Page 17 of Evidence of a Folktale

“My first time helping you.Thisfeels significant.”

“If you’re good, I’ll have to put you to work more often.”

“Careful, buddy,” she teased. “Don’t get excited about the free labor just yet. I’m about to be busy.”

“Really?” His face fell. “What happened?”

“Nothing bad,” she said. “It might be annoying, but it’s also cool. Are you familiar with the show Aesop’s Files?”

“Um… no, wait… is it that popular paranormal crime drama? The one where the detectives deal with werewolves, witches, vampires, and so on.”

“Just like me,” Bel laughed, and Eamon glared at her. “Okay, kind of like me.” She nudged him with her shoulder as she gripped a floorboard. “In an exaggerated, completely unrealistic, and ridiculously fake way. I’ve seen a few episodes, but now that I know evil exists, I can’t watch it. It’s so…silly. To me, at least. I have scars from the teeth of a man hundreds of years old. I’ve looked death in the eyes. Thatshow’s an insult tothe darkness that corrupts below the surface, BUT… people are obsessed with it. I guess it’s fun if you don’t know magic exists.”

“Or is it fun because Beau Draven stars in it?” Eamon winked at her before ripping a floorboard out with such a display of strength that Bel couldn’t wait for their shower later.

“So, you don’t remember the show, but you know he’s in it?” she teased.

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “So, what’s going on?”

“They’ll be shooting here for the next month.” She recounted that morning’s meeting, and by the time shewas done, Eamon was visibly annoyed that the town he hid behind was about to swarm with attention.

“Having the show shoot here is cool, but I’m wary of the fan events,” she said in closing. “Too many variables can go wrong. The overtime will be good, though. I blew through all my vacation days andthensome,soI could use the money.”

“If you need money, I’ll give it to you. Don’t stress yourself out your first month back.”

“I don’t think I have a choice—uff.” She pulled too hard on a floorboard and crashed to her backside. “Film shoots don’t normally include fan conventions. They’re usually separate events, but that’s how this studio operates, so unfortunately, Bajka will be a madhouse. I doubt I could bow out even if I wanted to. At least you live in a secluded mansion. No one should bother you out here.”

“I’m not worried about me.” He helped her off the floor, and she rubbed her stinging tailbone to ease the discomfort. “I’ll be grumpy, but what’s new?I wasjusthoping for your sake that life would calm down.”

“Maybe it’ll be fun.” She shrugged, trying to remain positive because she’d hoped for the same. “We get to meet the actors and watch them film. I’ve never seen a set before.”

“I hope it is.” He rubbed her back. “And I’m serious. If you ever need the money, you can ask me instead of running yourself ragged. There’s a difference between using me for my wealth and needing help.”

“I know, and as much as I groan about you giving me things, if this OTwasn’tmandatory, I’d take you upon it. It’s winter.It’s cold and dark, and I don’tparticularlywant to work late or weekends.”

“I don’t want you to either. I need to get over it, but I’m still nervous about letting you out of my sight. At least Olivia will be there to keep an eye on you.”

“About that.” Bel shifted to her knees to meet Eamon’s gaze. “I tried to talk to her today. She’s been ignoring my texts, but I figured it was the holidays, and maybe she felt weird interrupting us. But she practically crawled out of her skin when she saw me. I get my faked death messed people up, but I didn’t think finding out I was alive would make her so uncomfortable.”

Eamon cursed, yanking a rotting board too hard, and its splinters flew everywhere. “That’s probably my fault.”

“Your fault? How?”

“I told her the truth about me.”

“You did? That’s surprising, but why would that make her avoid me?”

“Because…” Eamon met her gaze. “She didn’t know about Ewan.”

“What do you mean?” Bel asked. Ewan Orso was a bear shifter and Olivia’s boyfriend, and while alpha predators never lived peacefully when forced to coexist, Eamon and Ewan were the exception because of their detectives. “I thought you two made a deal? He tells her the truth, and you don’t kill him for living in your territory.”

“We did make that deal,” Eamon said. “But he didn’t hold up his end of the bargain. After I realized it wasn’t your body in the morgue, I barged in on them, demanding the bear’s help. I assumed Olivia knew, and I wasn’t in the proper headspace to be diplomatic. I told her the truth since Ewan hadn’t, but I wasn’t kind. I feel bad. I do, but the conversation occurred an hour after I learned you were alive. It was not my finest moment, and she freaked out. She was ready to pull a gun on me, so I did the only thing I could think of to prove my words. I cut myself so she could watch me heal.”

“Oh god.” It was Bel’s turn to curse. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was a little preoccupied.” He captured her hand and pulled it onto his lap. “I’m sorry. I know she’s one of your best friends, but it wasn’ton purpose. I assumed she knew about Ewan, so learning about me wouldn’tbe a surprise. Unfortunately, I traumatized her, and it seems she’s still angry about our deception.”

“But I just came back from the dead. Why wouldshebe upset with me? I get Ewan. He lied…although that makes sense now. If he’d told her the truth, I suspect she would’ve tried to hint at it to me.”

---