Page 32 of Wanted: A Roommate Who Isn't Evil

Or a serial killer.

Luc’s smile twisted into something else at the thought. He shook the idea from his head, deciding he should stop watchingso many late-night TV shows. He always related the most to the villains in those.

There was too much ice cream eating for chatter during the first twenty minutes of the walk. When Luc was finished every last drop of vanilla sugary goodness, he tossed his empty tub into a streetside garbage barrel.

“Don’t be confused by this walk, North Fairy,” Luc said. “I only brought you out as a simple cure because I couldn’t stand the thought of you waking me up again—should your worries drive you into another fit.” He wiped his hands down his coat to remove the sticky patches. “I imagine you’ll still try to kill me in three months. And I imagine I’ll still kill you first.”

Dranian didn’t reply for a moment. Then he mumbled, “How will a walk cure me?”

Luc smiled. “Oh, trust me—”

“I don’t.”

“—it’s already curing you. I shall sleep just fine tonight, I think.” When he glanced over at Dranian, he found Dranian’s brows furrowed. As though the mention of sleep disturbed the North Fairy most of all.

The wind picked up as they headed off the sidewalk and into a local park. Rain clouds began to sweep in overhead, and Luc winced up at them, hoping the sky deities would keep their spit in their mouths. Dog-Shayne barked at a prancing bug.

“Your efforts are futile. And yes, Ishallkill you in three months to restore my honour,” Dranian finally said as they headeddown a path through a thick cluster of trees. They came out to another street. “My illness cannot be cured. I’ve searched through books and scrolls and spoken with potion brewers and fairy doctors. This is just who I am.” He swallowed. Then he added, “Broken.”

A slow smile spread across Luc’s face. “Oh dear,” he said. If only Dranian knew how ridiculous he sounded.

But it wasn’t Luc’s job to tell him.

A second later, a skin-tingling wind slipped over the sidewalk. Luc’s feet came together.

“What in the name of the sky deities is that?”he wanted to ask aloud, but he didn’t dare. His smile fled; his flesh tightened into bumps. The scent of fox blood, silver drinking water, and unquenchable greed filled the air, and for a moment, Luc forgot how to move or breathe like he was trapped in a dream. Like everything around him had shattered and he was in another place. Dranian stopped walking at his side with a strange look like he perhaps sensed something was off but couldn’t peg what it was. Dog-Shayne barked like he got spooked by another bug.

But Luc knew there was no bug.

A multitude of terrified thoughts raced through Luc’s mind—run, hide, fight, kill…

He could have maybe taken on the Shadow Fairies. But he could not take onhim.

“You’ve had enough air, North Fairy. You and the mutt should go home now,” Luc said from a dry mouth. He slid a hand into hispocket where his fox bead was hidden away. He looked over at Dranian, his gaze falling upon the fool’s damaged arm that would do him no good here.

Dranian didn’t speak, he merely raised an eyebrow to ask why. Luc cleared his throat, feigning calmness.

“I don’t think you want to be standing next to me at the moment.”

The clouds turned to smoke in the sky. The wind became a torrent, brushing fallen leaves and debris into a whirl through the shop alleys and down the road. Restless humans began picking up their pace, scattering in all directions like an army was pushing them out of the way.

Which it was.

“You should leave,” Luc said again, but Dranian stayed, noticing the hoard of Shadow Fairies cloaked in black plates of armour with silver-brown eyes and hatred in their souls. They were possibly too far for a fairy without fox eyes to see well, but they slid into the air and rushed in like a nest of spiders. Dranian pulled out his spear handle, and Luc shook his head.

“Don’t try to fight them, you fool. They’ll win,” he said.

The Shadow Army drew closer, stealing the last seconds for Luc to make a decision.

Fight? Die.

Run? Live.

Forget it. He was going to fight.

Luc grabbed the spear handle fromDranian’s hand. “Dog-Shayne!” he said, making the mutt’s head dart up. “Fetch!” He hurled the handle with all his might back toward the park, beyond the trees and shrubs.

Dog-Shayne lurched after it, running into the cover of the greenery. “Wait!” Dranian protested, taking three steps after his pet. He swung back to face Luc. “I can’t fight without my weapon!”

---