I shake my head. Surprisingly she didn’t ask about Nightmare. Maybe she sensed it’s not my favorite subject.
I should be. I’m your best friend.
Right.
Chelsea tosses the ball, and the shadow puppy races down the hall after it.
She turns to me. “Can I keep it?”
“The shadow?”
“Yes.”
The dog has the ball in its mouth and runs back to her. She stops and I watch as she folds over. “Drop it.”
The shadow does as she says, and she tosses it again.
“Don’t you think it’s cute?” she says, grinning.
If letting her have the stupid shadow will keep her face like that, you’d better do it or I’ll curse you.
Then you’ll curse us both.
It’s a risk I’m willing to take.
I grimace. “Usually shadows don’t stay around long once they slip through.”
“Not even the ones Nancy ignores?”
”Not even those.” I grimace.
“Sorry. Did I say the wrong thing?”
“No, it’s not that. Her ignoring them makes me sound like…” I rub the back of my neck.
“Like you can’t control your employees?”
“Like that.”
She shrugs. “Nancy’s old. Probably has arthritis. I think—I think by not being hard on her, you’re doing her a favor.”
“Who said I’m soft on Nancy?”
“No one.” She flips her hair over one shoulder, revealing her long, delicate neck.
I could nibble on that.
Shut up, Nightmare.
“No one had to tell me,” she explains. “The fact that she still works here is telling enough.”
One side of my mouth ticks up. “So that suggests I’m not a brute?”
She shrugs and walks off after the shadow.
I stare after her, scratching the back of my head, recalling how she rose onto her toes, how her skin flushed, how absolutely gorgeous she looked when our magics, um?—
Did it? I love how you’re trying not to name it.
