He held the book almost delicately between his long, thin fingers. “These are the laws I shall be required to learn?”
“All reserve officers must know not only the mortal laws, but also the supernatural laws.”
“I’m sure it will be riveting.”
I glanced over to see if he was giving me shit, but he already had the booklet open and was calmly scanning the page.
He was a hard guy to get a read on. Most of the time he seemed aloof to the world around him, but at the same time intensely focused, as if he were savoring every little detail. Like he didn’t want anyone to see how much the mortal world, and being a part of it, fascinated him.
“If you have any questions about any of it, please ask me. We’ll talk through it until it makes sense.” I guided the cruiser out of the parking lot and onto the street.
The unicorn blew air through her lips and flopped her head on the window. “Boring.”
“More boring than the trunk?” I asked with a sunny smile.
She met my eyes in the rearview mirror and flipped her ears back. “No.”
“Good. I’m going to drop you off at my house. You can read some books, watch TV. About real horses. I’ll be home later to check on you.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Xtelle,” Than said calmly.
“You can’t boss me around,” she snarled.
“Enough.” Than snapped his fingers once.
Xtelle pressed her lips together, her nostrils flaring as she glared. Silently.
Blessedly silently.
“I don’t know how you did that, the snap thing? But I want you to teach me,” I said.
“First, you become Death. Is that a position you to aspire to attain, Reed Daughter?”
I grinned. “Nope. Not at all.”
“Well, then. Perhaps there are other ways to install cooperation in those around you. Might I suggest coffee?”
“You want a cup?”
“Is it not the standard beverage for officers of the law, Reed Daughter?”
“First, you’re a reserve officer. Second, please call me Myra. Third, this officer of the law prefers tea.”
“Is that so?” He smoothed his fingers along the sharp edges of the book. “So do I.”
I flicked on my turn signal and crossed traffic to head to the drive-thru tea shop—the first one in Ordinary. It carried a wide variety of specialty teas, because I’d basically promised I’d keep them in business by making sure I came there, and sent everyone else I knew there too. They also carried homemade pastries and several coffee options.
Xtelle hadn’t stopped breathing heavily through her nostrils, but her gaze slipped between the back of my head, which she looked like she wanted to punch, and the back of his, which she looked like she wanted to ignore. Finally she leaned her head sideways against the window with a defeatedclunk.
“Still think that would be a really useful snap to learn. Does it work on anything other than unicorns?”
He looked away from the brochure and blinked. “I can only imagine it would.”
I waited for a break in traffic, then pulled into the drive-thru behind two other cars.
“Can I ask you a question? Not about the snap,” I said. He nodded. “What’s going to happen to Delaney’s soul?”
