I swallowed, nodding in understanding.
Then I remembered something else.
“Frederick?” I asked, caution in my voice. “That was right around when you two broke it off, wasn’t it? Didn’t he end things with you right after I left?”
She looked at me, her expression even angrier.
“You know the insane part?” she snapped. “He was actuallycharming.And yes, it was right after Frederick. It was the day of, really, only a few hours after we’d had our big blowout, andCaelum Bones,of all people, shows up in the same bar where I went to lick my wounds. He acted all sympathetic when he caught me crying, ordered me drinks, made me laugh, let me rant half the night. And evenyouhave to admit he’s fit as hell…”
I nodded, my expression neutral.
“He is,” I conceded.
Jolie shook her head, grimacing. “I knew it was a mistake. I didn’t go home with him, thank Isis, but I felt like an absoluteidiotthe next day. I’d really hoped he’d keep his mouth shut about it, at least. He has a horrible rep, of course, everyone knows that. He’s practically the textbook definition of a dog with three dicks. But I’d never heard of him telling tales. He’s just ridiculously successful at getting witches to shag him… and frankly, I can see why. He can really turn it on when he wants to.”
She shrugged, her dead-colored eyes thoughtful as her jaw firmed.
“He’s unfairly good at kissing, too,” she added sourly. “Obnoxiously so, really. I admit, I was tempted to go with him when he offered… only to be insanely relieved Ihadn’tthe nextday. It was mortifying enough, having to see his love bites all over my neck when I looked in the hotel mirror.”
I swallowed, but only when she wasn’t looking at me.
When she glanced back in my direction, I smiled, and squeezed her hand where it hung down next to me. “Don’t worry about it. Honestly. We’ve all done that kind of thing at one time or another. I definitely did in Overworld, and with far less of an excuse.”
“You didn’t do it with a racist prick, I’d bet,” she muttered, annoyed. “Gods, Leda. I’m so sorry. I know how awful he is to you––”
“I did plenty of idiotic things, believe me,” I insisted. “I just haven’t had much opportunity here, as most mages wouldn’t touch me if you paid them.”
She bit her lip, gauging my face.
“Are you going to tell Mir?” she asked, nerves in her voice. “Or Drake?”
I scoffed, but honestly, I was a little hurt.
“Absolutely not,” I said. “Gods, no. Why would I do that? You know how Draken is about him. He’d rant for weeks. And it’s none of their business, anyway.” I looked at her, saw the worry in her eyes, and forced another smile. “I’d never do that to you, Jolie. I won’t even give Bones shit for being a arsehole for telling me. Really, I shouldn’t have asked you about it at all. Especially since he so obviously wanted me to.”
Relief reached her eyes only then. She smiled at me, and the smile managed to look like hers, even through the layers of magic and make-up.
“Well, if you ever need a really, unbelievably big favor,” she said sheepishly. “You now have excellent blackmail material.”
I laughed, but it caught somewhere in my throat.
Later, after she left my room, her bird of paradise primal winging through the air behind her, I sat on my bed, staring at the fireplace for far too long.
I didn’t realizehow quiet I’d gotten, or even that I was sitting there alone, until Luc climbed onto the black, leather carriage seat next to me. I’d been lost in thought, staring out over the horn of the monocerus pulling our antiquated, Victorian-like carriage.
My own monocerus, which seemed strangely fascinated by the real thing, was walking along its back, snorting and pawing at the leather and silver harness.
When Luc landed in the driver’s seat next to me, maneuvering around a whip that seemed to be there purely for decoration, I actually jumped.
He smiled, and held out a mug of hot, spiced wine.
Unlike the rest of us, his face looked mostly normal, despite the goggles he wore on his head, and the blood-stained lab coat of his evil scientist. Someone’s spells, probably Draken’s, had runes and dark-looking equations rotating in the air around him, shining a poisonous green. His lemur primal clung to his back, and occasionally reached up to play with his hair, which had been magicked poisonous green as well, and stuck out on all sides.
“Is it anything like the Overworld version?” he asked me, his mouth quirked as he adjusted his weight.
I took the proffered mug and looked back over the cemetery, where Draken and Miranda were running around gravestones. I watched ghosts jump out at them and heard Miranda cacklein delight as another apparition materialized and began running towards them. Werewolves, zombies, and smaller creatures I guessed had to be very cute demons, ran around after them, hissing, growling, and sparking with magic.
I laughed, I couldn’t help it.
