Page 97 of Beyond the Cottage

Ansel hadn’t heard that sound from her since they reunited. He narrowed his eyes.

Heron scribbled another hilarious quip, and Gretta smiled. The man inched nearer to her, and his grin went from shy to adoring.

Forcing himself to ignore it, Ansel focused on the flames in the fireplace.

His truce with Gretta didn’t give him the right to interfere. It didn’t mean a claim staked. His unruly cock might disagree, but he’d shut it up with his hand when he was alone in the loot room.

The band whipped into a frenzied reel. Someone to Ansel’s right hummed with the music, tapping their thigh, and wet kissing came from his left, punctuated by a grunt. Gretta laughed again.

Suddenly grateful he had to piss, Ansel shot to his feet and escaped.

Lil held out a pungent cigarette, and Gretta shook her head. She watched Ansel weave between tables on his way to the corridor, wondering if he was overwhelmed. She’d never seen him in a social environment before. He’d lived in isolation a long time, and Lil’s people were friendly but exhausting.

Should she check on him? Or would that be annoying? What if he wanted a few minutes alone?

Quit over-analyzing his every move. He probably just needs to piss.

Lil scooted closer, adjusting her short, gauzy gown. She reminded Gretta of a lavender-haired goddess presiding over mortals.

“I don’t suppose the two of you are looking for someplace new to settle?” Lil asked. “We could use fresh blood around here.”

“Thanks, but this isn’t really my scene.” At heart, Gretta was a city girl, and the lack of privacy would aggravate the hell out of her.

After taking a drag, Lil passed the cigarette to Heron. “What about Ansel?”

Gretta was about to decline on his behalf, then she stopped to think about it. He had business in the capital, but she could actually kind of see him happy in a place like this. He’d be part of the family he’d never had. They’d give him the structure his orderly mind needed and the affection he craved. Not to mention, on-demand sex.

She pictured him in a nereid orgy and got nauseous. To distract herself, she focused on their reason for coming.

“How long has your sister been missing?” she asked Heron. The grimness washing over him twisted her heart, but she needed the facts.

About six months, he wrote.

“How many other victims have there been?”

“Eight we know of,” Lil said. “Most are choir people from a few towns over, but she also nabbed an opera soprano who’d retired on the lake.”

“What does your sister look like?”

Sorrow deepened on Heron’s face.Blue coloring like me. Few inches shorter than Lil. Beautiful like you.

Gretta felt herself flush. “What does the witch look like?”

White hair. Short, plump.

“Did she use anything when she attacked you? A talisman? A staff? A weapon, even?”

Heron shook his head.

“Did she speak to you?”

No. Only laughed.

Gretta’s mouth tightened. “Can you think of anything else about her? Even small details help.”

Heron thought a moment.She wore a necklace. All I remember, sorry.

Gretta put a hand on his arm. “Look… I’m going to do my best to find your sister, but that’s all I can promise. You need to prepare yourself for the other possibility.”

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