Page 28 of Fiendish Delights
‘He likes you a lot.’
I was no longer sure about that. ‘Mmm,’ I said again. Then, because I couldn’t help myself, ‘How do you know?’
‘He made it very clear to all of us that you’re leading this hunt as much as he is. Hugo normally never works with anyone who’s not already a Prime, and he doesn’t trust outsiders easily. Especially,’ she added, ‘when those outsiders are?—’
‘Rebecca!’ Miriam interrupted her with a hard look. ‘Enough of that.’
‘It’s okay,’ I said. ‘She can say it. I’m a drug addict. It’s not a secret.’ I shrugged. ‘Not to anyone here.’
All four of them exchanged glances. I eyed them. What the hell. ‘If you want to know anything about me, all you have to do is ask.’
‘Hugo told us not to be nosy.’
I ought to have guessed he’d done that, given that during the journey here the conversation had consisted of random treasure hunting chatter and the weather. None of the Primes had been unwelcoming towards me, but they’d been reserved.
I grinned slightly. ‘I thought posh high elves like you were too well-mannered to do something as uncouth as be nosy.’
‘Oh, honey,’ Miriam said with a smile, ‘we’re not as posh as you think. And we’re nosier than most.’
Slim laughed. ‘Miriam, you have a gold cuff in your ear. Your favourite musicians have been dead for three hundred years and you’ve probably got an emergency tin of beluga caviar in your bag.’
‘It’s true, I do,’ she admitted. ‘And none of you are getting any of it.’
‘Miriam is by far the poshest,’ Rizwan said. ‘But we’re definitely all nosy.’
‘I know you are,’ I told him. ‘You went around to my parents to investigate me during the Loch Arkaig treasure hunt.’
He had the grace to look embarrassed. He focussed on his shoes. ‘Sorry about that.’
‘It’s water under the bridge.’ I waved a hand airily.
‘Or,’ Becky asked with a sly wink, ‘is it a troll under the bridge?’
Everyone laughed. Slim shook his head. ‘Honestly, Daisy, the look on Hugo’s face when he found out about Duchess was only matched by the one when he learned that you were the one who’d sent her to Pemberville Castle.’
‘It was priceless,’ Miriam agreed. ‘We should have filmed it.’
‘You know,’ Rizwan remarked, ‘don’t tell Hugs, but I really like Duchess. She’s fun to have around.’
Miriam leaned in. ‘I think Hugo likes her too.’
‘I’ll admit, I have a soft spot for her,’ I said.
Slim looked at me. ‘What about Hugo? Do you have a soft spot for him too?’
Hester zipped forward to insinuate herself into the conversation. ‘Oh, Daisy really does—’ I glared at her and she pretended to zip her mouth closed.
‘Yeah,’ Becky said, without an ounce of shame. ‘We really are nosy, aren’t we?’
Miriam patted my hand in an odd, motherly fashion that left me more awkward than reassured. ‘We have a vested interest in Hugo’s welfare. You see, Becky was right – he likes you a lot,’ she said. ‘Far more than he lets on.’
This conversation was going places I definitely did not want to be. Desperate to get off the topic, I racked my brains for something to divert them, but small talk wasn’t really my forte. ‘Let’s go back to my drug addiction,’ I said quickly. ‘That’s a much safer topic.’
Rizwan drew in a breath. ‘What does it feel like? What does it reallyfeellike when you take spider’s silk?’
‘It feels like none of your fucking business,’ Hugo growled.
Every one of us jumped guiltily, even Otis who hadn’t said a word throughout the chat. Hugo loomed over our small group, his jaw set and his eyes hooded. I swallowed and stood up. ‘I told him that he could ask me anything, Hugo.’
