Page 72 of Devils Don’t Deal

“I found you!” I said, smiling and showing all the enthusiasm I could muster.

I started toward her, walking around the tables like I didn’t see the people or smell their desperation. Had the devil’s casino always been so depressing? The cages above the tables were full of dancers, but no one was dancing.

I raised my striped box and shook it gently. “I made you some macarons. Would you please consider having dinner with me instead of the fairy king?”

She raised a brow and smiled wickedly. “You’d rather have dinner with me? Surely you know how dangerous I am.”

“You’re not as bad as him.” I frowned, remembering the way he’d ruffled my hair after he told me how long he was going to try to keep me alive as he killed me. I accidentally met the eyes of a man at a table, his expression blank and creepy, before I refocused on the gorgeous creature on her mushroom throne.

Her voice was delight and amusement. “Do you think so? He would disagree with you. I would also disagree with you. But you’re far too stupid to understand. I suppose it can’t be helped. You’re only a child, after all.” Her smile was vicious.

I held out the macarons and walked closer to her. “I don’t care if you are. At least you aren’t a siren.”

She leaned her chin on her fist as her eyes flickered with amusement. “Don’t tell me that the fairy king is seducing you. He’d never stoop to such a thing. He prefers souls to hearts.” She looked at the ticking heart in the glass box. “Do you want to know how I got it?”

I followed her glance then looked back at her. “How did it not kill him right away?”

“Magic. Also, I gave him half of my soul in exchange for his heart.” Her expression grew distant, almost fond. “He was so sweet and stupid, like you, but he had potential for so much power. I couldn’t resist that.”

“He loved you,” I said with a nod. “You’re very beautiful.”

She laughed, a sound like lilting violins and the keening dead. “I am, but it’s the sweetness he couldn’t resist. I pretended to be exactly what you are. He begged me to take his heart. He didn’t mind dying for me.”

“That’s awesome. So why did you give him half your soul instead of letting him die for you?”

She gave me a flat look. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“True. I’d never give up my soul for anything. Even half my soul. Even a pinch of my soul. That’s just a bad idea.”

She studied me with a terrifying lack of expression. “And yet it gives me complete power over him.”

“Does it? But wouldn’t you rather have your own power?” I shrugged. “It’s all over my head. I’d just like you to not make me eat with the fairy king again. He’s so…”

“Is it his scar that bothers you?” she asked, sitting up. “It is hideous, but you’re part goblin.”

“No, I think his scar is my favorite thing about him. It’s just…” I glanced around at the people who were playing, seeming to ignore me and the enchantress, but there was something about the way they didn’t look at her, like they were part of her, or something. Maybe she owned all their souls.

“Don’t tell me you’re concerned that you’ll fall in love with him,” she said, eyes glinting. “That would be hilarious!”

“Well, I don’t seem to have a lot of logic when it comes to men,” I said, shrugging. “I want to focus on my baking. And at least the devil didn’t ruffle my hair.”

“No, he only danced with you. Kissed you. Bought you department stores.” Her smile was sharp, like the daggers that I realized were growing out of the crystals hanging on the chandelier above me.

“Ah. Well, yes. I know it didn’t mean anything, because of course he’s a devil without a heart.” I gestured at the glass box. “But I’m a bit stupid.”

“And you’re worried the fairy king is going to woo you like the devil did and you’ll fall for him as easily?”

“At least he has a heart. I mean, it’s possible the fairy king could fall for me in return, right?”

She gave me a pitying look. “You’d have more luck with the devil.” She snapped her fingers and Rawley was at my elbow, grabbing my arm in a painful grasp.

“It’s time for you to leave now,” the cat-shifter literally growled.

I let my shoulders slump as I turned, but I dropped my macaron box and the beautiful little white cookies with pretty, delicate frosting rolled across the floor, one of them rolling in the direction of the enchantress’s mushroom and the others tumbling until one hit the pillar the glass box with his heart was resting on.

The enchantress stood and gestured at the heart, shattering the crystal and summoning the ticking heart to her hand.

It was out of the box. That split second was all I needed to hit the button on my pocket watch and shrink small enough to easily slip out of Rawley’s grasp. I flew, holding the devil’s soul, up toward the heart where it hovered, halfway to the enchantress, frozen between ticks.