Page 124

She knew there were no fairies, but she refused to believe it, telling me every day that fairies had to exist. Sun fairies, just like her.

As for her origins, it was best that she found out as late as possible. Because once she knew, she wouldn't stop asking questions.

Blairville was a place of darkness, of monsters, and this fucked-up life would confront her with all of this soon enough.

“You too!” she burst out enthusiastically and jumped off the couch, but lost her balance – something that would never happen to a Senseque child – and I had to hold her.

She grabbed my hand, her hands already so damn hot again, and pulled me with all her strength through the first floor and upstairs.

“Me too?”

“Yes!” she laughed, giggling. “But you are the fairy prince I have to protect.”

I nodded amusedly, trying to push aside my concern about her hands.

“One day I'll protect you, just like you protect me,” she continued as she pulled me further upstairs. “And then I'll ride a motorcycle too, just like you.”

It was pride mixed with all the worry and regret.

I ruffled her hair, more unconsciously than anything else, because I didn't usually mess up the hairstyles I had learned from overly complicated YouTube tutorials.

“That's my strong girl.”

Azara smiled as if I were her guardian angel. Something I tried to be every day.

But I was the devil. She was my little angel. And I was ready to reduce the world to ashes for her.

Rebecca, if you only knew that I have already taken the most precious thing from you...

Your own daughter.

Subterfuge

Cavendish Musik

Chapter 17

Julie

Quick Musical Doodles

Two Feet

So far, everything had gone well, even though this was my second day at the DLSC, in a lab with the goddamn father of my child.

Somehow, I had managed to block out who Quentin really was, what he was capable of, and the fact that I was in an extremely awkward situation.

Together with David, I had silently familiarized myself with various experimental methods.

I had the feeling that David had wanted to ask me something, but whenever that had been the case, Quentin had appeared nearby.

Quentin had paid no attention to me whatsoever. Not a word, not a stare, not even his usual suspicious sideways glance, which could have earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Until the moment Bastien had turned up here and disappeared together with David, but not without giving me another strange look.

Now I was confronted with the silence of the lab and him. And the only reason I hadn't turned red and hidden under one of the lab tables was the Salma in my bloodstream.

For the first time in hours, Quentin put down his clipboard and the classy Vanderwood pen and crossed the lab to grab a black plastic case, which he took to one of the high-tech glass cabinets.