“Good. Then I’ll be off. Where’s my cane?”
Lochlan fetched it for her and we watched Mable slowly walk away, tapping her cane against the cobblestones as she went.
“You’re always so kind to her,” I said softly.
Lochlan shrugged. “She’s kind to others. I’m just trying to return the favor.”
As Mable turned the corner, a few of the Nightsworn came down the street toward us. Their navy-blue uniforms stitched with gold thread stood out against the earthen tones of the other clothing in the market, and I found myself shrinking back against the booth, trying to make myself appear even smaller than usual.
The three men came closer, talking quietly with each other and looking at something small they carried between them. I busied myself with rearranging supplies on the table until I caught sight of what they were holding and my heart stopped beating.
It looked like a jar of pixie dust.
For several moments, I couldn’t even find the air to breathe.
How had they gotten it? Did they have someone as an undercover buyer that Roderick and the others didn’t know about? Or had Roderick, Peter, or Lochlan sold it to them under the table? Was one planning to rat out the rest of us and earn a reward as the others were imprisoned?
I inwardly squirmed. That was exactly what I would do to the others if offered a high enough bounty or if someone was willing to trade information on my family. Though once I thought about it, I knew I’d have a harder time selling out Lochlan than someone like Roderick. I’d lose sleep if I knew I’d brought harm to Lochlan, but I’d sleep better once I knew Roderick was off the streets.
“Did you see that?” I breathed to Lochlan, nodding at the pixie dust. “Do you think Peter sold some to them?”
Lochlan was keeping his back to the Nightsworn but tilted his head just enough to spot the jar in his peripheral vision. He waited until the Nightsworn were out of sight, then pivoted back to face the street again. “Why would you suspect Peter?”
“It makes sense. He knows more about pixie dust than the rest of us. He may have wanted an extra cut of the money. Besides, I told you I wasn’t here to steal pixie dust and you seem to know when I’m lying.”
“But he isn’t tempted by money, and you said you would be willing to steal some if the need suited you. Peter has his own agenda and priorities, and he doesn’t let those go easily. I don’t think he would sell pixie dust without telling the rest of us. Now, do I believe he might steal it and take all of it for himself? Yes.”
“But you said it yourself. He has his own agenda and priorities. He may tell us he’s with us but will flip on a second. You saw him punch Roderick for practically no reason at all.”
Lochlan stroked his chin. “I suppose that’s true. How do I know it wasn’t you? You seem to be healing unnaturally quickly. Did you take any of the dust?”
“How do I know it wasn’t you?” I shot back rather than answering. Perhaps the dust had sped up my healing process. “Maybe you wanted to make some money on the side of the pitiful amount we have here.”
Lochlan grinned. “I like the way you think.” He looked after where the Nightsworn had turned down a side street at the end of the market. “It could be that they got it from that pixie who is around here sometimes, same as you did. Or else she might have just given it to them.”
“That’s probably what happened,” I agreed, relief flooding my system. Perhaps I wouldn’t be suspected after all. “The pixie is probably working with the Nightsworn.”
Lochlan nodded. “Probably.”
We looked at each other, and I noticed that Lochlan’s pupils were dilated.
He was lying.
CHAPTER 16
All the way back to the cottage, I stayed silent and tried to think of how to answer if and when Lochlan brought up the pixie dust in front of the others. What would he say? I wanted to believe that he wouldn’t make me into a scapegoat like he had at the hospital, but I also knew that such wishful thinking was just that—wishes and nothing more.
“What in the seven seas?” Lochlan breathed, looking up ahead.
I followed his gaze and felt my mouth drop.
The cottage door hung crooked and battered on its hinges. Windows had been shattered, their shutters broken and lying on the ground. The small herb garden Lochlan worked on had been trampled flat.
“What happened?” I breathed. I stopped looking at the house and scanned our surroundings, searching for any attackers that might still be hanging around, but didn’t see anyone.
We edged closer, boots crunching softly over loose twigs and leaves, and Lochlan held out an arm, either to shield me or prevent my getting ahead of him, I couldn’t tell which. Inside, a figure moved and Lochlan immediately pulled me back, butwe both relaxed when Peter hung out the window, a thoroughly discouraged expression on his face.
“We wondered when you two would be coming back.”
