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It was odd to see her be insecure about anything, and it filled Corvus with an unexpected surge of anger that anyone had made her feel self-conscious about spending “too much” time in a bookstore. “What unwashed miscreants have you been spending time with? I can’t think of a better way to spend a day than in the company of a beautiful woman partaking in one of her favorite activities.” He managed not to admit he’d probably have watched her just sit and read if she’d have let him and it wouldn’t have made him look like an absolute creep. Perhaps it was best not to think how far gone he was for this woman. They eventually wandered up to the rooftop bar/restaurant, and Pearl sighed wistfully. “I’ve always wanted to eat here, but I never make the time.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I got reservations for us then.”

Pearl lit up. “Really?”

It was so tempting to keep the white lie going, but she was smart enough to figure it out eventually. “No, I tried, but apparently they said we could just sit anywhere.”

Giggles burst out of Pearl. “You should see yourself right now. Your lip is actually curling at the idea of open seating at a restaurant. I’m absolutely disgusted by how cute it is when you’re a snob.”

Opening his mouth to protest, Corvus snapped it shut again - he was unsure if he had been insulted or complimented and decided to take it as a compliment because why not? “Anyway, I hear their afternoon tea is palatable.” He placed a gentle hand on Pearl’s lower back to guide her to one of the couches facing the panoramic window, and when they sat, she snuggled into him like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. After a hilarious interlude in which Pearl haggled with the waitress for iced tea after the waitress tried to patiently explain that iced tea as afternoon tea was an abomination, and Pearl grew quite animated jumping on her soap box explaining the joys of ice in drinks, they settled in attempting to make a dent in the giant tower of reading material they had just acquired. It wasn’t until the sun began to set that Pearl stretched and glanced at her watch. “I’d better get back. Pru will either call the police or hunt us down herself if I don’t come home soon.”

“Who?”

“My roommate. Or flatmate I guess you’d say.”

“Ah. May I convey you home?”

Pearl stood, and Corvus could tell she was buying herself time to decide. It wasn’t until her warmth next to him was gone that he realized how used to it he had grown in such a short amount of time. “That’s a lovely offer, but I’m going to have to know the mechanics of how you transport before I’ll allow it again.”

“I’m happy to explain it right now.”

Pearl replied with a wink. “How about you explain it on our second date?” And she left without even waiting for a reply. And really did she need to? Corvus was well and truly hooked.

Chapter seven

Present - February

Pearl was making excellent progress in the library. Just over half the books had curses or unpleasant charms attached to them, and she’d managed to divide them into levels of difficulty in her first week. And she couldn’t deny that she was enjoying the time she spent with Corvus. Ringing for him whenever she needed a Winterbourne handy to break a curse, she’d tried telling him that he could just leave a small vial of blood for the books bound with a blood curse, but he’d simply replied, “I understand fresh blood is more effective, and it’s no trouble. You’re doing me a favor, remember?” Pearl wasn’t sure that she agreed with the assessment that she was doing him a favor, but he was correct that fresh blood worked better, and it kept her from having to examine too closely how pleased she was that he insisted on coming in person. Every morning when she arrived, her favorite tea was waiting for her on a table next to one of the wingback chairs, and when she sat down, the plate next to it would fill with whatever breakfast she happened to be craving. She tried arguing with it a few times that it wasn’t good for her to have chocolate croissants every morning, until Corvus caught her arguing with a plate and was entirely too amused. But ever since that day, she’d had a bowl of seasonal fruit next to the plate as well. Corvus had also made sure that Mercutio had a bed (which he studiously did not use in favor of sleeping on whatever book Pearl needed to use) and magically refilling water and food bowls. Pearl had accused Corvus of attempting to fatten them up and cook them for dinner, but he’d just laughed and said, “You never were good at eating when you were focused on something.” It had brought up a cocktail of emotions she wasn’t sure she wanted to deal with like it did every time he brought up the past.

One morning, a few weeks after she started, she found Corvus sitting in the wingback chair next to the one she now thought of as hers looking down at a cell phone with deep concentration. When Pearl entered, he looked up with a smile. “Good morning! I was hoping that maybe you would have some time to show me a little about how to text?”

Pearl remembered jokingly promising to show Corvus how to text, but she was sure he had a lackey or two who could easily teach him so she could focus on the actual job she was here to do. She almost told him as much, but his voice had sounded so hopeful, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him no. Pulling over one of the library step stools, she sat next to him. “What do you know so far?”

“Well, it appears to recognize my face, and that makes it come to life, and I’ve figured out how to get to the box that grants me access to texting, but how do I send you a message?”

Pearl was very, very proud of herself for holding in all of the old man jokes. “Oh! Well, first you need my number. Let me add it right quick.” Phone number added, she walked him through searching a name and asked him to type a message and hit send. It took him a long time to type it out, but when it was finally finished, he looked up in triumph. When her phone pinged, she showed him how it had been sent to her, and couldn’t help but laugh when she saw the message.

Dear Pearl,

This is my first text message. I’m much obliged to you for showing me how to use this electronic device. I’ll look forward to practicing more in the future.

Regards,

Corvus

Glancing over her shoulder at her phone in alarm, Corvus said, “Did I do something incorrectly? What’s funny?”

“Well, you don’t need to sign it - it will notify me that it’s from you, and texts are generally not quite so formal. I think this is actually more formal than your letter writing.”

“It certainly took me longer than it would have taken for me to write that in a letter.”

Pearl patted his arm encouragingly. “I promise you’ll get much faster - it just takes time to gain the muscle memory.”

Still looking skeptical, Corvus promised he would practice. “Is there any way I may help you today?”

“Oh, actually, yes! I came to one at the end of yesterday that had a rather tricky curse from your Great Aunt Euberta. The book keeps shouting at me in what I assume is her shrill voice to take my grubby hands off her pages. When I finally got to the key, it’s definitely a blood lock, but it was the end of the day, so I put it aside for you.”

Walking over to the book, Pearl drew on her magic and maneuvered her way back down to the blood lock with Euberta screaming in her ear. She and Corvus had done this enough by now, that he knew his role without prompting. Pricking his finger with a sanitized needle, he put one drop of blood on the exposed magical lock, and the room fell blessedly silent. Corvus turned to go back to his chair to resume his work, but as he was turning, Mercutio ran under his feet tripping him up. Throwing out a hand for balance, Pearl didn’t have time to react and could only watch as if in slow motion as Corvus’ hand came down on a bright red book and he dropped the rest of the way to the floor as he fell immediately into a deep slumber.