Page 49 of Wicked Little Tricks

I blinked up at him. “A bath?”

He smiled down at me. “Do you not want one?”

I grinned. Whatever he had woken inside of me was settling down now, leaving me feeling more like myself. “No, I want one. But I was just thinking that bath in your spare chamber looked big enough fortwo.”

He kicked open the door, then carried me out into the hall, completely naked. I tensed for a moment, but there was no one around, not even any tiny goblins watching from the ledges of the bricks. Ringo had also made himself scarce.

And so I clung to the goblin prince and allowed him to carry me away for a bath. I wasn’t sure what the hell I was going to do in the morning, or what fresh magic he had somehow brought out in me, but they were problems for daylight. For now, I was going to experience an actual feeling of safety, wrapped in the high goblin’s arms.

19

I rolled over in bed,waking as I sensed someone standing over me. I opened my eyes, tensed to spring up if needed.

Gabriel looked down at me. He had my green dress dangling from one finger.

I pulled the sheets up to my chin then reached one arm out to snatch my dress. “Can I help you?”

“I am to tell you Mistral had some business to attend, and I am to offer you breakfast.”

“What business?”

“That’s none of your concern.” He turned away, presumably for me to get dressed.

I spotted my underthings piled on the bedside table, and my boots were on the floor. Still clutching the sheet, I edged my way out of bed, keeping an eye on Gabriel.Awkwardwas a vast understatement.

I started getting dressed. We hadended up in Mistral’s bathtub instead of the one in the guest chambers, which had been great. It was twice as large. We’d had averynice time.

But now I was left with too many questions, mostly about how Mistral’s magic had made my own small sliver of magic react. It sure hadn’t felt like a small sliver last night, but now it had settled back down within me. I felt almost normal.

Well, as normal as someone could feel getting dressed in a high goblin’s bed chamber with Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Grumpy sulking in the corner.

Once I was dressed, I cleared my throat.

He turned to reveal that he also had my coat clenched in his other hand. I hadn’t noticed it before. I had been more intent on his face while I was trying to cover up my nakedness.

I walked toward him, and surprisingly he lightly draped the coat around my shoulders. “Are you hungry?”

My stomach growled at the mere thought of food. “Starved. Where’s Ringo?”

“Already having his fill of our cupboards, I imagine.” He opened the door, waiting for me to leave the room.

We walked together down the hall with me already knowing where the dining room was. I was beginning to get the hang of the place, almost feeling comfortable. Which was weird on a whole other level.

“I’m told you’ll be staying with us until your affairs can be sorted,” Gabriel said as we walked.

I frowned.Affairs, he made it sound so simple. Not,until we could figure out how to get people to stop trying to kidnap me.

“I’m not sure. I really don’t want to, but I should speak with Sebastian. He knows more than he’s told me, and maybe he can tell me something to help.”

“He’s just another player in the game.” He opened the door for me, and I walked into the dining room.

Sure enough, Ringo was there digging into a bowl of balled melons. He looked up as he smashed another melon ball in his mouth, then swallowed, licking his lips.

I smirked. “Good morning to you too.” He had taken a big chance coming here to rat me out to Mistral, and I was grateful for it.

I turned back to look at Gabriel, but he was gone, so I went and sat at the table. A few minutes later, he returned with two plates heaped with eggs, bacon, toast, and more melon.

He slid one plate in front of me, then went to the other side of the table and sat with his own plate.

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