“Tell me exactly what you would do,” Finnegan asked me, his mouth curving with something like invitation.
I hesitated. “Would you go in my place?”
“Half of what I do could already be considered a merchant’s work,” he replied lazily and winked.
Gwinifer snorted. “And what are you trading? Beds?”
They all chuckled, all except Barracus and me.
It was an option. The only one. It might work if Finnegan followed my instructions and if the goods were still in the city.
“If Finn secures your family’s earnings,” Reagan said, drawing my attention back to him, “he’ll need the full picture. And a reason why you didn’t return yourself.”
My stomach churned. The thought of allowing them to administer some magical draught to manipulate my father and Joy nearly unsettled me more than the loss of the earnings.
“Will it hurt them?” I asked. “My father has a health condition.”
“They’ll feel nothing,” Cerridwen said. “There will be no impact on their system.”
I gave a small, uncertain nod. Their gazes lingered on me, waiting.
“Fine,” I murmured. “As long as they’re safe, and the draught causes no harm.”
Finnegan nodded once. “What should I tell your family?” he asked.
I didn’t know precisely how their draught worked, but Joy was not easily convinced. She would come looking for me if the story sounded too far-fetched.
“You’ll tell them I’ve accepted a new position in the Capital. A better-paying role at a larger bookshop, and I plan to stay.”
CHAPTER 9
Finnegan left to make the arrangements on his schedule before he would head to the fair. We were supposed to meet so I could give him the same instructions my father had given me. I just hoped it was enough.
“Would you walk with me?” Reagan’s voice reached me just as I was about to leave.
I turned to find he was the only one left in the room, his expression blank, revealing nothing.
“I’d rather not,” I replied, heading toward the door, but he stepped into my path.
“I won’t bite.” He smirked, his arms tucked behind his back as he stood a safe distance away.
He saved your life. I’d figured the chances of him hurting me now were slim.
“Fine,” I said, following as he led the way out of the room.
The corridors were quiet. None of the castle’s mages were in sight.
“Do you feel any symptoms from the attack?” he asked.
“No. Should I have any symptoms?”
“No, their bite doesn’t have side effects as long as they don’t drain all the blood from you, but still.” He bobbed his head to the side, as if he were making a point. “You were bitten, so we should check.” He gestured to my neck, stopping in the hallway. “Can I take a look?”
I adjusted the round neckline of my sweater, one of my own, pulling it just beneath the marks. I’d seen them after bathing, and they seemed to be healing.
He leaned closer, though not as much as he had that night, when he cleaned the blood and dirt from my skin. The memory of his tongue trailing over his lip was still fresh in my mind.
I dropped my gaze from his face, letting go of the neckline.
