Page 68 of Property of Crypt Keeper

“Noted.”

“I mean it.”

“Good for you.”

I stared at him. The man had the audacity to continue writing. As though I hadn’t just made a perfectly reasonable argument.

Lyra was already gathering her purse while Lily stood beside her, pulling on a hoodie. Dexter hovered nearby with all the subtlety of an armored vehicle while Spook checked something on his phone.

“We won’t be long,” Lyra promised. She gave me what I’m sure she thought was a reassuring smile. Then, without a backward glance, they all left.

My jaw dropped. That wasn’t the point at all. The point was that I was being left alone with a child.

A child. I had survived assassins. Demons. Hunters. Ancient monsters. I did not do children.

“Boomslang,” I repeated.

The president finally glanced up. “Watch the kid.”

“No.”

“That wasn’t a question or a request.”

I narrowed my eyes.

He narrowed his right back.

Around us, several Kings suddenly became very interested in not paying attention as they pretended to be intensely occupied by anything but this exchange. Cowards. All of them.

“I have killed things older than civilization,” I informed him through clenched teeth.

“Congratulations.” He appeared unimpressed as he stared at me with his stubborn face devoid of expression.

“I once removed a demon lord’s head with a serving fork.”

“That’s nice.”

“I. Do. Not. Babysit.”

Boomslang pointed toward Zara. “Watch. The. Kid.”

Then he got up and walked away. When I glanced around for help from any quarter, no one would meet my eyes.

I hated everyone here.

The first five minutes were terrible. Absolutely terrible.

Rigidly, I sat on one end of the worn, leather couch.

Zara sat cross-legged on the other.

We stared at each other. Neither of us spoke. Finally, I cleared my throat.

“What do children… do?”

Zara blinked. Then stared harder. Finally, she announced, “You’re weird.”

“Excuse me?” Unsure I’d heard the small creature properly, I sat up straighter.