I hated that, too.
Just the thought of it made me brittle.
“So does that make you a spell hunter?” he asked, amusement filling his voice.
“I’ve never seen any of these before. Not until you showed up.”
He seemed to consider that. “Maybe I’ll take up a new line of work, then. Become a spell hunter.”
I stared at him openly.
He laughed at my expression and poked a spell, sending it arrowing away. “What else have I got to do? I don’t know who I am or where I live, so I don’t know where to go. I also need to make money, so perhaps it isn’t a bad idea.”
I snorted. “You tell Dooley Hutto that he’s got spells out here and you’re searching through them, he’s going to want a cut of the profits.”
“I could give the money to you.”
His words made my entire body stutter. “What?”
Rufus gave me a sidelong glance before turning back to pluck a golden ball from the air. “You need it more than I do.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“But I feel like I do.”
I rocked back on my heels and turned my face away so that he wouldn’t see the fear in my eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I just feel that I know you, is all. Just one of those things, I guess.” He laughed. “It’s silly, I know. We’ve only just met, but you’re easy to be around.”
I exhaled, relieved. That was all Rufus was saying—that I was a comforting presence. He didn’t suspect.
“There are a lot of people who are easy to be with. But I’m surprised you’d say that, given how I was a bundle of nerves today.”
“You had a right to be.”
I opened my palm, and a magenta-colored orb slipped into it—a talking spell. Interesting. I’d never seen one of those before. You never knew when you might need a good talking spell. I slipped it in my jean pocket. It vibrated against my groin.
Great.
“My parents both died when I was younger,” I murmured.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said.
“My mother first and then my dad. They were both very sick and left me when I was barely eighteen.”
Why was I telling him this? Why was I revealing my secrets to Rufus? Maybe because it was a beautiful night. The stars shone high above us, and the spells were simply delightful to behold.
“What did you do after?” he gently prodded.
“Well, I went to school and got a construction and design degree, of all things. I like designing. I like building.” I glanced over and smiled. “I guess I just like it all.”
“Hmm, I wonder what I like,” he murmured.
A jolt of anguish raced up my back. Perhaps I should tell him, just go ahead and blurt it out.You like playing Frankenstein. You once attempted to steal my powers! But now you seem like a nice person, so please don’t return to those ways or else I’ll have to fight you.
Right. As if.
He sighed. “I think that’s one thing I yearn for, knowing what I used to do in my old life.”
