Page 16 of A Skirl of Sorcery
Head bowed, they were packing away the last few items when I jogged up. They smoothed over a skein of fabric, checked the contents of three small glass vials, and sealed a larger woodenbox with a magical flourish. Then, without looking up, they spoke. ‘Hello, Kit.’
The more time I spent around Trilby, the more I learned that their powers were deep and mysterious. I didn’t know what manner of Preternatural they were, but knowledge could be dangerous and sometimes it was better to live in ignorance. Even so, curiosity scratched at me whenever the black-market seller was involved.
‘Hello, Trilby.’
‘I was hoping I’d see you today. I’ll be getting a fresh supply of magicked catnip at the end of the week. I shudder to think how you’d react if it sold out before you could get your grubby paws on some.’
I doubted Trilby had used the wordpawsby accident. I might not have actually told them that I was a cat sith, but somehow they had learned what few others knew. I allowed their remark to pass without comment; only a true fool with no self-control draws notice to that which they want to hide.
‘Brilliant,’ I said. The cats would be pleased, and happy cats equalled happy Kit.
‘But you’re not here to buy anything, are you?’ Trilby lifted their head and gazed at me with their dark, enigmatic eyes. ‘I know that expression. You want information.’
‘Actually, it’s more advice that I’m after.’
Interest flashed across Trilby’s face. ‘I’m flattered that you would come to me. The answer is yes.’
I frowned. ‘Yes?’
‘Yes to Thane – yes to spending more time with him, yes to kissing, yes to sex. Yes to allowing yourself to fall in love with him.’
Whoa: hold up a minute. That wasn’t the advice I wanted. ‘I’m not falling in love with Thane.’
Trilby grinned. ‘Okay.’
‘I’m not! I like him. He likes me. We will embark upon a lot of … fun … together once the full moon is over and he’s past his wolf phase. We’ll be friends with benefits. That’s all.’
‘If you say so.’
‘I do!’
‘Cat ladies are allowed to fall in love, you know.’
‘I didn’t say otherwise,’ I huffed. ‘But I’mnotfalling in love.’
‘Sure thing, Kit.’ Trilby shrugged. Then they leaned forward and lowered their voice. ‘Because only a true fool with no self-control draws notice to that which they want to hide.’
My mouth dropped open. What the fuck? That was word for word the same sentence that had passed through my mind only moments before. ‘Trilby?’ I growled, in a tone that suggested violence.
They blinked innocently. ‘What?’
I folded my arms and gave my best death stare but they didn’t flinch. I stared harder, making a mental note to guard my thoughts more carefully whenever I was in Trilby’s presence.Are you Fae?I projected silently.
Trilby didn’t say anything and their expression didn’t alter. Next I filled my head with the opening strains of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’, silently humming the song to myself to block Trilby from reading any more of my thoughts.
Trilby looked at me; I looked at Trilby.
Eventually they cleared their throat. ‘So if you’re not looking for advice about your love life, how can I help you?’
I flicked a mental switch and quietened the earworm tune. ‘Ban siths,’ I said, trying to push away the feeling that I’d made a fatal error by ever trusting the market seller but sensing that it was too late to backtrack now.
‘You’ve been targeted by one? A midnight skirl predicting your death?’ Trilby reached for the wooden box in front of them.‘I have some charged-silver four-leaf clover available. It can be effective.’
I shook my head. ‘No, my situation isn’t like that.’ Trilby probably already knew exactly what my situation was like but I told them anyway. ‘I have a ban sith staying with me. She’s left her family, friends and community and she’s lost her ban sith powers.’ I hesitated. ‘Or so she says.’
‘You think she’s lying?’
I shrugged uncomfortably. ‘I don’t know.’
