Page 45 of Necromancers Don't Raise

“Yes. Bones is getting very good at bread. Bones, would you mind cutting a piece for our guest? Would you like cheese or jam with it?” Not exactly high-class fare, but it was fresh.

“Cheese and a glass of milk, if you have any.”

I itched to do the serving, but a jab from a pin made me inhale sharply and hold very still. “Bones, would you mind? I’m stuck here.”

Sebastian snorted, and a shower of pins fell from his mouth. It was amazing that there were any left at all.

Bones slowly put together a plate with a glass of milk and a slab of thick bread and thick cheese while Winston looked around the kitchen with interest. It wasn’t modern or particularly functional, but it was cozy, with herbs hanging fromthe beams, the smell of fresh bread, and the bright and happy afghans on the couch and pinned to the walls.

“So, what is your connection to the Clarences?” he asked, then added when Bones brought him the plate, “Thank you, Bones.”

“I’m a distant relative,” I said, hating the lie almost as much as I disliked Sebastian poking me again. Now he was having fun. “I understand that you had a meeting with the three gemstones the morning of the fire. Could you tell me about it?”

He sniffed the bread and cheese, then took a large bite, considering while he chewed. “First of all, this bread is excellent. Bones, well done. You know, for an heiress, she was almost painfully sweet. The entire meeting was uncomfortable for everyone involved, except for Vilus, who was too obsessed with himself to notice anyone else’s feelings. His character was based on Mercury, you know.”

I froze while Bones started scowling at the warlock. “Mercury isn’t obsessed with himself.”

Winston waved a hand dismissively. “I mean, the character of Vilus is based on Mercury, not the actor, Tim, who has no character personally whatsoever. He’s an excellent actor and has captured that brooding, mysterious, evocative dark sorcerer vibe brilliantly. He has quite a fan following.”

“Yes, the goblins love him,” I said evenly, although Sebastian stabbed me again. Why did he stab me that time? He was making it hard to focus. “About the meeting…”

Winston smiled at me, showing even white teeth and a dimple in his cheek. He really was incredibly handsome, strong, manly, nothing like Philip, but extremely appealing. “You know Philip?” he asked. It’s like he could read my mind.

I nodded. “We’re acquaintances.”

“He’s stunning. Pity he won’t be a guest on the show now and then, but he’s strictly business. He’s been encouraging me verystrongly to make Vilus even more diabolical and evil. Suggested that he kill our sweet Felicity Raven to show once and for all that he’s not redeemable. Seems to have strong feelings against dark sorcerers for some reason.” He looked around the kitchen again, eyes curious. “But that would end the show. Vilus can’t be killed and he can’t be pushed past the point of no return, or the viewers wouldn’t watch.”

“And the meeting…” I prompted again. It’s almost like he was hedging.

He smiled again, flashing that disarming dimple. “I watched Cassandra Clarence at work doing what she does, mediating between opposing forces to establish common ground for the greater good, while her so-called friend, Callie did the opposite, insulting Vilus by saying how she didn’t understand why a sorcerer should be so weak and lacking in virility, insulting Verity by saying how she must have slept with everyone to get her part on the show, and most telling of all, shamelessly flirting with Cassandra’s fiancé, Philip until he had to physically push her off his lap. Meanwhile, Cassandra followed up by smoothing over Vilus’s feelings, distracting Verity with talk about modeling for her company, and…hm. I’m not sure she noticed her friend’s shocking flirtation.” He eyed me curiously.

“Yes, Callie always liked to stir things up, and she did flirt with Philip to irritate him, but she meant nothing by it.”

His eyes gleamed. “You seem to be very well-informed about your distant relative’s friend’s characters.”

“I’m observant by nature. What about Breeann? Do you remember her?”

He winced. “I do. She wrote her number on my neck and down my shoulder as I pulled away. She’s a very quick writer. She’s also apparently my biggest fan and would like to have my babies.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The pained look on his face combined with the image of my friend propositioning the warlock at such a disastrous meeting was absolutely hilarious. Pity I couldn’t remember it.

Sebastian jabbed me deep with a particularly long and sharp pin. I gasped, stopped laughing, and held perfectly still. Right. We were in the middle of life-or-death art.

“Sorry, Bas. It’s good to hear that her long-time dream of meeting Winston Warlock was fulfilled before she died,” I said, but my smile disappeared at the thought.

“Yes,” Winston said, his own frown in place. “I suppose it is. I’m sorry about your friends Callie and Bree. Have you considered asking Mercury to bring them back as well?”

Sebastian jabbed me before I could react in any physical way. I studied the Warlock for a long moment, knowing that he knew and knowing I had to acknowledge it in some way. “No. Mercury didn’t bring me back. I came on my own. He just helped the process along.” I glanced at Bones and the way he was frowning at Winston. I cleared my throat. “I was Callie.”

Winston the Warlock’s brows rose. “Really? Of all those three…” He squinted at me. “I suppose I can see it, but your characters are so…”

The kitchen door opened and in stepped Oswald Mercury, with his dark eyes and sleek hair, looking like a harbinger of doom, a black rat with glowing eyes on his shoulder. “Winston,” he said, hesitating on the threshold as he scanned the room, blinking at me in my glaring underwear and pinned sheer panels. “Miss Nova. I brought you dinner.” He held up a brown bag and then I smelled it.

“Is that Greek?” I asked, mouth watering.

He smiled slightly and opened the bag, taking out a carton that looked smelled like roast lamb and garlic. “Can you take a break?”

“No,” Sebastian answered for me, talking around his pins.

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