“Then why won’t you let me look at it?”
He blinked, taken aback. “Why would I let you doanythingwithout a deal?”
I growled, gripping my head and running my hands through my hair. As I did, a twig fell out. How long had that been there? I turned away toward the door, then, with a sigh, twisted back to face him. “Let’s pretend I’m actually considering giving you some of my time. How much are we talking about?”
“How about until the end of winter solstice?”
“I don't know what that is.”
“It’s a fae holiday that lasts roughly ten days—sometimes a bit longer, other times shorter.” He held up a finger as I opened my mouth to stop my next question. “It began just over a week ago.”
I considered it. That was the first sign I was losing my sanity. “You want three full days of my time,” I said flatly. “To do what, exactly?”
“Possibly less.” He held up a finger to argue the point, as if that made it better. “And I’ll tell you when I’m ready.”
That didn’t make any sense. “How about you tell me for free where you took my family, and then I’ll consider it.”
“That’s easy.Ididn’t take them anywhere.” That annoying tilt of his lips returned, like he found me funny. This was theleastfunny situation ever. “But as I said, I may be able to help.”
“Okay.” I swallowed hard. “Let’s make a deal.”
HE STOOD. THOSE shadowwings seemed to grow with him, giving him an impressive figure.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek and crossed my arms. “I need a drink of water before we talk terms,” I said, stalling.
“Deal,” he agreed with a twinkle in his eye.
As he turned to the tunnels, I followed, wincing at that word.Deal.If I’d already begun one by accident, I’d kick myself.
We stopped in what was unmistakably a kitchen, though nothing like back home. For one thing, it had cute blue-and-white-patterned tile instead of yellowed linoleum, thick wooden counters instead of cheap countertops, and a huge stone sink that could hold five times as much as our shallow steel one. Instead of cupboards, the walls displayed open shelves full of dishes and potted plants.
One long leafy ivy in particular dangled down above a pitcher of water like it was trying to get a drink. How did they all grow underground? Maybe it had something to do with the warm lights that glowed almost like windows along the edges of the ceiling.
Not your average electrical lighting system, I thought as I eyed the fae lights, unsure how they worked.
If not for the lack of windows and, of course, that painful fall earlier, I’d never have guessed we were underground.
