Page 53 of A Shade of Myself
“Yes. Even then.”
“Says the woman who shut the door in his face.”
The microwave binged and I removed the mugs. “That was in the interest of self-preservation.”
“I beg to differ,” Laurent said, strolling into my kitchen. “That was very rude. Though I agree that the golem is not a suitable role model.”
Shrieking, I almost dropped the cups. “Did you just break into my house?”
“No.” He gave me an innocent smile. “I took you up on your offer to drag you out.”
“Cool.” Sadie moved the burbling Moka pot off the burner and shut off the gas. “I’m still not running but I’ll trade you caffeine for lock-picking tips.”
Suddenly she liked him? I shot her a pointed glare and she shrugged.
“I didn’t break in. Your mother’s bedroom window was open. And you are running. You’re also going to learn the tell of an Ohrist’s magic and how to hide because they need line of sight to use their powers on you.”
That was a very important lesson for Sadie, but instead of voicing my agreement, I spoke the thought I was preoccupied with. I looked up at the ceiling. “That’s on the second floor.” He looked confused so I clarified. “You climbed up my house into my window, then came down the stairs all without me hearing you?”
“Yes,” he said. “But I made sure my runners were clean, so I didn’t track dirt anywhere. Can I have a muffin?”
“No.”
“Help yourself,” Sadie said. “The coffee offer is still open if you know how to pick locks.”
He took the muffin with the most chocolate chips visible in the top. I’d wanted that one. “Come running with us so I can assess your fitness level,” he said. “I’ll teach you that and fighting.” His first bite took out half the muffin.
Sadie pursed her lips like she was considering his offer.
This conversation was getting away from me.
“No one is doing anything without my permission. You.” I handed Sadie the mugs. “Pour. You. With me.” I pushed Laurent out of the kitchen.
When we were in the living room and safely out of Sadie’s earshot, I placed my hands on my hips. “I appreciate that you may be frustrated at the delay in our…next meeting…”
Laurent watched me, his lips pressed together and his shoulders shaking.
“Am I amusing you?”
He gave me a slow grin and my stomach did a flip-flop. “The cold shower part was true. But it’s also true that you took forever climbing the Grind.”
“How would you know?” I pressed a hand against my flushed cheek. Of all people, why did Laurent have to hear my fitness wasn’t exactly top of game?
“I asked Jude.” He sat down on my precious sofa, bouncing up and down to test it.
That traitor. See if I ever fed Jude again.
I smacked Laurent on the shoulder. “Stop that. You’ll wear out her springs. First of all, I’m never doing the Grind again so it’s irrelevant, and second, I could have been Usain Bolt and that wouldn’t have helped me escape Carpe Demon.”
“But together with fight techniques, it might have. I’ve already spoken to Tatiana—”
“You what?”
“And she agrees. You can’t just rely on magic in this line of work so I’m going to train you.” He nodded decisively. “This is a very nice sofa. It reminds me of wildflowers.”
No, my heart was not going to melt at that reference to the mural in my bedroom that Laurent had said was the one thing in my house that matched my personality. Fine. I melted a bit, but I was still resentful.
“Here I thought you were being altruistic,” I said. “Is she paying you?”
