“Be careful. She’s crafty and conniving. Don’t let her charm or stake you.”
“And if she puts me in a coffin?” he quipped, starting up a death game we sometimes played.
I regarded him for a moment and ran my fingers through his unkempt hair. “I’ll dig up all of Cognito to find you.”
* * *
Christian huggedeach turn of the road on his bike, the wintry air slicing deliciously across his skin. Even if Raven couldn’t break the curse, that ruby necklace didn’t belong in Lenore’s possession. He knew her well, and she wouldn’t be cowering in another city with a sullied reputation. Lenore aimed to keep her position. She’d spent her entire life seeking power and would never walk away without a fight.
When he reached her mansion, he parked in front of the door and strode inside without knocking. “You have visitors,” he announced, noticing a few candles lit. The glow from the electric hourglass was still shining against the wall behind it.
Lenore glided toward him through the center room, past the broken statue, busted tables, and numerous corpses. “I love what you’ve done with the place. I’m surprised you didn’t prop the bodies in my bed.”
“We ran out of time.”
Lenore strolled toward him as if she were in a meadow of white daisies on a hot summer day. Her beige pantsuit swished loudly in his ears, and a gold chiffon duster flowed around her like fallen butterfly wings. Blond hair cascaded down her shoulders, the pale hues accentuating her red lipstick. It seemed absurd that she would doll herself up when she wasn’t expecting company. But then again, Lenore was probably expecting he would show.
“I hope you’re here for the bill, and I don’t mean the cleaning bill,” she said, coming to a stop. “The statue you destroyed was irreplaceable.”
Christian kept his eyes on her lithe body, careful to avoid direct eye contact but also watching for any sudden movements. Lenore wasn’t much of a fighter, but she was stronger. “I came for the necklace.”
“I suspected as much.” She turned on her heel. “Come with me. We’ll talk over drinks.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Then don’t.” She kept walking until she disappeared through the far door that led to the kitchen.
Christian cursed under his breath and followed her.
At the long kitchen island, Lenore casually stirred a spoon in her flowery teacup. “I was just making some cocoa. I’ve always preferred tea, but after regaining my senses, I’ve been craving sweets. Isn’t that strange?” She slid a cup toward Christian and sipped her own. “Mmm. Delicious.”
Christian leaned against the counter and stared at the drink. He didn’t feel like taking any chances given her history of spiking drinks with sensory magic. Lenore stood opposite him at the island, her back to the window. Christmas lights from outside glinted off the copper pots hanging on a rack above them.
She tapped her fingernail against the cup. “Raven obviously told you about seeing me with Sparrow. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here. I’m curious if she also told Viktor.”
“Aye. Viktor knows you were there.”
Lenore sipped her drink. “I despise snitches.”
“I’m certain she feels the same about traitors.”
Lenore set down her steaming cup. “Sparrow made her a tempting offer—one I was opposed to. But she proved how foolish she really is by not accepting it.”
“It seems she made the right choice. Sparrow’s locked up and all his men are dead.”
“But she didn’t know that would happen,” Lenore said sharply. “She gambled with her life. This world isn’t about right and wrong; it’s about getting ahead and avoiding the boneyard. I did what I had to do. You saw what was happening to us, and it would have only gotten worse. Viktor wanted to ruin everything with a hasty attack that would only get him killed. Then where would I be? I had to take matters into my own hands.”
Christian smirked. “Did Sparrow mention that they can’t die? I bet he didn’t even know that, but I’ve seen it with my own eyes. It seems his punishment isn’t a curse after all. That will make Raven even more powerful than you.”
Lenore blinked a few more times than normal, and Christian knew she was flustered even though she was masterful at hiding her deepest emotions. “Then why are you here? If your people have achieved true immortality, what on earth do you need the necklace for?” She took another sip, amusement dancing in her eyes.
“Because I would rather see that necklace shattered into a million pieces than resting around your bony neck. It was a gift for my queen.”
Lenore sputtered with laughter. She set down the cup and wiped cocoa from her chin. “Yourqueen?”
He squared his shoulders. “Aye. My queen.”
“You’ve lost your mind. Then again, I’m not entirely surprised. You were always so eager to please me. Now it seems you’ve found someone else to serve.”
