What exactly is Thane hoping for?
I mull it over, but the thought slips away as I whip the lemon mousse into submission.
When dinner is ready, we all move to the dining room, our conversation continuing loudly. Eve and Louie discuss local wildlife sightings while Thane tells me about some new antique books they recently received at the shop.
The conversation dies down, though, when everyone digs into their food. My mom believed a quiet table meant a happy table. I never really understood what she meant until this very moment.
Throughout dinner, Thane sneaks glances at Louie, and, of course, I immediately think he knows. But I have to remind myself that I went through a lot in a twenty-four-hour period. I’m exhausted, and let’s be honest, my mental health isn’t exactly at full HP. I probably hallucinated his glowing eyes and that cryptic message at the bar the other night.
Thane devours his food in record time, sets his utensils down, then clears his throat.
“I would love to hear more about England, Laura. Do you live in London? Or one of the smaller villages?”
Lou glances at me, and I give her a subtle nod.
“Uh … yeah. I live in London, probably.”
Thane’s eyes glint with amusement. He knowsexactlywhat’s going on.
“Oh! The city! Which neighborhood?” he asks a little too casually.
“Uhhh … Trafalgar Crescent?” Louie says, hesitating just enough to make my soul leave my body.
Trafalgar Crescent? That sounds like an Erewhon-exclusive croissant, hand-rolled by fairies and blessed by Nicolas Cage under a blood moon.
And yet, the hellhound smiles, way too proud of herself. Like she nailed it and didn’t just say something so objectively incorrect that reality itself is now unstable.
“Well, Laura’s an archeologist, so she hasn’t been in England lately. She’s been … um … in Egypt. For work. Digging … stuff. Obviously.”
This might be the dumbest fucking lie ever told. I sound like an idiot. But I’ve noticed the older underborne love ancient history. Hell, half of them probably were ancient history.
Thane nods and smiles. “Oh! Well, that’s interesting! I’ve never been to Egypt myself, but I’ve read a few books on Egyptian history and mythology. I’ve always been fascinated by Anubis. You know who that is, right,Laura?”
Louie perks up instantly. If she had a fucking tail, it’d be going full speed, knocking shit off tables.
“Yeah, I know Anubis. God of the dead. Well, sort of. He was for a while, then that prick Osiris came in and overshadowed everything he did! They downgraded the poor god to funeral duty. Embalming and shit. Such a shame. He’s a real nice bloke.”
“Ha! Laura, you’re a fucking riot!” I kick Louie under the table, and she glares at me with a barely contained snarl.
“Delightful! Another Egyptian myth fan! Anubis has always fascinated me. A god with a jackal’s head, deeply tied to death, guiding souls? It’s not too far off from some of the old hellhound lore.”
Shit.
Thane leans back in his chair and smiles at Louie, then at me.
Eve is on her phone, probably looking up Egyptian mythology to impress Thane, and completely misses the strange moment.
When I turn back to Louie, her skin is pale and her glassy, mismatched eyes are locked on Thane.
“Lou-Laura, are you okay? You don’t look well. Do you want to lie down?” I glance at my friends and say, “Jet lag’s a bitch!”
The hellhound’s eyes never leave Thane while I help her stand. Eve gives her a quick hug and reminds her of their plan to go on a hike soon. Louie just nods and drifts toward the stairs.
“Do you want me to come up with you?”
“Nah, you don’t have to do that. Have fun with your friends. But if you want to check on me after they leave, that’d be nice, I suppose.”
Louie’s voice shakes, and her hands tremble as she reaches for the railing.
