“Paint a different picture. A nice landscape with some happy little trees, furry art, fuckinganythingbut that.”
Sadie, who’s been watching this exchange with her arms folded and her usual expression of vague disdain, lets out a snort. “So the bitch who was boinking your ex right under your nose got turned to goo. That must have been satisfying to watch.”
I don’t answer right away.
Everyone turns to look at me.
Sadie’s eyebrow arches, waiting expectantly.
“No,” I say slowly. “It was actually horrifying.”
The eyebrow climbs higher.
“Okay. Fine.” I cross my arms. “There was a moment where watching her realize that Kyle had fucked her over too felt pretty fucking good. And then she melted into a puddle of magical gore, which kind of ruined the vibe. I’m not apsychopath.”
“More than I can say for the guy—or gal, we’re equal opportunity here—who turned Rebecca into a human smoothie,” Sean chimes in.
Rowan gags again as soon as the word smoothie is out of Sean’s mouth.
“Pleasestop calling it that,” Rowan groans, looking like he’s going to be sick all over again. I’m not sure there’s anything left in him at this point. It’s aspirational puking now.
Killian hasn’t moved from the window. The light from outside catches the dark veins on his neck, making them look almost black against his skin. I think they’ve grown even more since we left.
I hate it. I hate watching him pull away inch by inch, like he’s already preparing us for his absence.
But that’s not something I’m going to think about right now. Not when we actually might have a lead.
“Just got a text from the dragon,” Micah announces, checking his phone. “They’re cross-referencing the sample Vyse collected against some database or something.”
“Wait, Villeneuvetextsyou?” Sean asks, sounding jealous. “I tried to give him a high five the other day and he just stared at me.”
A high five is still more than I’ve gotten from him lately.
And he texted Micah instead of me.
Yeah, he’s avoiding me alright.
“What could you possibly have wanted to high five him for?” Killian sounds vaguely jealous, which is at once hilarious and a relief to see him have an opinion on something so trivial.
“That spooky maid dropped a bunch of plates and he caught them all with one hand,” Sean answers. “It was fuckingawesome.”
“I still haven’t seen this maid,” Micah says warily. “Should I be concerned?”
“She’s probably a spirit who’s only visible to small children and people whose minds are unclouded by complex thoughts,” Sadie offers from her chair. “Like Sean.”
“I’ve seen her too,” I say. “Her name is Margot. And yes, she’s very spooky.”
“So much for that theory,” Sadie muses. “Then again, you do fuck my brother.”
“Damn right she does,” Micah says with a grin.
Sadie grimaces. I just snort.
Fuck, they really are rubbing off on me.
“Think Vyse will have any luck with the database?” Rowan asks of no one in particular.
“It’s the Council database,” I answer. “Every registered practitioner, every known magical signature, every recorded case of forbidden magic going back centuries.”
