Page 18 of Wicked Little Tricks

I let my suspicion show in my expression. “Yeah, but at what cost?”

He smiled. “I want you to report back to me on his actions. I would like to know what he plans to do when he finds Celeste.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t think he’s going to tell me that. I don’t even know why he wants her, or who she is.” I thought about it, then added, “All he mentioned was a debt.”

Mistral flashed his perfect white teeth in what could hardly be considered a smile. “Trust me, he will not let you go as easily as you believe. You have time tolearn many things from him, and in return, I will help you fulfill your bargain.”

I crossed my arms. “Or maybe I should just accept my fate. If Sebastian won’t let me go easily, then I don’t see what you can do about it. I don’t need any new bargains fromyou.”

He steepled his fingers and smiled. “You are still my prisoner. And your devil cannot reach you here.” He tilted his head, making the white strands of his silken hair catch the firelight. “In fact, it could be your way of escaping him. Perhaps in keeping you here with me forever, I’ll be helping you.”

I glowered. “Yeah, no thanks.”

“You find our presence so distasteful?” His eyes lowered to Ringo huddled in my lap. “Or perhaps you just prefer us withfur?”

My cheeks burned. “Dude, you’re very appealing. I’m not trying to insult you, but I have my own life to get back to.”

Gabriel snorted from his post near the door.

Mistral stood, and I stood reflexively, scooping up Ringo. Mistral stepped closer, and I took a step back, bumping against my chair. The fire suddenly felt a little too hot.

Mistral loomed even closer. He was a good head taller than me, and I had a feeling he could move too fast for me to follow. Goblins were like that, with their own peculiar form of magic. They excelled at sleights of hand and tricks of the eye.

He stepped even closer, practically pressing the little goblin between us, then leaned his face near mine.

My heart pounded. Either he was going to kill me, or kiss me. I honestly had no idea which. With how close he was to my face, I was starting to wonder about the latter.

“What if I told you I could give you information on your mother?”

My heart skipped a beat. “How do you know about that?”

“I told you, I needed time to gather information. One of the investigators you hired is part goblin.” He produced my wallet out of nowhere. The bastard must have pawed through it to find my ID.

My jaw fell open. “What about client confidentiality?”

He smiled with his mouth perilously close to mine. “Lesser goblins answer to me. There is no other choice. “

My throat tightened enough that it was hard to speak. “So you know I’m looking for my mom. So what?”

“I imagine she is the one you received your celestial blood from?”

I simply glared at him.

“Goblins will not manipulate events to threaten your life to gain a bargain,” he continued. “We will simply offer you something too good to refuse.”

I tried to look brave, but I was pretty sure I failed. “You know the devil offered me that too. He offered to help me find her. And I refused him.”

“The devil doesn’t actually have the information. I do.” He smiled.

I licked my lips. He was still standing so close, and the other goblin had gone entirely silent, watching us. “And all you want me to do is tell you anything I learn from Sebastian?”

“That’s all.” His tone was light, but I had the feeling the information was more important to him than he was letting on.

“So I give you the information, and then you give me information about my mother? Information I don’t already know?”

“And I will set you free.Andhelp you fulfill your bargain to the devil.”

I looked down at the goblin in my arms. “Is he trying to trick me?”

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