The cabbie glanced into his rearview mirror. “Everything all right,mademoiselle?”
No.Nothingwas all right. Everything was all wrong. Instead of lying, I said, “Longnight.”
Thankfully, he didn’t prod. “Is there a particular address you’d like me to drop you offat?”
When the manicured, block-long grassy square came into view, I said, “Right by the arcade, thankyou.”
He pulled up on the corner of Jarod’s street. Eighteen euros glowed on the meter. Tenting the jacket around me, I pulled out the wad of cash and looked through it for a twenty, but the smallest bill I found was yellow and bore twozeroes.
When I handed it over, the man shook his head. “I don’t have change for twohundred.”
“I don’t have anythingsmaller.”
“I take creditcards.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t haveone.”
It wasn’t my money to hand out, but I couldn’t not pay. “Please just take it. And do something good with the extra money.” I’d explain my predicament to the Ophanim. Hopefully, they’d understand and give me an advance on my allowance so I could reimburseJarod.
The man eyed the yellow bill suspiciously. When he still didn’t take it, I laid it on his armrest and scooted out. And then on feet that felt wedged too snugly inside my patent stilettos, I trudged underneath the arcade toward the crimsondoors.
I wiped my clammy palms on my dress, then pressed the buzzer, and waited. I wasn’t sure if I’d be allowed in, but the familiar click granted me entry. I traversed the cobbled courtyard, eyes cast on the starbursts of lights tangled in the ivy and whiteblooms.
A low creak sounded as Jarod’s bulked-up bodyguard Amir opened the door I’d been escorted through the firstnight.
“Is Jarod home,Amir?”
“He just arrived.” Amir didn’t search me, simply led me through the quiet dining room with its cherub-adorned ceiling. Between the fountain and fresco, it felt like Jarod’s house was thumbing its nose atme.
He had a connection to our world, but what wasit?
At the bottom of the stairs, Amir said, “I’ll be in the vestibule once you’re ready toleave.”
I nodded, then started my journey up the stairs, the evening running on a loop inside my mind. What would I find upstairs? The truth? More enigmas? As I reached the landing, I slipped Jarod’s jacket off and draped it over my forearm. It felt wrong to have sheathed myself with something that didn’t belong tome.
Steeling my spine, I let out a breath, took in another, and then I lifted my hand andknocked.
Chapter 26
“Come in,Leigh.”
How—how had he known it was me? Was my knock distinctive? AndLeigh. . . notFeather?
I opened the heavy wooden door a sliver, then wider. The room was so dark I didn’t spot Jarod lounging on the cowhide recliner immediately. Ever since he’d related the story of his mother, I felt like the scent of rust and salt lingered in theair.
I closed the door behind me, staring at his profile edged in pale light. “You forgot your jacket.” I extended it toward him, but the gesture was senseless considering the distance that separatedus.
He didn’t reach out for it, and I didn’t comecloser.
“Just toss it on the bed,” he saidwarily.
I stepped toward the canopy bed and laid it neatly on the tucked steel-gray comforter. “I borrowed one of your bills to pay for my cab,” I said before turning around. “I’ll give it back to youlater.”
“If you borrowed one of my bills, then you must’ve noticed I had many and therefore have no need for repayment.” His gaze was on the golden letter opener he was slowly rotating between his indexfingers.
Each time the blade caught the glow of the sconce outside his window, a vane of light swept over his stubbled jaw, his patrician nose, and the curl of his sooty lashes before vanishing in the unruly waves of his darkhair.
“I can’t accept your charity,Jarod.”
