, ducking vines, back toward the service desk.
“It’s a perfect likeness. We made a deal with a demon for a copy of your driver’s license. Sent them my mother-in-law and cousin Karl. Stay here, I’ll get your package myself.” Petri slid down my arm and disappeared into the reeds.
In his absence, a crowd of amazed gnomes gathered around me. Some kneeled, some chanted, but one approached, bowing his head. “Would you be pleased if I cut the heart from an innocent victim and offered it to you?”
I shook my head. “Not really.”
His hat sagged; his shoulders slumped. “In that case, never mind.” He hurled the oozing leather bag in his hand to the floor, then slouched away, weeping.
After a few moments, a cadre of gnomes returned with a box on their shoulders, following Petri. “Faster! Bring Marissa the package or she will halt the rains for three years.” While I didn’t exactly know how I’d stop the rain, I had to admire his motivational skills.
Taking the box from their postage-stamp-sized hands, I swung it over my shoulder. “You’ve done well. I give your chief my favor.” Then I knelt beside Petri, whispering, “Which way is out? I have to get back to work.”
Petri whistled, a cutting sound that made me wince. White light stabbed my eyes as the jungle lit up, the remains of the post office’s ceiling lights giving it the flush of brilliant sun. “This way.” Petri pulled at my hand and dashed ahead. “Mind the crocodiles, step over the bear trap.” He swept back a blanket of vines, and there, in the earthen bank, I saw the form of a door.
“Bless us with your presence again, soon. Oh, and here.” Petri handed me a copy of my driver’s license. “Think of Karl every time you use it.” Petri pushed the door open, and I stepped out into the crowd, at the emergency exit in the KPS alley. I found a discarded bottle of champagne and rolled it until I got a reflection.
“Grimm?” With my hand on my bracelet, I
The gnome chieftain’s eyes grew round as the flame guttered out, and he knelt before me. “Forgive us, please. You didn’t come for so long we thought you abandoned us.”
His round eyes and the droopy hat triggered a memory. “Petri?”
“Chief Petri.” He scampered, hopping like a bird, closer and closer, until he stood in front of me. With a deft swipe, he sliced loose the bindings on my body. “Please don’t be angry.”
“Angry?” I punched at him, narrowly missing his head. “I’m furious. You trapped me in here. You shot me with . . . What exactly are these?” I threw one of them, nearly spearing him to the ground.
Petri looked over the darts, nodding. “Antibiotics, ketamine, and you won’t be catching rabies or feline distemper anytime soon. We’ve missed you so much.”
“What happened? The last time I saw you, you were racing monster trucks on the weekend. You were doing so fine.” I used Petri’s spear to cut loose the last of the vines and rose.
Petri hopped up onto my shoulder, dodging my attempts to grab him in a fist and strangle him until he popped like a tiny sausage in a pointy hat. “Racing got old. Then extreme sports, skydiving without a parachute, and gun-fighting got old. And one day, the shipment of staples didn’t arrive on time.”
Since Grimm handled all deliveries in Kingdom, I mentally made a note to blame Mikey for everything, which was almost always a good idea. “Staples?”
“So I killed Jakov and took his staples for my own. A few days later”—he swept his spear in a circle—“we found a new way of living. But you didn’t come to see us. So we carved a Marissa of our own.”
“You could have at least done a good job on the face. Can you get me Fairy Godfather’s package? I just want to go home. It’s been a bad day.” I stumbled through the jungle, ducking vines, back toward the service desk.
“It’s a perfect likeness. We made a deal with a demon for a copy of your driver’s license. Sent them my mother-in-law and cousin Karl. Stay here, I’ll get your package myself.” Petri slid down my arm and disappeared into the reeds.
In his absence, a crowd of amazed gnomes gathered around me. Some kneeled, some chanted, but one approached, bowing his head. “Would you be pleased if I cut the heart from an innocent victim and offered it to you?”
I shook my head. “Not really.”
His hat sagged; his shoulders slumped. “In that case, never mind.” He hurled the oozing leather bag in his hand to the floor, then slouched away, weeping.
After a few moments, a cadre of gnomes returned with a box on their shoulders, following Petri. “Faster! Bring Marissa the package or she will halt the rains for three years.” While I didn’t exactly know how I’d stop the rain, I had to admire his motivational skills.
Taking the box from their postage-stamp-sized hands, I swung it over my shoulder. “You’ve done well. I give your chief my favor.” Then I knelt beside Petri, whispering, “Which way is out? I have to get back to work.”
Petri whistled, a cutting sound that made me wince. White light stabbed my eyes as the jungle lit up, the remains of the post office’s ceiling lights giving it the flush of brilliant sun. “This way.” Petri pulled at my hand and dashed ahead. “Mind the crocodiles, step over the bear trap.” He swept back a blanket of vines, and there, in the earthen bank, I saw the form of a door.
“Bless us with your presence again, soon. Oh, and here.” Petri handed me a copy of my driver’s license. “Think of Karl every time you use it.” Petri pushed the door open, and I stepped out into the crowd, at the emergency exit in the KPS alley. I found a discarded bottle of champagne and rolled it until I got a reflection.
“Grimm?” With my hand on my bracelet, I
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