Page 85 of The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck

No idea where the weird choking noise comes from. It couldn’t possibly have been me. But it definitely needs to never happen again, please and thank you. Because if I am about to shuffle off this mortal coil, then of course I want him to be happy. After he mourns me for a suitable period. Say a decade or so. Keeping a small shrine dedication to me in his bedroom for the rest of his life is also not out of the question.

Alistair’s frown intensifies, the little line between his brows deepening. He does not, however, look my way. He’s lost in his thoughts.

“Your career will continue to be successful. No financial woes for you. But watch out for your left knee. The one you hurt in the service. Might be best to swap running for some lower-impact sport like swimming now that you’re getting older,” says Willow, peering at the air around Alistair’s head. Guess she’s reading his aura or something.

“You could have gotten that off Wikipedia.”

“Could I? Hmm. What else is there,” she muses. “Oh. I don’t much like the look of this. You’re not averse to holding a grudge, are you? But, Alistair, you’re wrong about your mother, and you need to let that old bitterness go before she’s gone and it’s too late.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” says Alistair in a tone both flat and unfriendly.

“Yes, you do. As you said before, we all make mistakes, and you’ve made one with her. Be adult enough to admit to it.”

“Is Lady Helena going to die soon?” I ask nervously.

Alistair just shakes his head.

“It’s a little while off yet.” Willow sits back in her seat. “But she’s more the type to be here for a good time rather than a long time, isn’t she?”

It’s a valid point.

“How much?” asks Alistair in a flat, unfriendly tone.

Willow turns back to him. “How much what?”

“How much money to tell Lilah it’s all bullshit and she’s not going to die?”

Willow just sighs. “Not everything is for sale.”

“You’re a charlatan,” continues Alistair. “Just another fraudster conning people out of cash. I’ve seen plenty of your type over the years.”

“I understand that you’re scared. But that’s no excuse to be rude. However, the main fault in your accusation is I just refused more of your money, didn’t I? How do you explain that, boyo?”

“Enough. You won’t help Lilah is what you’re saying.” Alistair pushes back his chair in a rush and gets to his feet. “You won’t admit that this is all rubbish and she’s going to be perfectly fucking fine. Even though you know this is hurting her.”

“It would be nice, wouldn’t it? If I said those things and pacified you both?” asks Willow. “But I won’t tell pretty lies for any amount of money, Your Highness. And I cannot help your fiancée.”

Alistair grabs my hand and heads for the door. “We’re done here.”

Now we’re back out in the hallway waiting for the elevator. Alistair’s hackles have been well and truly raised. It’s not like I haven’t seen him upset before. But this is something else. He keeps a tight hold of my hand, but stares straight ahead. The bell dings and the elevator doors slide open. It’s a small and battered space. At a guess, the building is about a hundred years old and has seen better days. There’s scratched wood paneling and a mirrored ceiling. And the vibe inside the box is not good. He punches the button for the ground floor.

“Hey,” I say, putting my hand on his chest. “I appreciate you trying to help. But, Ali, this might be the sort of situation where we just have to wait and see.”

He stares down at me unhappily. “I don’t like waiting and I don’t like you worrying.”

“You can’t fix everything. You can’t control it either.”

A grunt.

“Everything will be fine,” I say, even though I don’t particularly believe it.

“I hate seeing you upset.”

“I appreciate that. But being with you makes things better.”

“Even though your name and face are splashed over every fucking gossip site in the world again?”

A grinding noise precedes the elevator coming to a stop. Somewhere between the second and third floor. Then the overhead light flickers and dims. His hold on my hand instantly ramps up to bone grinding, and I let out a yelp.

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