Page 186 of Nightshade

“Of course. I have no reason to harass her.”

“Then, get to the purpose of this inquiry.”

“Oh, no purpose, really.” From her apron, she lifted a feather, one of mine to be exact, and she dragged the plumes across her red lips. “I found this lying on the ground. So beautiful, isn’t it? So soft.”

I didn’t respond. Didn’t react, at all, but watched her. Waiting to see if she had the balls to confess that she’d spied.

“This place can be so strange sometimes. The noises. The things you see at night.” Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, she trailed the feather down her neck to the fabric covering her breasts. “I have a secret,” she whispered and giggled. “Surely, someone in this godforsaken town would be interested in knowing what you really are.”

It was hard to say how much Evie knew about Nightshade and the fallen angels who walked freely amongst human souls.

“If you think I’ve never killed a woman before, you’ve yet to meet my apathy toward human life.”

She pouted her lips. “I don’t want you mad at me.”

I didn’t care enough to ask what she did want.

“That was a cool trick with the feather.” The way she played with it left me wanting to swipe it out of her hands. “Wish I’d have known you could do that. Can you imagine how fun it would’ve been to fuck me with a lightning bolt?”

“Fun for whom?”

“Oh, come on. Don’t pretend like you didn’t enjoy our time together. Remember those nights you’d force me--”

“Enough.”

A trill of laughter escaped her, the sound of it like a blade cutting glass. “Fine. I’ll keep those secrets to myself.” She tucked the feather back inside her apron. “Just know that I’m always here for you, Master Van Croix. I’m happy to help you any way I can.”

“You can ease my headache right now. By leaving. Immediately”

As if my words were a slap to her face, she grimaced and turned away. Without another word, she exited my office.

* * *

Leaning against the wall, I watched Farryn toil away at something, bent over one of the tables in the library as she concentrated on her work. Twigs of various sizes lay scattered across the tabletop, along with small snippets of twine. When she finally held up what had captured her attention, it was clearly a frame of some sort, though slightly crooked. A detail she seemed to notice, as well, for she frowned and set it back on the table, toiling again.

With quiet steps, I strode toward her, seemingly unnoticed even as I arrived alongside the table.

When she looked up again, a scream flew past her lips, and she tumbled backward. Before she hit the ground, I reached out and caught her.

Mouth gaping, she wore a quizzical expression, as I tipped her upright. “How …. That was …. Wow. Fast. Is that an angel thing, or something?”

“It’s a not wanting to see you crack your head open thing.”

“Yeah. That would’ve made a horrible mess.”

“What is this?” I asked, nodding toward her project.

“It’s for Garic.”

“Is he planning to move into a fairy house?”

Smiling, she looped the twine around one of the corners of the frame. “It’s not a window frame. It’s a picture frame.”

“The surly old man managed to charm you into crafts?”

“I wanted to do something nice. You know, an act of kindness?”

With a smirk, I shoved my hands into the pocket of my pants. “I’m actually not well versed in such acts.”