Page 41 of Seas the Reckoning

“I thought I wouldn’t have the pleasure of your company until lunch,” I tell him.

It has the desired impact, and he smiles, showing his long teeth. His eyes are a vibrant red this morning.

“I couldn’t wait that long. You are an enticing woman.”

My stomach sinks, confirming for me that I did in fact want to see Claude. But I can’t count anyone else out, so it’s not necessarily a waste of time.

The gazebo sets us in the shade, but I’m guessing Arloc must be utilizing some spell or potion to be out in this much sun with no apparent discomfort. Even after Councilman Taylor offered a darker location. Perhaps it’s a show of wealth, power, or both.

The staff serve us a salmon benedict with hollandaise and capers on top. Starla and Piers opt for tea as an accompaniment, while I take a coffee.

Arloc is provided a cup with deep crimson liquid, alongside something clear that smells far too strong to be water.

“Vodka,” he says, holding it up and drinking it dry before sipping on the blood.

“Arloc, you mentioned yesterday that you are the master of a vampire coven and run a jewelry business? That sounds fascinating.”

He’s only too happy to launch into a spiel about the gems, their values, and the systems he uses to find, purchase, transport, inventory, and sell them.

I catch snippets of Starla’s conversation with Piers, which is somehow even more mind-numbing as the lawyer waxes poetic on traditional gender roles in supernatural relationships.

Ginny is a better lawyer in every way imaginable, I find myself thinking.

My thoughts drift to spending a day at the Sea Wench. Brody and Ginny laughing at one of the high-tops. Pickles, Jackal, and me walking along the beach out back. Starla and Keegan working on the appetizer menu in the kitchen.

I glance under the table and note that Starla’s hands are clenched into fists.

“And your mother does all the domestic tasks, even though her key has nothing to do with cooking or cleaning and she is in fact a fire witch? How … refreshing,” Starla manages, taking a long sip of her tea afterward.

They’ve just given her a fresh cup, steam wafting off the top. I imagine it’s scalding, but she keeps the cup stubbornly pressed against her lips, most likely to keep her from saying anything she’d regret.

Piers misses all of this, nodding in agreement.

“She recognizes that it’s a privilege for women to raise the next generation of exceptional men.”

I give Starla a swift kick under the table when I see sparks around the handle of her teacup.

“Your mother sounds like an absolute paragon of ideal femininity,” Starla says.

“—but the enchanted jewels are by far the most interesting.”

My eyes snap up from my coffee cup as Arloc continues his speech.

“Enchanted jewelry? Have you seen many cases of that?”

He nods and smiles, appearing pleased to have captured my interest.

“We specialize in it. You may recall I mentioned yesterday that, while jewelry is our main source of income, we work with all manner of prized magical items. I once encountered a sapphire that held a miniature typhoon inside, placed there by a very talented water witch.”

“What about family jewelry? Things passed down through generations.”

He tilts his head, thinking for a few moments.

“We do see such items. People are less inclined to be selling things like that, although we do have buyers who collect them, so I always keep my eyes open. Are you a fan? I noticed you’re only wearing studs, although they are lovely.”

I reach up to brush my fingers over the solid gold earrings Starla bought when we went shopping. But those aren’t what I’m interested in.

The question is how much to tell him. I do a seconds-long mental weighing of the risks and rewards.