Page 19 of Elora and the Crow

“Not true,” Elora said. “I’ve helped her with jobs before.”

His grin became a laugh. “Little witch, you can’t lie to me.”

“I’m not. I helped her with the teleporter. You were there, remember?”

“You knew she was helping a teleporter, and you did a binding spell on her clothing,” he said. “Nothing more. I’m not giving you any more information about your sister and her work. I like my head right where it is, thanks, and Sarina will happily remove it for me if I tell you anything.”

“She’s off the grid right now and will be for at least another month,” Elora said. “How would she even find out that you told me anything about her reputation?”

He made a ‘my lips are sealed’ gesture, and she scowled at him. “I can’t believe you’re afraid of her. You remember you’re a shapeshifting mercenary badass, too, right?”

“I am,” he said. “In fact, I’m one of the best. But your sister could and would gut me like a fish in three seconds flat.”

“Chicken,” she said.

“Bock, bock,” he grinned.

Her phone dinged, and she glanced at it. “Kaida is here. Don’t piss her off, okay? She also can be… protective.”

He laughed. “Elora, you’re acting like I don’t know who Kaida and Bren are. Trust me, I won’t piss off the dragoness or the cop. I like them. They’re good people who are good to you.”

“Sorry,” she said as she buzzed Kaida into the building. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around all of this.”

“I know you are,” he said. “But I promise you - I only want what’s best for you.”

CHAPTER7

“Iknow I keep saying this, but I can’t believe you’re not a woman.”

Jonah grinned at Bren. “If it helps, you can keep calling me Lilianna.”

Bren laughed. “It might, actually.” He smoothed his hand over Kaida’s pregnant belly before resting his hand on her leg, studying Jonah across the table as Jonah grabbed another slice of pizza.

He didn’t need another slice, he’d already eaten plenty, but the novelty of eating in his human form hadn’t worn off yet. He wasn’t sure if it ever would.

He bit into the cheesy pepperoni deliciousness, making a soft sound of delight. “Oh my God, this is the best pizza ever.”

“It really isn’t,” Elora said as she nibbled at the slice on her plate. “Mediocre at best, but they deliver the fastest, and they’re the cheapest.”

Jonah frowned inwardly. Elora had given the potions store owner an obscene amount of money to convince her to sell Jonah to her. She’d wiped out her savings to rescue him, and as soon as he had access to his money again, he’d repay her every penny.

“Bones’s clothes fit him pretty well,” Bren said to Kaida.

She nodded as Jonah stared at the plain t-shirt and jeans he wore. “Bones clothes?”

“Bones is a dragon in my clan,” Kaida said. “When Bren said you were big for a human, I figured Bones’s clothing would fit.”

“Tell him thank you for me,” Jonah said. “I’ll return them as soon as I can.”

“What are your plans now that you’re back to your human form?” Bren asked.

“Bren,” Elora said.

“What? I can’t ask questions? Asking questions is what I do, Elora. It’s why I’m such a great detective,” Bren grinned.

“There’s a difference between questioning and interrogating,” Elora said. “Stop acting like Jonah will murder me in my sleep.”

“Oh, I know he won’t. Because he knows who I am, and he knows if he did anything to hurt you, they’d never find his body.” Bren smiled at Jonah.

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