Page 41 of Shield of Fire

“The wind tells me you’re working for the goddamn fae council—is that true?”

“Unfortunately, yes, but it’s not like I had a choice. Why? Why does it matter so much to you?”

“It matters because there’s been a dangerous increase in Ninkil activity, and I fear the council may be at the heart of it.”

I raised my eyebrows and repeated, “Why?”

She tapped her nose, making the overlarge wart sitting at its tip wobble alarmingly. “You’re not the only one with a nose for trouble.”

Amusement twitched my lips, and she scowled, raising a finger in warning. “Don’t you be saying the comment I can see in your eyes. It’s impolite.”

My smile escaped, but I heeded the warning. “No one within the council has ever mentioned Ninkil or his artifacts to me.”

“Well, they wouldn’t, would they? Not so bluntly, at any rate. The Ninkilim are bright creatures with oh-so-sweet tongues and hearts filled with subterfuge. It’s rare for them to show their true selves until they gain what they wish.”

“And what is it you think they wish?”

Her scowl deepened. “You are well aware of what they want. Do not play dumb with me, young woman.”

I took a drink to hide another smile. “What do you know of Ninkil’s Harpe?”

She sucked in a breath, and overhead, thunder rumbled ominously. “The council have asked you to find that?”

“No, they’ve tasked me with finding the Shield of Hephaestus and its missing eyes.”

“Then why ask about the harpe?”

“Because a note Nialle made about it just came to light, and his replacement at the museum mentioned it to me.”

“And what do we know of this replacement?”

“Aside from the fact he’s fantastic in bed?”

“You need to start thinking with your head rather than your loins, young woman.”

“But my loins are having a damn good time.” I held up a hand to stop the tirade that was undoubtedly about to hit. “He was fully vetted by Rogan?—”

“Would this be the same Rogan who stole the Claws and damn near killed you?”

Her voice was dry, and I grimaced. “Yeah. But Lugh has seen his application and work history. There’s nothing in his background that raises any sort of alarms.”

“And you trust him?”

“He’s given me no reason not to trust him.”

She grunted, appearing mollified. “Just be wary of anyone new stepping into your life, especially if they appear too good to be true. The Ninkilim have a history of gently seductive coercion, and with your loins...”

She trailed off pointedly, and I laughed. “My loins are not seeking or wanting a third lover. Besides, what would they want with me? They already have the hoard?—”

“What makes you think that?” she said sharply.

“I did a scrying and heard a conversation between two of them. They said they were in the process of securing the hoard but hadn’t done a full inventory yet, as they didn’t want to risk any vibration along the psychic or magic lines.”

And thinking about it now, it didn’t really make sense that they were still securing the hoard months after it had been stolen. Had it been a past conversation I’d heard rather than a more recent one? It wasn’t like they came with date stamps.

“Meaning we’re not chasing fools. Shame.” She poured herself another whiskey. “Did they specifically mention Ninkil?”

I nodded. “The man said their god was getting impatient, and the woman replied that he’d waited centuries for this moment, so a few more months would not hurt him.”

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