Page 22 of Outlaw Witch

“Poetic,” Hanna replies drily. “But I’m going to need a little more context here. I got kind of distracted by the way the big one was looking at you like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to eat you or laser your eyes out of your face.”

I snort a laugh and then go on to fill her in on the details. I skim past the part where Zeph and I met before, since I don’t need anybody judging my shitty decisions. Once I’m done, I slump back as Hanna continues to eye me curiously.

“You’ve not said you’ll help them?” she asks.

“I hadn’t even properly confirmed I could do blood magic until that mess down at the riverside. They’re promising some big things. Better lives for us all. But I just don’t know if it’s something I want to get involved with.”

“They hit you right in your soft spot,” Ember mutters, but his eyes are soft when they flick over to me for a moment before returning to the window.

“How d’you mean?”

“Well, everyone knows you wouldn’t say yes if it was a pile of cash they were offering to do a risky job. Promising a whole new world for our fucked up little family is making you actually consider it. Even if it might draw attention your way, which is something you’ve avoided for a whole decade.”

I guess he’s right.

“So they’re... what? Following you around to jump in, in case you need help?” Hanna says with a frown.

“Nope. They’ve got a perfectly willing spy in our camp,” I reply with a huff. “Luna. She’s convinced she’s helping and they’re going to fall head over heels in love with me or something.”

“Or something is more like it,” Ember mutters.

“Huh.” Hanna looks thoughtful. “You think they’re the ones to thank for this cushy job? I, for one, am glad they dealt with the bitch squad down at the riverside. One of those girl’s mothers is friends with my mom and it could have gotten real nasty if they hadn’t stepped in.”

“I was handling it just fine,” I grumble, but she continues to chatter on even as my brain gets caught up on something she just said.

This job.

This cushy job that came out of the blue. What if they are the ones responsible for it?

Shit.

It seems even without meaning to; I seem to be growing more and more beholden to them.

How long until they tip the scales so far that I can no longer refuse?

Or am I just kidding myself that I have a choice here at all?

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