Page 72 of The Girl Who Only Died Once

“Are you protective of them?” Chloe asks, almost impulsively, and his brows flash up. “Look, I know d…people like you get protective, all of the ones I met do, and you’re already trending in that direction because of the kid.”

He crosses his arms, still smiling, and she gets a quick idea that this is him amused. “I’m not used to humans understanding our psychology, just after our power.”

“I have friends, remember?” Chloe takes an obnoxious drink from the water to gather her thoughts. “I meant friends. Someone I hang out with, someone I like to spend time with. People I go to for gossip, to get a drink with. Not someone to exploit for whatever gains or politics.”

Unbidden by her, the words come out with bitterness.

“Rare,” he murmurs, almost to himself. “But no. Not in the sense of protecting…the child.”

“So that’s more of a bond,” Chloe supplies, trying to shake off the very real and very familiar surge of anger at the college, for how they train people.

“Oh, you really know things,” he says, and pauses as the waitress drops off a perfectly serviceable burger and fries, his eyes skittering off of her. “Not like that.”

Chloe shrugs, scowling at the burger.

“I’m surprised they would tell you that, most demons won’t.” He watches, expectantly, until she begins to eat. “I’m surprised they’re not after the fox, to get a fraction of their old power back.”

Her neck prickles at the mention.

“Or that they would let someone they would choose to spend time with get killed,” he says, gesturing at her. “I would’ve heard if an abomination killed a massive amount of people in revenge, now that Boltiex is dead.”

Ah, there’s the best indicator that he knows who Ambra is, if he’s willing to drop that name around, and Chloe swallows.

“That was a month and a half ago, though,” he says, almost laconic, “and you died much more recently than that.”

Chloe just gives him a thumbs up and takes another bite to avoid saying anything.

The motion catches the eye of a woman across the restaurant, who then leans over and whispers something to her male companion. Chloe doesn’t recognize any of them, their faces don’t strike any little bit of wariness in her, but Chloe quickly averts her gaze, flipping her phone to the notes and tapping out:

COUPLE ACROSS THE RESTAURANT. THEY’RE LOOKING. ANY DANGER?

Killian’s head immediately swivels to them, and Chloe keeps her eyes down on her burger. He’s invisible, he can’t be seen, he can investigate for her.

“They’re certainly keeping an eye on you now,” he murmurs, voice so low she can feel it in the contact between them. “They aren’t doing any scans, they aren’t reaching out unconsciously, but they are looking.”

Great. Chloe takes a deep breath, then forces herself to exhale.

“We should leave,” he says, and all tension is back in his body, practically vibrating from it. “Get out of here before they realize you’re not supposed to be here.”

She taps out a note again.

I’M GONNA MOVE SLOWLY. GET A TAKE-OUT BOX AND PAY THE BILL. LIKE I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL.

“No,” he says, immediate, before she’s even finished tapping it out.

YES, she types. LEAVING FAST IS SUSPICIOUS.

He glances down at her, his eyes meeting hers in the reflection of the phone, as she takes another bite of the burger.

“The moment one of them tries something, I’m pulling you out,” he says, and it’s not quite a threat, not quite a reassurance.

And Chloe has her doubts, in this trap with no teleporting, but she nods, neutral, taking an obnoxious bite from her burger.

JUST KEEP AN EYE OUT ON THEM.

“Obviously,” he mutters, one long line of tension, and fingers drum against the table, some odd motion of anxiety. “One on the left is a spellweaver, I can’t tell what the woman is.”

She swallows at that casual confirmation. They’re not anyone she recognizes, but she’s been out for long enough that people age, people change in appearances.

---