Page 95 of Awry
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of a text message as it appears on my phone, still on the counter.
“This isn’t some advancement opportunity,” Cayley sneers at Harlee.
The mage squares her shoulders and raises her chin, eyeing the shifter.“Isn’t it?You find yourself sidelined, your club questioning your —”
“My club never questions my loyalties!”
“Right.That’s why this ‘guard duty’ is the first thing they’ve tasked you with in eighteen months.”The mage puts actual air quotes around guard duty, though she doesn’t put down her spoon to do so.The ice cream is too good to ignore even while in the midst of a pissing contest with your ex-lover.
For a second, I’m pretty certain Cayley is considering tearing out Harlee’s throat.Then she smiles viciously.“The first task … that you know of.”
That wipes the smirk from Harlee’s face.It takes her a moment to come back.“It’s a fine line between secrets and lies, Cayley.”
I reach for my phone.Presh has texted back, enthusiastically accepting the invitation I sent her while waiting for the ice cream to finish its second churn.And I realize that I’ve somehow managed to quell the argument between mage and shifter by turning my attention elsewhere.Good to know.
I meet Cayley’s eyes, holding her gaze for long enough that she shifts on her feet almost imperceptibly.“I don’t need a guard,” I say evenly.“Nor can you actually guard others from me if I choose to involve myself in their lives.”
Cayley swallows.“As I well know.”
Harlee is glancing between us, wide-eyed.
“But …” Cayley adds in a rush, “I’m … my not being here, not trying to at least act as your guard, would put me in bad standing with the club.”
“This is my territory.”I take another bite of the ice cream, allowing it to melt across my tongue.“The Outcast MC’s territory might border it, but they have no dominion here.I’ll thank Grinder for his consideration, make sure he … understands.”
Cayley nods stiffly but doesn’t counter me, confirming that no matter his more laidback attitude, Grinder ranks higher than Rath in the club.
I offer her a smile, not certain why I feel the need to do so.“Take the Corvette.Unless Harlee can give you a ride home?”
I already know the answer, of course, but I have to suppress a smirk at Harlee’s response.
“It’s in the opposite direction,” the mage says stiffly.Then she flushes as she realizes she probably should have protested the transfer of custodianship over the Corvette instead.“And are you staying in the area, Zaya?”She digs her phone out of her pocket.“Would you consider …”
I reach for her phone.She unlocks it and swipes open her contacts app before handing it to me.I add my name and phone number.“If you’re inclined to write up your observations —”
“Yes!”Harlee snatches the phone back from me — careful to not actually touch me — and glances down at the screen, practically glowing with glee now.“I’ll text you.And I’ll let the Coterie know that any questions can be forwarded through me.”
“And your invoice.”
She bobs her head in a way that lets me know I probably won’t see an invoice from her.I’m not a fan of incurring favors.I narrow my eyes at her.
Her smile widens, more emboldened now for some reason.Because I gave her my contact info?
Cayley shakes her head, taking another large scoop of ice cream and stuffing it into her mouth as if doing so will stop her from caustically commenting.
I can’t blame Harlee for her reaction.She’s known me for less than two days and has already gotten a clear view of the unusual magical events— and of the death— that are my day-to-day experience.She’s intrigued.And sure, a relationship with me?The other Wisdoms who head the local Coterie are going to be incensed.And begrudgingly impressed.
“Are you okay to drive?”I’m not accustomed to having so many people near me when I’m not fully functional.
“Yes.I took an energy brew.I won’t sleep for hours yet.”Harlee steps back from the counter, not looking at Cayley.“If you need anything … if I can do anything …”
“Anything mage-related and you’ll be my first call.”
She backs out of the kitchen as if I’m royalty … or maybe as if I’m a dangerous creature, which isn’t all that much of an overreaction.I don’t miss the smugly satisfied look she throws Cayley before she pivots to cross steadily down the hall and eventually out the front door.
The shifter sighs, though only after the mage is well out of hearing range.“I can’t take the Corvette.”
I ignore that for a moment, saying first, “There’s a cottage deeper into the southern woods.”
