Page 114 of The Sea Witch's Son

“Are you serious? Damn.” He flashes me a grin, “I love it when he plays hard to get.”

This time I do roll my eyes.

“Did you follow up with the guards from the maze?”

“What guards?”

I let out an exasperated sigh, “The ones Calista sent you to interrogate. You were supposed to ask about Jack Heart, remember?”

He stares back at me blankly.

Good God. The man has the brain capacity of an underdeveloped goldfish.

“Never mind. I’ll handle it.”

“I’ll tell dad you say hi.” Gus brightens, already brushing past me, “Oh, and maybe we could keep this between us? Just, you know, so Calista doesn’t cut my balls off.”

I cross my arms, watching him walk in the wrong direction.

“The college is to theleft,Gus.”

“Right. I knew that.” Pivoting course, he throws me a cheerful wave, “Can’t wait to fuck someone up with you again!”

The lumbering frame disappears into the maze. I will be amazed if Gus manages to make it out alive.

Letting out a sigh, I pull out my phone and send a message.

ME: Take the lead this morning. I will not be attending practice.

SEBASTIAN: Everything okay, Captain?

ME: Just a little matter of the heart. Nothing to worry about.

Chapter 40

MELODY

I skip my morning class to pay a visit to Freya.

Except she isn’t the one who answers the door.

It takes me a moment to register the slicked back orange hair and pinstriped suit. An unnerving smile takes over the man’s face, his pale blue eyes flicking over my body conspicuously.

“Finally came to meet the mayor of Wolf Hollow, did you?”

The smile on his aged, freckled face falls somewhere close to a leer. The mayor looks like a retired tennis player with the lean body and self-confidence of a middle-aged man who exercises on the regular.

I wouldn’t say Anton Clementon is a handsome man, but he believes himself to be.

“Actually, I’m here to visit Freya.” Shifting my eyes over his shoulder, I try not to look too eager to get inside, “Wanted to check and see how her leg is doing.”

“Ah, yes. She mentioned you’ve been coming to visit.” His eyes do another sweep of my body, “Rare for such a kind soul to wind up in this town.”

I clear my throat, “Is Freya inside?”

“She just popped out to the store, but she’ll be back soon.” He tilts his head with a smile, “Why don’t you come in and make yourself comfortable?”

I give him a tight smile, “Thanks.”

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