Page 78 of House of Ruin
Leigh looked Blaze’s way. “Jolene briefed me about your situation.”
Blaze arched a brow. “And what’s your professional opinion? Did I do it?”
A shrug of lean shoulders. “If you have a passion for Aether magic, then sure, you’ve done it,” Leigh said. “But from my experience, rich privileged boys like you don’t bother with such things. Not unless there is something in it for them.”
“And you don’t think there is anything for me in it?”
Still keeping Blaze’s gaze, Leigh shook her head. “You’re a Leveau. I think that says all there is to say.”
Blaze liked this girl. A lot.
Right then, Romeo strode in from the kitchen with a large clay dish in his hands.
Whistling a tune, he winked to Leigh, placed the dish with the pie in the middle of the table right after the breakfast food disappeared.
“Thank you, Romeo,” Jolene and Alecto both chirped at the same time, and with another wink to them, he returned to the kitchen.
Blaze glared at the delicious-looking chocolate glazed pie, the fresh frosted cherries dripping as Andro scooped a large piece onto his plate.
How fucking unfair it was to have an upset stomach on a special pie day.
“You seem like an insightful journalist and excellent at your job,” Val said. Her smile had turned from pleasant to predatory.
“Thank you.”
“I’m interested in your price.”
“Val,” Jolene said.
“Relax.” Val rolled her eyes. “I’m not trying to be disrespectful. Neither am I trying to sabotage Leigh’s work. All I am trying to do here is ask her for the price of herknowledge. To be the first to know anything, whatever it is, that she uncovers while she writes this investigative piece. Also, find out things here and there about Venefica’s history, which is already part of her job.”
“I’m pretty sure that still counts as bribery,” Blaze said, trailing a finger over his jawline.
Val gave a tsk. “I call it support of the arts.”
Blaze was certain that Leigh would stand up and walk out. Journalistic integrity and all that.
But the young woman surprised him when instead of walking out, she smiled at Val. A slow and lazy grin.
“I appreciate your offer,Valeria,” Leigh said. “But my job pays me well enough. I don’t require more money.”
Val was about to open her mouth, but Leigh continued, “You would, however, support the arts—as you call it—if you could promise me an exclusive sit-down interview with the Imp Queen.”
Andro choked on the piece of pie and started coughing.
Val eyed him with an unreadable expression over her face.
“Consider it done,” Val said after a long silence. “I get you the interview you desire, and you promise me unlimited access to all information on this case, plus any knowledge I might need about Venefica’s history.”
“Pleasure doing business with you, Valeria,” Leigh said.
The journalist smiled and reached her hand towards Val. They exchanged their pinkies and returned to their plates of pie as if nothing had happened.
“I already have something I’m curious to find out,” Val said to Leigh. “These murders that imitate Fanhy Coven rituals, have you come across anything that would show something similar happening in the past?”
Blaze frowned. It was hard to focus on the conversation when he felt one step away from death, so Blaze couldn’t understand why Val would ask that.
But Leigh nodded.
