Page 124 of The Dragon and the Dove

‘A few years after my mother died, my father took me to Dufort himself. He was flat broke by then. Too lazy to work and bored of being a father. He sold me to the Daggers and took the coin I made.’

‘What?’ She reeled. ‘That’s…’

‘Poor parenting?’

She couldn’t think of an insult strong enough.

‘Don’t worry, I killed him for it,’ he added without a hint of remorse.

She snorted. ‘Of course you did.’

‘Took back my coin too. Spent it on a mountain lion in the black market.’

She stared at him. ‘You’re kidding.’

‘The little bastard ran away. Chewed up a couple of Daggers on the way out too. Dufort was pissed.’ He sighed, rubbing his jaw. ‘Admittedly, not one of my better decisions.’

‘You don’t strike me as someone who makes good decisions.’

Those icy eyes pinned her. ‘Except for you.’

Her cheeks erupted. ‘What does that mean?’

He grinned, knocking back his drink. ‘Take it as you like.’

She shot to her feet, snatching his empty glass to distract herself from the climbing heat. Busying herself at the cart, she took her time refilling their drinks.

He spoke to her back, his voice soft and low, ‘Who ruined your day, Valerie?’

She chewed on her answer. ‘Oriel, I suppose.’

‘Huh. I can’t see my way to murdering her. Pick someone a little closer to home.’

When she turned around, his face was utterly serious. ‘You’re unhinged,’ she said.

‘So you keep telling me.’

She passed him his drink and returned to her chair.

He canted his head. ‘What did Oriel do to make you so mad?’

She toyed with a curl, wondering how much she should say, if it would be wise to reveal the soft core of herself. He was looking at her in that way again, curiosity gleaming in his icy gaze. Perhaps it was the late hour or the seed of hopelessness within her, but she realized that she didn’t care. She just wanted someone to talk to.

‘All this magic, these secrets … I feel like I’m losing my people.’

The old voice sighed, as though her confession had somehow lessened the pressure in her soul.

Caruso was pensive for a moment. ‘I’ll be your people.’

She blinked. ‘You?’

‘Why not me? I’m fucking hilarious.’

‘And murderous.’

‘Not with you,’ he countered.

‘Why does this feel like a negotiation?’