Page 43 of Bargains with Benefits
I held up a hand. “Yes, Vincent, I did. We have a bargain. I’m only following through on my side.”
His eyes shifted back and forth, though whether in thought or panic, I wasn’t sure.
“Do you…need me for anything? I never meant to put you in that position. Well, I did. Obviously,” he muttered. “And I knew it would be painful. I just...” He sighed. “I just didn’t know…I’m sorry.”
He seemed unable to finish a thought, but with his apology, my shoulders fell, and with them my defenses. I thought he meant that he hadn’t known me when he’d made his originalask—hadn’t known the extent of Darius’s dismissal. The same way I hadn’t known the extent to which requesting recommendations bothered him.
“Thank you for the offer. I don’t need anything. I’ll ask him, and we’ll see what he says.”
Vincent hesitated. “May I meet you at the tavern after the meal? I don’t care about Darius’s answer. I want to ensure you’re well after the conversation.”
My whole body heated. Of course, Seraphina and Evelyn would be there, but the idea that Vincent wanted to check on me warmed something deep inside. I don’t know what that said about the rest of our arrangement, but I couldn’t stop my lip from tilting into a smile. “That would be fine.”
At that moment, Ambrose cleared his throat to regain our attention. “We…” Ambrose started, then glanced at Evelyn. “We need to talk to you about a sensitive matter.”
“Me?” I pointed to myself, unsure what I had to do with this.
He nodded. Evelyn stepped forward. “We need to talk to you about magic,” she whispered. “Do you want them to go?” Her gaze shot between Ambrose and Vincent.
“Magic? I don’t have any magic. Why would they need to go?”
She frowned, and I immediately knew I wouldn’t like the words coming from her mouth.
“I know you believe that.” She gave Ambrose and Vincent a sideways glance. “But the magic on this door, well…it’s connected tosomething. I’m confident it’s your magic.” She ran her fingers through her hair nervously. “Only your magic can open it.”
20
Vincent
Ididn’t know much, as I continued to prove with Luna, but I knew this wasn’t a great way to approach the topic of her magic.
Luna had magic—I fully agreed with that point, but my one attempt to discuss it with her had left me unwilling to broach the subject again without more evidence. I had yet to find any. I knew the look on Evelyn’s face, though. Ambrose got it sometimes when he was deep in an experiment. Luna’s inability to acknowledge her magic was now a blocker in Evelyn’s research.
“I don’t have magic,” Luna said coldly. She folded her arms over her chest.
“I’m not sure that’s strictly true.” Evelyn matched her pose.
I let my head tilt back and stared at the ceiling momentarily. Not how I would have approached the conversation, but Evelyn had known Luna far longer. I hoped her angle would work.
“What do you mean? Not strictly true?” The knuckles on Luna’s fists turned white as she clenched them tighter.
“I mean that youdohave magic. It’s...not always accessible.”
Ah, well, at least that helped me understand what I’d seen. After the night I’d met Luna, I would have bet any amount of coin that she had magic. The water had responded to her call. I was sure of it. But her reaction when I even mentioned it had left me confused. My gaze shifted between Luna and Evelyn. Was it possible Luna hadn’t known? And Evelyn had?
“Not always accessible?” Luna repeated the words like they were a curse. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know,” Evelyn said, throwing her hands in the air. She was most definitely not equipped to speak with her friend right now. She was discussing an experiment that wasn’t going her way. I had to step in.
“Luna.” Her glare turned on me, and I regretted my decision immediately, but as Evelyn let out a breath and rubbed her temples, I knew I was best to handle the rest of this conversation. “Are there ever things you do that can’t be explained?” I searched for an example I could give her, and immediately, the pieces clicked together in my mind. “Like when you threw my drink at me?”
Her frown deepened.
I held up my hands, begging for patience. “You said you didn’t throw it, right? But you were angry at me.”
“You were being an ass,” she said matter-of-factly.
My palms were still face up in supplication. “Yes, and I smelled moonflower and juniper when the drink struck my face. Those scents shouldn’t have been present in the drink.”
