Devilry comes back to us and takes Witch’s hand in both her own. “I can’t thank you enough for taking care of her. What do I owe you?”
“Not a damn thing.” Witch jerks her chin toward me. “Thanks to him, you’re all paid up.”
I glower at her for revealing the truth, but the healer only smirks.
“You’ve been paying her this whole time?” exclaims Devilry.
“And paying well, too. He’s a good one,” Witch says. “Keep him.”
“If he can manage to stop keeping secrets from me, I might.” Devilry frowns at me, but there’s no real resentment in her gaze. “Would you be able to keep Candle here a little longer, Witch? Ravager’s room isn’t big enough for the three of us, but we have something in the works that might change our situation. We could take her in a few more weeks.”
Witch purses wrinkled lips and lays her fingers on Devilry’s arm. “In her condition, I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep changing her surroundings. It could cause more harm than good.She’s comfortable here, and I’m used to her company. Let her be, child, until it’s over.”
“Over?” Devilry steps back, her eyes stricken. “Do you mean—”
“There are things I can’t fix, my girl. You know this,” Witch says quietly. “Each time it happens, I’m able to repair less of the damage, and she loses more of herself. We had a conversation, she and I, and she said the next time she has an episode, I should not interfere beyond the easing of any pain. She would prefer to pass away rather than suffer the fracture of the mind that comes with this disease.”
A fragile, disgruntled voice issues from the rocking chair by the fire. “You’re talking about me, aren’t you? Come say it to my face.”
“Keep your slippers on, Candle,” Witch replies in an equally crotchety tone. “It’s nothing we haven’t discussed. Talk it over with Devilry, while I finish making the tea.”
Something about their friendly petulance with each other makes me smile.
Devilry takes my hand and draws me with her toward the rocking chair. “Candle, this is Ravager.”
I sink to one knee so I’m on the same level as the woman in the chair. Her eyes wander a bit, focusing on my face with difficulty, but I can tell they used to be as bright and sharp as Devilry’s.
“Ravager.” She shapes the word carefully. “Has he got a decent cock?”
Witch bursts into laughter, and Devilry turns scarlet. I find it hilarious and adorable that my wicked girl, who swallowed every bit of my cum last night, is so prone to blushing at the mere mention of my dick.
“Yes, Candle,” Devilry splutters. “It’s more than decent.”
“Good. That’s important.” Candle waggles a finger at me. “See that you use it well.”
“Time for your tea, you sweet old pervert.” Devilry gives her a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll visit you again soon.”
“I’d rather you didn’t,” Candle says. “Let’s say our goodbyes now, and have done with it. Next time I might not remember you, and I don’t want you to see me like that.” She forestalls Devilry’s protest with a brisk wave of her veined hand. “I used to worry about dying and leaving you alone with the Javelins. These past few months, they’d talk around me like I wasn’t even there, like I wasn’t a person anymore. I heard how they spoke about you, but I didn’t tell you because you still needed them.”
Devilry’s lips tighten, and I place my hand at the small of her back.
“We’re both free of them now,” Candle continues. “And I want to know that you’re enjoying your youth, like I enjoyed mine. Flirt, fuck, and steal. Drink liquor, sing loudly, and wear sparkly dresses. Run barefoot on the grass. Kiss that handsome boy whenever you feel like it. And most of all, remember that sometimes, you need to jump into the canal with all your clothes on, just to know you’re alive.”
18
TWO WEEKS LATER
Ravager places his hand on the door of the Night Goose. “Are you sure you want to do this now? You just got the news about Candle yesterday morning.”
“You said the same thing to me last night, before the Tremlin job, and I handled that perfectly, didn’t I?”
“You did. Although you could have let me blow up that hideous statue in the Constable’s bathroom.”
“We didn’t have time, Ravager.”
“There was enough time.”
“I’m not having this argument with you again. We emptied his vault with no alarms raised, and we didn’t get caught. That should be enough for you. Destroying the statue would have been pushing our luck too far.”
