Theo ignores his brother and plucks the tray from my hands before pushing up against me and making me the cheese in a Stirling brother sandwich. Theo’s free hand lands on my hip and with him comes the scent of burning wood, like the fire pits back in Strongfair. “Hey, those are my Hallows cakes.”
Theo tilts his head. “Are you scared, pretty mouse?” he utters low. My heart thunders in my chest, trying to escape with the cakes, because that is what has stolen my affections this sundown, not a pair of Stirling brothers. I lick my lips as a feverish flush rushes over my body. “No, I’d be more concerned about your welfare if you continue to withhold my treats.”
A copy of Malachi appears next to us, studying the sandwich with a frown. Ah, the grumpy twin. Just what this sandwich needs, something sour. “What are you doing with the Burgher?” he snaps. “We have shit to do.”
“Hart, meet Daphne,” Theo growls as his thumb rubs small circles on the hollow of my hip, causing my brain to stutter as the fiery storm swirls inside my body from just this simple touch. “Our pretty mouse.” Wait, did he just sayour?
“We’ve met,” Hart sneers. Hart, what an ironic name.
Malachi chuckles. “He’s like a Lory toffee, a hard shell to crack, but all soft on the inside.”
Wait, I said that out loud? Damn it. I try to sidestep the group of Stirling brothers and escape their hot hard chests. Theo’s grip tightens, keeping me still. Stupid blessed Hallowed and all their stupid strength.
“What fairy-tale creature are you?” I wonder.
Theo’s eyes flash gold so fast that I must have imagined it. His are a darker green than Malachi’s, but no less attractive. “You haven’t figured it out?”
“It’s not like you walk around with a sign announcing it.”
Theo’s gaze flicks over my shoulder to Malachi. “Then it will be a wonderful surprise.”
“Like finding a chocolate amongst the mice poop kind of surprise? Or popping it in your mouth and finding you were incorrect?”
Theo huffs a laugh.
Hart crosses his arms. “It will be no surprise because Burghers aren’t part of the narrative in The Hallows.”
I blink at him. These blessed Hallowed think they are better than us. I mean, they are shiny, and strong, and…shiny. “Unless you are the missing Cinders having your floof fondled by a Charming.”
Hart jerks his head toward the grand doors. “We have somewhere to be. Put down the Burgher and let’s get on with it.”
“Swanker,” I mutter.
Hart’s gaze burrows into mine. “What did you call me?”
“A swanker.”
“Is that a Burgher term?”
“It’s a Daphne term.”
His eyebrows crumple. “What does it mean?”
Ha, like I’d tell him, the little swanker. I shrug.
“See you soon, pretty mouse,” Theo whispers in my ear before peeling himself away from me, and holy Hallows, I can breathe again as he hands me my tray back. He pats Hart on the shoulder. “Come on, swanker.”
Hart grumbles incoherently. Excellent, my Daphnisms have now reduced Hart to a mumbling swanker. Gwyneth’s face appears through the crowd as her shoulder barges through the Hallowed like they are children. She jerks her gaze to the Stirling brother still standing behind me. I know he’s still there because his heat continues to roll down my spine.
“Daphne, we must make haste if the sundown is to go as planned,” she mutters as she pastes on a false smile while glancing at the trio of brothers, who still haven’t left. Clever Gwyneth being cryptic but reminding me we have a plan to protect her floof. A plan which involves me. I slide the tray onto an empty table with a sigh.
“That’s right, you both pander to Charming,” Hart says over his shoulder. “Stupid Burghers believing they are the next Cinders when we all know what really happened to her.”
“Shut up, swanker,” Theo snaps, smacking him over his head as they part the crowd like they are carrying a dose of the infectious pink boils.
Gwyneth grips my arm and pulls me in the opposite direction of the rapidly retreating Stirling brothers. The Hallowed don’t part for us, we have to force our way through. “You need to stay away from them,” Gwyneth advises.
“Why?”
