“Very manipulative,” she said. But then she crossed the room, took the chair across from mine, and reached for the cheese. “You know, you could just be honest and tell me you need me to stay so that I can sketch the house build for you.”
I nearly choked on my sudden burst of laughter. “That would be an arrestable offense. No matter that we haven’t arrestedanyone in Oakwater in well over a decade. We’d open up the jail just for you.”
“Well, I do need somewhere to live.”
“Maybe I should just chain you up in my cellar instead.” I quirked a smile.
“Sounds awfully tempting. Is there any cheese down there?”
“No. And if you try to draw a house, I’ll eat all the damn cheese myself.”
With a delighted laugh, Frida grabbed the cheese wheel and clutched it against her chest. Then her eyes went as wild and wide as the moon, and she stuffed the whole thing down the front of her shirt.
“There.” She leaned across the table, her eyes dancing. “You want it? Come and get it.”
“Hmm. What was it you said? Sounds awfully tempting. Especially because I know thereischeese down there.”
Her face broke out into a smile so wide that I decided something right then and there. Frida couldn’t be a killer. There was a light inside her, and it shone through her eyes. Assassins lost that the first time they watched the light die in someone else’s, especially when it was by their own hands.
My gut told me she had secrets. Something about her story didn’t quite add up, and I found it hard to believe her striking resemblance to the Rurik family was merely a coincidence. I didn’t know the full truth about her yet, but I was certain she was no killer.
While I’d sat there contemplating her, Frida’d already dug into her food. Her appetite was adorably ravenous. A mountain of eggs, bacon, and potatoes towered on her plate. A few bits of egg peppered the ground, upon which Moira happily pounced. The damn cat acted like I didn’t feed her half the time.
“Here, want some more?” Frida asked sweetly, passing a glob of eggs to my cat. I shook my head, though a smile tickled the corners of my lips.
“She seems to like you,” I said.
“Good. I like her, too. Really, I like most animals.”
“Only most?”
“Well, I’m not sure how I’d feel about meeting a dragon.” She gave me a funny look, pausing with her fork halfway to her mouth. “What about you? Do you like dragons?”
What an odd question.
“Suppose I’ve got no reason to dislike them,” I said.
A thundering sounded on the door, putting a momentary pause on our conversation. I rose from the table and went to answer it. And as the pounding grew louder, I frowned. I normally didn’t get visitors, especially this time in the morning, and especially not with knocking that was so frantic.
When I yanked open the door, I found Valdar on the front stoop, his paled face glistening with sweat. Beyond him, felled branches littered my garden and a chunk of my workshop lay in ruins. My stomach twisted painfully.
“Sorry to bother you, Rune. I can see you’ve got your own damage to deal with, but we need your help,” Valdar said, his voice thin.
I dragged my attention away from my garden, my gaze landing on Valdar’s eyes. They were so wide, the whites nearly consumed them. “Help with what?”
“The Elding’s winds were bad last night, Rune.” Valdar ran a hand along the length of his red horns, grimacing. “Helga’s house has collapsed. With her in it.”
13
FRIDA
“I’ve got to go.” Rune thundered over to his woodworking table and hauled an axe from the row of tools lined up along the wall.
I slowly stood. Moira weaved between my legs, clearly hoping I’d drop some more egg. “Why? What’s going on?”
“Someone’s trapped inside a fallen building in town. I’ve got to get them out.”
My heart lurched into my throat. “I’m coming with you.”
