“Or what? You’ll kill me?” he echoed. “As you’ve already noted, that’s probably my fate anyway.”
“At least with us, you have a chance of life after imprisonment, depending, of course, on what happens when Lugh gets wind of the situation. He’s rather protective of his little sister, in case you never realized it.”
He didn’t immediately reply, his gaze sweeping the two of us. There was little in his expression to give away his thoughts. “Carla hired me.”
“Carla is a general, not the leader. We wanthisname.”
“Well, I can’t give it to you.”
“Can’t? Or won’t?” I asked.
“Both.”
The fury rose again, and before I realized what I was doing, the wind swept him up from the floor and flung him back against the wall with enough force to send plaster dust spiraling through the air. I wanted to do more. I wanted to rip the air from his lungs and leave him gasping. Wanted to... I sucked in a breath and forced the black tide back down.
This wasn’t who I was, even if it was who my father wanted me to be. Although it did make me wonder, if I everdidgo down that path, would the pixie blood curse still apply? Maybe I needed to ask someone, just in case temptation ever overwhelmed restraint.
I eased the wind’s pressure a fraction but didn’t actually release him, leaving him dangling halfway up the wall, head facing down. The manhadbeen drugging me, after all. He deserved a little discomfort.
“In case you have forgotten,” I said, my voice surprisingly even, “I can control the air—the same air that you’re currently breathing. If you want to keep on doing so, you might want to start answering questions.”
“I can’t tell what I don’t know, Bethany, however much you might wish otherwise. I never know the identity of my employer. It is safer for them; safer for me.”
“What about Camille?” Mathi’s voice was flat, which—to anyone who really knew him—was Mathi at his most dangerous. “If she handles the invoicing while you are out on contract, she must have access to detailed financial and identity records.”
Eljin snorted. “You, more than anyone, Mathi, should know how these types of transactions run—burner phones, payments diverted through various shell companies, no direct contact with the contractor.”
I crossed my arms, not believing him for a second. “Every high-priced whore has a pimp who?—”
“I’mnota whore,” he cut in angrily.
“Well, the definition of a whore is someone who engages in sex for payment,” I drawled. “Is that not what you were doing with me?”
“A whore is someone who engages in temporary liaisons. I am more a professional escort?—”
“Who uses sex if necessary to get the information.” I snorted. “How do you and Carla interact, then? I know she was the one who arranged to have the drug you were using on me made.”
“Carla made the initial contract approach and provides my orders, but I’ve never met her, either in France or here in the UK.”
“Then how were you giving her the information you dragged from my mind?”
“I wasn’t?—”
“Just give me a straight fucking answer,” I cut in, that fierce wave of anger sweeping through me again. “Or gods help me, I will force it from you.”
He didn’t answer. Not immediately. Then Mathi lightly touched my arm, and I realized I was dragging the air away from Eljin—my brain was currently refusing to think of him as René—making it impossible for him to breathe, let alone speak.
I swore, pushed the anger down, and released him. He took several great gulping gasps of air and looked pale. Frightened, even, if only very briefly.
Satisfaction slipped through me, a small snake I needed to be very, very wary of.
“Jarvil,” he eventually gasped. “It was all done through Jarvil Maehdon.”
My gaze shot to Mathi’s. “Jarvil was abroker?”
“Of antiquities, yes. I was unaware he also brokered services.”
“He doesn’t,” Eljin said, still battling for air. “I purchased small antiquities from him that contained either instructions or the drug. I have no idea ifhiscontact was Carla, so if you want answers, you need to talk to him. Now, please, can you put me right way up? It’s becoming rather uncomfortable.”
