Phineas studied her. In his eyes, she could see their shared history. She could see how he weighed his decision with care, because if he agreed, this time he would be the one who had to trust her.
At last, he said, “What do you need?”
She grinned. “Magic. Everything you’ve got.”
She could have sworn a growl slipped between Phineas’s front teeth. But before she could question it, Phineas dropped the strands of hair he’d been playing with and said, “I expect every fiber, every weave, returned to me.”
“Of course,” Nes swore. She neglected to say precisely when she would return the magic. “And when Damari comes looking for your magic, you’ll send her to the Siren’s Hair.”
Because she’d been wrong. Damari was not like her. She could not smell magic. No one but the Witch had such an ability. Damari had simply used the information and resources at her disposal to find the magic scattered about the city. And she’d need the information from Phineas to fall for Nes and Toran’s trap.
Phineas waved her off. “Haron will give you your magic. The dog working the forge outside. Now, if you don’t mind”—he stood from behind the desk—“I have business to take care of.”
“Oh, I’ll need one other thing.”
Phineas’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not in the habit of giving favors,hound.”
“Consider it payment for my two years of stellar service.” From her pocket, she pulled the ring Toran had given her and held it out to Phineas. “This needs a new home.”
He took the ring, examining the yellow crystal at its center. “Did you have someplace in mind?”
She grinned. “I’m so glad you asked.”
Across the desk, their gazes met, and for the first time since she’d entered the office, the two smiled as one.
After she explained what needed to be done and when, Nes turned to leave. At the door, she looked back over her shoulder. It was her only mistake.
Phineas changed. His whole body morphed. Bent and twisted together in ways that made her want to gag. His broad shoulders shrank inward, his muscled arms thinned, his nose elongated. He seemed to be sinking into the floor, hunching over the closer he got to the desk. And then she couldn’t see him.
It was only a second before a hound, lean and gray, bounded out from behind the desk.
Her heart thudded in her chest. She was too surprised, too still, to catch his joke. It wouldn’t be until later, when she was back in the Ditch, that she would realize he was mocking her.Hound.
Now the sleek hound growled at her, and in stuttered movements, she managed to turn the knob. With a snort, he nudged open the office door.
She swallowed her shock. It was one thing to know the man sitting before her wasn’t a man. It was another thing entirely to watch him transform. To have her suspicions and unease confirmed.
To see once and for all that Phineas Wraw wasn’t human. He was a Xell. A shape-shifter. An immortal myth come back to life.
And as she stared at the hound, she could have sworn its lips twitched in a smile. Not one of satisfaction but one akin to humble pride. As if Phineas had long been waiting for the day she’d snatch the reins from him.
As if he’d wanted her to blackmail him all along.
35
Nes
It was noon by the time Nes made it back to the Siren’s Hair.
On a Monday, the place was empty. Even the staff had already finished cleaning from the night before and gone home to their beds. The only other person downstairs was Genna, who, after being sequestered in Nes and Suri’s bedroom for a couple days, had deemed it safe to venture to the kitchen in search of food.
“Meet me upstairs when you’re finished,” Nes told her. Genna nodded before shoving a croissant in her mouth, puffing her cheeks. Nes ducked her head to hide her chuckle.
She took the stairs two at a time, one hand clutching the stuffed pillowcases Phineas had given her and the other on the bag at her hip. Suri sat cross-legged on her bed, a deck of cards laid out in front of her. She thought of the last conversation they’d had—when Suri had asked her if she was happy in Gadore.
She wanted to be. There were so many things in this city that could make her happy.
“Trying to teach yourself Blank?” Nes asked, striding into the room. She tossed the pillowcases onto her own bed.
