Page 9 of White Little Lies

“I guess I’ll have to start spying on you too, considering how much you tell me.”

“Touché.” His grip loosened, but his hand remained. A light touch, but apossessiveone.

I had made a good point, but I did want to know about the female devil, and Sebastian was my best path to that information. It would be stupid of me to put all my faith in Dawn. She would definitely try to learn what I needed to know, but as far as I knew, she didn’t have access to any actual devils.

I turned my head, trying to put my mouth close to his ear, but with him standing straight again, it was hard to reach with my back to him. I crooked a finger, giving him an expectant look, and he finally leaned forward, folding his body around me.

“A female devil was the one who brought my mom’s orders for Lucas.”

He tensed, letting me know it was either information he didn’t know, or information he didn’t want me to know. “What else?”

“That’s it. Dawn is going to try to find out more in exchange for me tracking down her crush in Emerald Heights.”

He snorted. “A troll with an elf?”

A grunt from the troll behind him signaled that he had spoken a little too loudly, though he didn’t seem to care. I guess when you could wield shadows like weapons, you didn’t really worry about the size of your opponent.

I shrugged. “It could happen. And she’s mostly human,” I whispered.

Ringo chose that moment to finally make himself known in my satchel. “Troll enough to eat goblins,” his tiny voice hissed.

“She’s not going to eat you,” I whispered back.

We were starting to draw odd glances. The driver hit the brakes, and my body lurched. Sebastian snaked his arm further around my waist, his palm splayedacross my lower belly, and oh gods, who had been the one to think it was a good idea to take the bus?

Oh yeah. Me. Served me right to think I could make a devil uncomfortable. He seemed perfectly content with his arm around my waist, and with a troll glaring at his back.

That was Sebastian. Not a damn care in the world.

At least, as far as any outside observers were concerned. They probably just thought I was his girlfriend, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. I knew his possessive attitude had little to do with romantic inclinations, and more to do with our contract. I washisnight runner, as far as he was concerned, and he wasn’t above killing to protect me.

That part wasn’t bad. But the rest was annoying. I started walking toward the front of the bus as we approached our stop, then had to grip the railing to keep from falling forward. Sebastian was already at my back again, waiting for me to move.

I glared at him, then hurried toward the door as it opened.

My delivery tonight was simple, and I knew just where to go. I strode confidently down the sidewalk toward the bakery on the corner. It was run by nymphs, a rarity in the city, especially since they didn’t have a boundary to keep them safe. But they hadn’t come from another realm. They belonged here. At least the here before everything became asphalt and towering buildings.

I glanced through the glass door before entering, finding the small interior nearly vacant. Just a few lingering patrons at the late hour. I stepped inside, recognizing the woman behind the counter.

Seraphina was tall and willowy, her brown skin just a few shades lighter than her wildly wavy hair, currently pulled back into a thick braid. In her true form her skin looked like tree bark, and her large almond eyes held centuries of knowledge.

She started to smile at me as I approached the counter, then her smile faltered when Sebastian stood a little too close.

“You have a new bodyguard now?” I had heard her voice many times before, but it was always deeper than expected, filled with the resonant, rumbling power of the forest. The old bodyguard would have been Braxton. He had come with me a few times on the pretense of watching my back, but really he just wanted the baked goods.

“Something like that.”

She glanced past us at her few remaining patrons. “Give me a moment to chase away the stragglers and close up. Then we’ll discuss the delivery.”

“We’ll have two of those while we wait.” Sebastian reached around me to tap the glass, pointing at… something. I assumed they were pastries, but they were perfectly round and smooth, and colored a pale green.

There was no accounting for taste.

Seraphina lifted a brow at me, but plated thepastries and slid them across the counter. “My treat. I won’t be long.”

Sebastian took our plates, then walked toward a table near the far window.

“I guess we’re going overhere,” I muttered sarcastically under my breath, following him.

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