Page 22 of Quiver of Cobras
I reached into my pocket. ‘Do you know what I have in here?’
‘No.’
‘Pixie dust,’ I told him. ‘Delicious, homesickness-reducing pixie dust. Have you ever had any?’
For the first time he looked uncomfortable. ‘No.’
‘It’s fabulous.’ I gently brushed my fingertips against the centre of his chest. ‘It takes away the ache, the one that’s always there. It’ll make you feel better.’
He stiffened. ‘I like the ache. It reminds me that what Rubus is doing is helping us all. He’ll take us back to Mag Mell. He’ll lead the way.’ His lip curled. ‘Your dust shit is just temporary.’
There was a feverish light in his eyes. Yeah, okay. I was beginning to understand why so many Fey were around here, hanging off Rubus. It wasn’t just about pixie dust; the blasted man was like a cult leader who was promising guaranteed entry to heaven.
That didn’t mean I was going to give up. From what Morgan had suggested, I’d been an outstandingly effective drug dealer. I wasn’t going to let all that slip away. ‘So you don’t want a free sample?’
‘No.’
I nodded. ‘Okay. That just means there’s more for the others. I’m impressed that you’re resisting, especially when I know that Rubus likes pixie dust because it makes his trusted people like you feel just that tiny bit better. He knows it’s only a temporary solution but he’s doing his best to help us out. If you’d rather not do as he suggests, however…’ My voice trailed off.
There was a flicker of doubt in the Fey’s expression. It was faint but it was definitely there. I was finally getting somewhere. Trying not to let my triumph show on my face, I smiled softly at him. Then the door opened.
‘You can come in,’ Rubus said.
‘Just a minute,’ I told him. ‘I’m getting better acquainted with your bodyguard here.’
Rubus rolled his eyes, reached out and pulled me in, closing the door behind him.
‘Hey!’ I protested. ‘I was just about to make a sale!’
‘Do you have any dust on you?’
I frowned. ‘No, but—’
‘Do you realise that Amellus is already loyal? I don’t need my trusted soldiers to become drug addicts, Madrona.’
‘Yeah, but…’
Rubus smiled. ‘You’re still in there,’ he said quietly. ‘You might not remember but you’re still my Madrona. You were quite prepared to forget why you’d come here because you wanted to sell Amellus some dust. We’re so similar, you and I.’ His eyes gleamed. ‘Win at all costs. Right?’
Oh. It occurred to me that he had a point. I twitched uncomfortably. ‘It’s not like that,’ I said in stubborn denial. ‘I was just trying to find my place here, that’s all. I know who I used to be – sort of – and I’m trying to get that back.’
Rubus raised a questioning eyebrow. Perhaps I was protesting too much.
‘Well,’ I said, ‘it’s not like I belong with Morgan, is it? He’s all angelic and good and self-righteous. And I don’t want to be on my own. It’s boring. And,’ I brushed my own fingers against my heart, ‘it hurts.’ I sniffed loudly. ‘So this must be where I’m supposed to be. But you don’t trust me and I don’t seem to have any friends. I just want to find something I’m good at. Is that so bad?’
‘I wasn’t criticising you, far from it. In fact, you have no idea how happy this makes me.’ He glanced behind, his eyes drifting towards his unmade bed. Uh-oh.
I looked away hastily before I was forced to register the open invitation on his face. ‘Anyway,’ I said, in my best brisk and business-like tone and without even pausing for breath, ‘I do need to talk to you. First of all, I’ve been contact with my soap-star friend. She will meet you for dinner tomorrow night. I told her that you’re a perfect gentleman and that she shouldn’t worry about being with you. I even told her she could leave her bodyguard at home.’
‘You’re still not prepared to tell me who she is?’ he enquired, stepping back. I started to relax again.
‘I signed an NDA. I told you.’
‘That’s a human thing,’ he dismissed. ‘Who really cares about some daft piece of paper?’
‘She does. If you want to meet her, we need to do things her way,’ I said. ‘I can’t control her. Besides,’ I added, raising my shoulders, ‘it’ll be a fun surprise.’
‘Much as I know you like to shock, I’m not a fan of surprises,’ Rubus told me.
