Page 45 of Wicked Little Tricks

The angelics stepped apart from each other to spread their wings. They opened their arms, ready.

“I’m afraid we can’t let you do that,” Lucas said. “We have orders to bring her somewhere safe until all of this is over.” He looked at me. “I hope you will not be too dazzled by the opulence of the Silver Quarter.”

I tensed. To run and maybe learn more from Sebastian, or to be trapped with these two assholes in the Silver Quarter. What wonderful choices.

I pulled out of Sebastian’s grip and stepped away from him. “I don’t think I want to go withanyof you. I want more answers.Now. Where is my mother? Why is there a bounty on her head?” None of my investigators had heard about it, but then again, it seemed she was going by a different name now, and had even changed her appearance. The only information they had was the informationIhad given them.

It was like no one heard me. The two angelics faced Sebastian.

Great, I had a feeling we were about to have the most epic pissing contest of all time.

I took a few more steps back, knowing I should run, but my eyes were glued to standoff before me.

Sebastian glanced my way. “Do not run, Eva. I will keep you safe.”

I took another step back as his attention whipped toward the angelics.

Lucas leapt into the air, spinning like a dancer, slashing his wings at Sebastian.

One moment Sebastian was just standing there, but then he wasn’t. Then he was behind the angelic. He flicked a card out of his sleeve. It sailed through the air, slicing across Lucas’ neck.

Lucas grimaced, lifting a hand to stem the blood flow, and the other angelic darted forward.

Someone gripped my shoulder from the darkness and I jumped, then looked back to see the goblin woman from our table.

“Mistral would like his report. I’m to escort you to the Bogs.”

The Bogs, now why did that almost feel like sanctuary? After a moment’s hesitation, I nodded, watching the three fighting in a flurry of white wings. The goblin woman gripped my hand and gave it a tug, and it was the only prompting I needed. I ran, leaving the angelics, Sebastian, and hopefully all of the vampires, behind me.

18

I paced barefooted backand forth across Mistral’s study. I had kicked my boots off near the door. I should have known better. I should have worn running shoes with the dress.

A standing lamp near the door bathed the room in soft light, making the balcony appear darker, though I could see the outline of the telescope still out there. The goblin woman had delivered me, then had excused herself, and I was yet to see Gabriel or Mistral.

I stopped walking, forcing myself to read the titles of the books on the nearest shelf, but my mind was too frantic to comprehend anything.

My mother. Of course this had something to do with my mother. Sebastian knew her, and so did the angelics.

I turned around and slumped onto a cushioned chair with a huff. I had no idea why the angelics werehelping her, but there was no excuse for killing night runners just so we couldn’t help the vampires or Sebastian find her.

I slumped further down into my seat, lost in thought. If I hadn’t accidentally walked into the wrong room that night, Sebastian never would have seen me. The angelics would have killed me, only to find out later who I was. Or maybe not at all. Maybe I would have died and my mother never would have known.

Which raised the question, how had they figured it out? Sebastian may have recognized me, but no one else would have. My father had changed our names after my mother left, but I never understood why. He claimed I was too young to understand, then he had died.

I straightened as the door opened, and Mistral stepped inside. He wore charcoal pants and another linen button up, but this time he also wore a gray wool coat and his boots were muddy. He had been out somewhere else—so then how had he known where to send his emissary to find me? He kicked off his boots near the door while Ringo trotted into the room after him.

My jaw fell open. I looked at the little goblin, then up at Mistral. But Mistral only eyed me with concern as Ringo scurried across the rug, then sat on his haunches on the floor in front of me. “Sorry, Eva. I had to tell him. You were going somewhere dangerous with the devil.”

I blinked at him. Ringo had ratted me out? “How did you make it all the way here?”

He tilted his head like the question didn’t make sense.

Mistral gently shut the door behind him, then approached. “Gladiola told me what happened.”

Gladiola, that must’ve been the goblin who escorted me. I had been too overwhelmed to ask her name. “Well then you don’t really need areport,” I said weakly.

He knelt before me, bringing with him the scent of rain and fresh mud. “I did not know for sure that Celeste was your mother, hence all of my questions.”

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