Page 86 of Elven Lies

A week ago, she would have called him a smartass for that. But after her afternoon with Rowan, it felt mild and oddly refreshing.

Probably best not to mention that part either, though.

“That’s a good idea, Hannigan,” she said instead. “I like where you’re going with it. Thanks for your input.”

“Anytime.”

“The question after that, though, is how to specifically divvy it all up. I mean, it’s great that we found his stash of stolen goods, but the kinda stuff he squirreled away in there… I don’t know. Something tells me Bor wouldn’t particularly appreciate being paid in intact bear pelts or expensive rugs.”

Maxwell’s eyebrows shot straight up, making Rebecca smash her laughter down into a snort she failed to repress.

“But it’s notallbear pelts and rugs, correct?” he asked.

“Fortunately for us, no. It isn’t. I just have no idea what to do with that half to make sure we’re giving everybody an equal slice of the pie, as it were.”

“I can help you with that.”

“Oh yeah?” Her chair swiveling started up again, as did the drumming of her fingers on the armrest as she looked her Head of Security up and down. “You have a thing for numbers too and never told me about it?”

“I’m sure I can find a decent accountant somewhere.”

She couldn’t tell whether he was joking, but it didn’t matter.

If Maxwell said he’d help her sift through the details of this little predicament—which she was happy to add to her list of problems, because this one had an almost guaranteed positive outcome—that was exactly what he would do. And she could hold him to it.

“Then I’ll defer to your confidence on that one,” she said.

“That’s good to hear. Finally.”

Rebecca looked sharply up at him again. Had she done something to activate his prickly side already?

No, there was his twitching smile again.

Apparently, her Head of Security was growing into his newfound ability to make multiple jokes in the same conversation.

The next step was getting him to pick a subject for those jokes that wasn’ther.

She almost laughed and might have tried to say something witty to keep the good mood going, but the shifter’s expression morphed faster than she could think.

The next second, he stood in front of her desk looking more serious and somber than she remembered seeing him in a longtime. Itfeltlike a long time. Just a few weeks ago, they’d considered each other enemies of a sort.

Maxwell stared at her for so long, she wondered what terrible news he’d been holding back this whole time.

“There’s obviously something else on your mind,” she said. “Go ahead. Get it out before you hurt yourself.”

She’d meant that as a joke too but had apparently missed her mark.

“Is everything…all right?” he asked.

Seriously?Thatwas the thing that so clearly bothered him?

“Everything’s fine.” She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the Mindstone he’d given her. He didn’t even look at it as she leaned forward to set it as close to the edge of her desk as she could reach. “So fine, in fact, that I didn’t have to use this at all. Trust me, I’m almost as surprised as you are about that, but it all worked out. Thanks anyway.”

“I’m glad to hear it wasn’t a complete nightmare.” He still didn’t seem to register the Mindstone she was trying to return, nor did his gaze wander from her face.

The longer he stood there, looking concerned and confused and like he didn’t want to give her bad news, the more Rebecca worried that was exactly what she was about to get.

“Why? Did something happen while I was gone?” she asked cautiously.

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