“You don’t trust him?” Willorunia asked. “He’s a trained witch; he can draw a simple diagnosis.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust Cassian. This is standard practice. I’m an investigator, and I, unfortunately, can’t take people at their word.” I frowned at Cassian, reaching my hand out. “Please give me my pants.”
“No,” Cassian said. “They’re wet.”
They were acting strange. Neither of them wanted me to go out and see the sigil for myself, which wasn’t a good sign. I didn’t believe Cassian was up to anything, but I still didn’t know what Willorunia had said to him that made him distant. She seemed to want him to keep me at a distance, and now she was throwing my trust for Cassian in my face to keep me inside.
I didn’t think Griffin did it, but I couldn’t help wondering… Maybe Willorunia had something to do with the curse that she didn’t want me to see. Was this even a real diagnosis?
Willorunia rolled her eyes and marched forward, ripping my trousers out of Cassian’s hand. She muttered a spell, hovering her hand over the damp bundle of cloth, and then water rose from the trousers. She flung the hovering water into the fireplace, where it hissed into swirling steam, and then she tossed the pants at me. “Witchcraft is about trust. Cassian is not a liar, and neither am I. Put your pants on. I’ll wait for you outside,” she said, and then she left.
Cassian watched me with defeat. “Are you sure you’ll be okay? I don’t want you to lose your legs.”
I stood up to pull my trousers on, buttoning them while I answered him. “I’m fine, Cassian. My blood flows hot when you’re around.”
Cassian bit his lip, smiling as he eyed me up and down.
“Damn it, I’m sorry. I’m trying to be professional, but I can’t seem to stop myself,” I said.
Cassian tugged a lock of hair at his neck, twirling it around his finger. “It’s okay, Turnip. You don’t have to be professional with me.”
I considered the invitation, taking a step toward him. I lifted my hand to his face, brushing his golden hair out of his bright eyes. Gods, he was beautiful. I moved my knuckle under his chin, tilting his head up toward me. “There are a lot of very unprofessional things I would like to say and do to you.”
His smile spread, and he leaned closer, tilting his head. “I’m ready.”
I moved in, inches away from his pretty pink lips, but I stopped myself. With the last ounce of willpower in my body, I stepped back. “I… can’t. I have to be professional. I’m sorry.”
Cassian pouted. “I won’t tell anyone.”
“I know, but…” My thumb slid across his cheek. “I want to do a good job for you. Maybe when it’s over.”
“But you’ll leave when the case is over,” Cassian said.
“I’ll come back whenever you want.”
Cassian closed his eyes and sighed. He turned away and stepped toward the door. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just get the diagnosis.”
“Cassian—” I tried to stop him, but he was already through the door.
Chapter Six
CASSIAN
The glowing violet sigil floated in the air, displaying the curse diagnosis. With my limited training, I couldn’t read the runes without a dictionary, but Willorunia could.
Sterling flipped open his journal to a blank page and started sketching. I watched him, feeling like a flame inside me had been doused. I’d been trying to keep him away, but I hadn’t considered he would reject me when I finally gave in. It didn’t feel good, but I couldn’t even be angry. He was here to do a job. That was all.
“Do you know what you’re looking at, Officer?” Willo asked.
“I can look it up later,” he said, not looking up from his drawing.
I leaned over his shoulder to watch him sketch smooth lines. It was almost correct, but even a wrong angle could change the entire meaning. “Maybe you should let me sketch it for you,” I said. “I know what these runes are supposed to look like.”
He finally looked up. “Am I doing a bad job?”
“No, but I could do a better one,” I said as nicely as I could.
“I realize I’m just a lowly mage and you’re an officer of the law, but I can tell you what this means right now,” Willo said.
