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“She seems to be making herself at home.”
“Well, she does live here for the time being.” And the guest bed Sian made was crying out for a mattress. When Addison finally left, hopefully I’d get to keep the mattress.
Matilda folded her arms. “I’m beginning to think you might actually like her.”
My shoulders rose, offering a partial shrug. “I don’t hate her.”
“You should. She’s put you directly in the path of grave danger.”
“So have you,” I reminded her.
Matilda sniffed. “Not intentionally, unlike your houseguest.”
“I’ve decided not to hold it against her.”
“You’re too forgiving for your own good. It will be your downfall if you’re not careful.”
Addison returned to the foyer, along with the deliverymen. She peeled off two twenty dollars bills and gave one to each man as a tip.
“How generous,” Matilda muttered.
The men seemed happy enough as they exited the house.
Addison stretched her arms over her head. “I look forward to a restful evening.”
“Might as well get a head start,” Matilda said. “No one’s stopping you.”
Addison yawned. “I might be down for a nap. Take it for a test drive.”
“And hopefully I’ll be gone by the time she wakes up,” Matilda said under her breath.
If she heard the remark, Addison didn’t let on. She simply retreated upstairs.
I eyed her suspiciously. “You didn’t go back to Vortigern’s settlement, did you?”
“No, I was out searching for the stag again. A few of your friends showed up looking for you and were kind enough to accompany me. Why Camryn teeters around in six-inch heels is beyond me. She ended up barefoot most of the time.”
“Did Gun get to wear his cowboy hat?”
“No, which he felt compelled to mention half a dozen times during our search.”
“I guess you didn’t find the stag.”
Her face fell. “No joy.”
“We’re running out of time.”
Her eyes flashed with indignation. “I’m well aware of the ticking clock.”
“I think we need to pivot from offense to defense.”
“As much as it pains me to admit it, I agree. The stag is proving too elusive. I knew it would be difficult without a proper hunting party, but I had to try.”
A question gnawed at me. “I need to show you something.” I pulled up the images of devastation on my phone.
Matilda stuck her nose in front of the screen. “What am I looking at?”
“Areas where the Wild Hunt ran roughshod.”
