Page 50 of Ashes and Lilies
“You know what’s really annoying?” Norman asked. “Despite your weepy face and grating insecurity, I’m finding that I can’t dislike you. Imagine that.”
“I know.” I tugged at the sleeve of my jacket.
Norman and I were alone in the front of the store. The last time we’d interacted, we’d been with others. However, even though I couldn’t dislike him, I was near my limit for the day.
I could devise a plan to impress him later. “Michelle Nolan is gone,” I offered as a distraction. “Shouldn’t you go after her?”
Norman, still studying me with a serious expression, only scoffed. “Don’t worry yourself. I already have. I’m well within range.”
My anxiety vanished, curiosity taking its place. “What is it?”
Norman raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanging. “What is what?”
“Your shikigami!” I asked. “Is it a bird, like Kasai? Is there an onmyoji school to teach you how to deal with everything?”
Of course, there had to be. Lessons, a boot camp. It must be glorious.
Instead of being happy, Norman gave me a dark look. “You’ve seen his shikigami?”
“Um…” I didn’t think it was supposed to be a secret.
“What else do you know?” Norman watched me with suspicion. “What did he say about me? Is he still trying to replace me?”
Was he? I couldn’t imagine why. “Why would he replace you?”
“Because he doesn’t want anyone potentially outranking his precious brother,” Norman growled. “He lets him get away with murder.”
“Finn?” I asked, surprised. “Do you interact with him much?”
“Enough.” Norman narrowed his eyes. “How do you know Finn? Does that mean that Damen did say something?”
“No…” I answered cautiously. From his expression and voice, I suspected Norman might not like Finn very much. “Finn was my best friend for a long time. And now he’s not.”
Norman seemed to grow more suspicious at my words, and when his mouth opened, I had already braced myself for his reaction.
But his response surprised me.
“When did he have time for a friend?” Norman asked.
My retort died on my lips, and I tilted my head. “Don’t you hate Finn because he’s a terrible human being, a condescending jerk, and a lying liar that lies?”
“No…” Now, it was Norman’s turn to draw out the word cautiously. “I hate Finn because he’s abandoned his responsibilities. He’s left his quintet in disarray, and I have been forced to perform his duties with them, as well as my own, while he did whatever the hell he wanted. But despite that, he’s still Er Bashou while I was demoted to second-in-command.”
“That’s right,” I muttered. Damen did say this before. I was beginning to grasp these rankings. “You’re Damen’s Jiangjun.”
“Yes.” Norman continued to watch me with distrust. “The better question now is, who are you? I’m getting the impression you aren’t just one of Damen’s girls. You’ve already been around too long for that.”
But I’d barely been around a week…
Julian came up beside me. Like Michelle, he was carrying a paper-wrapped parcel. He nodded his head at Norman in greeting. “Fancy seeing you here. Are you all gathering today?”
“I’m working,” was Norman’s much more subdued response. “And it’s time for me to move along anyway.” He moved back to the door but then paused.
“Tell Damen she’s squirrelly,” he told Julian. “But that’s it so far. I don’t know why he continues to distrust her, but he’s wasting my time. I have more important work to do.”
“Why don’t you tell him yourself?” Julian shifted, moving closer to me. “He’ll want to know why I’m intervening.”
“He won’t listen to me.” Norman shot Julian an almost pleading look. “Can you at least do me a favor since I’ve entertained the munchkin?”
