Illusion Town Read Online Free PDF Page B

amnesia, temporary or otherwise.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSo we had to come up with a plan that would ensurethat we would stay together, at least long enough to figure out what was going on,” Elias said. “What better way to do that than file a Marriage of Convenience? Waking up married was a surefire way to force us to try to figure out what happened last night.”
    â€œSeems a bit drastic.”
    â€œWe must have been desperate,” he said. “And if we were psi-burned and heading for a crash, we may not have been thinking clearly.”
    Somehow, that sounded vaguely insulting but she couldn’t decide how to respond so she kept quiet.
    There was only one vehicle in the foggy street, a newspaper delivery van with the
Curtain
emblazoned on its side. It was just pulling away from the curb. The notorious tabloid catered to a niche market that could not get enough of conspiracy theories, scandals, and rumors about Alien abductions. It was one of those newspapers that most people denied reading but that nevertheless enjoyed an extremely high circulation.
    Hannah considered herself a loyal subscriber, so when they walked past the vending machine, she automatically glanced at the headline.
    Shock brought her to a standstill. “Elias, we may have a very big problem.”
    He did not stop. “Put it on our list.”
    â€œTake a look at today’s edition of the
Curtain
.”
    â€œWhy? Nobody reads that rag.”
    â€œI do, but before you decide to continue insulting my reading taste, I suggest you look at the damn headline.”
    He stopped, turned around, and retraced his steps.
    â€œI didn’t mean to insult your taste in newspapers,” he muttered.
    â€œThat’s not the point.”
    She waited in silence while he absorbed the implications of the lead story.
    COPPERSMITH MINING HEIR MARRIES IN SECRET MC WEDDING
    Underneath the headline was a photo showing Hannah and Elias emerging from the Enchanted Night Wedding Chapel. There was something very furtive about the scene, Hannah thought. In the picture she had Virgil clutched under one arm. He was the only one who appeared cheerful, probably because he had a cupcake slathered in bridal white frosting clutched between two front paws.
    â€œThe happy couple,” Elias said.
    â€œWe look like we’ve just attended a funeral,” Hannah said. “Good thing nobody reads that rag.”
    â€œYeah. Good thing.”

Chapter 4

    â€œI’m very sorry if you two woke up with a case of buyer’s remorse, but I’m afraid we don’t do refunds here at the Enchanted Night Wedding Chapel,” the receptionist said.
    According to the little sign on her desk, her name was Mrs. Henderson. She was middle-aged, comfortably proportioned, and endowed with a warm, solicitous, vaguely maternal air that no doubt put nervous couples at ease. But Elias could see the steel beneath the surface. She was in charge of a business that was supposed to turn a profit. She knew her job.
    The Enchanted Night Wedding Chapel was typical of the cheap-and-fast Marriage-of-Convenience operations that were found scattered around the Old Quarters of all the city-states. But in Illusion Town they were as common as slot machines. The MC mills did a steady trade, drawingcustomers from the nearby nightclubs, taverns, casinos, and other shady businesses that flourished in the dark.
    Although he knew that they both had a good idea of what to expect from a twenty-four-hour wedding factory, he was very aware that Hannah was vaguely horrified by the Enchanted Night Wedding Chapel. She was doing her best to conceal her dismay, but it didn’t take a psychic to pick up on the vibe. Maybe the fake flowers, the dingy drapery, and the illuminated arch looked more romantic at night.
    â€œWe’re not here for a refund,” Elias said. “We just want to talk to you.”
    â€œYou’re not the first couple to return here the