Page 36 of Stolen
I wait for her anger, but instead, Shade simply hums again. And this time I swear it’s almost a laugh.
“You mean you find our Lord attractive?”
I shrug, lips twitching. “I mean, you are only the second person, er, Demon, I’ve ever met, and you are stunning.”
“Thank you,” she says, eyes wide. “And Lord Alaric? You find him stunning also?”
“Oh, well, he’s notnothot.”
“The temperature is quite cool,” she frowns.
“Oh, yeah, I know. I mean hot as in like sexy, attractive,” I explain, blushing.
“I see. Well, he isfamedamong the servants,” she says diplomatically. “Though no one has ever seen him quite like this before.”
“Like what?”
Her eyes flick to mine, unreadable.
“Determined.”
A shiver trails down my spine.
“So, um, how long have you worked here? Is Alaric a good boss? My old boss sucked,” I mutter.
“Boss? Lord Alaric is fair and just. I’ve been in his employ since I’ve come of age,” she explains.
“I see,” I reply, but of course, I am lying. Still, I don’t want to give up my new friend, so I walk while she shelves books, and I ask questions.
“Your duties? What are they?”
“Well, I tend the library. And sometimes I work in the kitchen. I also have sentry duties.”
“Sentry duties? Like in the army?” I am clearly confused.
“All the Eyrie’s attendants are trained in the art of war,” she replies.
“Wow. How often do you have to fight?”
“Whenever it is needed,” she replies and shivers race down my spine.
“So, um, this room is huge. I’ve been in here for at least an hour and I can’t find the end of it.”
I change the subject. Because, war? I don’t know anything about it.
“The library stretches for miles,” Shade replies, and turns down one particular aisle, seeming to pull a cart with books out of thin air.
I follow her without quite meaning to.
There’s something mesmerizing about the way she moves so elegantly.
Like silk caught on a breeze.
“How did you do that?” I ask cautiously.
“Do what, mistress? Oh, the cart? It is stored in aholding space,a vacuum if you will,” she says. “I can reach through the veil with my magic and retrieve what is needed in order to return it.”
“Wow, I’ve never seen magic,” I confess, staring as she does it again, slowly.
