Magda’s stare narrowed to match. “I’ve my own set of problems.”
“So do we all! Steal from the rich then, if you must. Him, for example. A prime target if I ever saw one.”
The fair-haired man turned around. Eyes locking with hers, he raised his mug in a toast.
Lux swallowed and lowered her voice. “Who is he?”
“The prime target?” Magda chuckled at Lux’s glower. “That would be a collector.” When Lux’s expression softened to confusion, Magda continued, “Academics. They collect books, manuscripts. Things once lost to time. They’re also philanthropists, but not for things that help me much. There’s nothing I need from a library.”
TheRisenflashed in Lux’s mind, lying wrapped and safe inside her pack. “Where do they keep them?”
The man had left his post, drawing closer to the rough-hewn fireplace. He draped an arm atop the mantle. No one approached him. They actively avoided evenlookingathim.
But Magda watched him closely. “The manor by the sea.”
“A manor by the—”
“Sea. Yes. You have something of a rare text, right? Perhaps you might introduce yourself and solicit an invitation. Their Hallowed Banquet is nearing, after all.” Her lips quirked into a suggestive smile. “You’re young. He’s young. I can’t imagine what it must be like for him, spending most of his time with stuffed-up old men and dusty books.”
Magda’s expression left Lux’s stomach in knots and the rest of her more flustered than she cared to admit. Hewashandsome. In a cold sort of way.
Because of it, she spat harshly, “I don’t need your thoughts on my personal affairs. Or his, for that matter. Anyone who leads an attack four to one, when that one is alone and defenseless, is gutless and not worthy of any opinions in my mind.”
“My, my, but don’t you like to hold a grudge.” Magda circled her before leaning in close. “You might have been alone, girl, but we all saw the knife. And you didn’t look to be a stranger to its use. Defenseless? Bah.” She retreated to the stairs. “Enjoy your time in Verity, Necromancer!”
Lux physically recoiled at the volume.Witch.She spun to absorb the intense stares now trained upon her. As if they needed any further reason to distrust her. And then there was that collector—who stared at her now most intensely of all.
Her feet rooted to the floor when he suddenly made for her.
He was tall, with a slenderer build than Shaw, and his eyes were indeed frost-like. The abundant lamplight made them appear like ice.He should reside in a place of permanent winter, she thought. But then he was standing before her, his lips pulled up in an incredulous half-smile, and she forgot everything else.
“Excuse me, Miss, but I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.” He extended a gloved hand, and his smile transformed into the same grin she’d seen upstairs.
“Corvin Alistair, Collector of Mothlock.”
Luxsatattheutmost edge of the bench, her fingers gripping the wood tight. Across the table sat a man of Mothlock. She didn’t have much else to go on. Only that he was clearly wealthy, had a part in a philanthropic business connected to every corner of the country, and possessed an unnerving confidence. All things that sharpened her suspicious nature. He carefully adjusted the fit of his gloves while she stared.
If only a person’s secrets could be revealed by staring…
“Two servings of the house stew and two pints of mead.”
Lux startled at his sudden address to a barmaid. She forgot to protest the drink as the woman inclined her head, and only afterward did she notice the barmaid scurried as fast as the room’s arrangement allowed. Lux’s teeth clacked together.
But was the woman frightened of her or the man across from her? She leveled her gaze with the collector’s. He grinned, and she added one more note to the list she’d begun to keep: His smile was awfully disarming.
Little did he know, though, she had grown up in a vile place; she wasn’t easily disarmed.
“I don’t mean to overwhelm you, Ms. Thorn. I only knew that soon, everyone would be vying for your attention, and I selfishly wanted it first. Thank you for allowing me to atone for my actions upstairs by buying you dinner.”
She held back a snort as clearlyno onewanted her attention, and said, “Consider yourself forgiven, Mr. Alistair.”
“I’m relieved to hear it. Though Corvin will do.”
She drudged up a smile. “Lux will do, too.”
“A unique name—Lux.” Corvin pulled his lower lip between his teeth and released it. “I rather like it. I wonder…is it a nickname?”
“No,” she lied smoothly. “Is Corvin a nickname?”
