Page 16 of Tales of a Monstrous Heart
‘The Council have a habit of trying to manifest their desires. Some would say it’s the only thing they’re honest about.’ He picked at a piece of lint on his sleeve, dark hair falling onto his brow as he glanced up with a small, almost teasing smile. ‘Any other nasty rumours I should be aware of?’
‘Something about a rotting disease,’ I added, cautious of his amusement.
‘If only my misfortunes were that simple.’ His smile remained as his focus moved back to that table across from us, littered with his cursed books and the ones I’d returned. ‘You didn’t agree with my reading list?’
Did this man miss anything?
‘I’ve already read and noted those texts.’
Those curious eyes came back to me. ‘Most senior mages haven’t even read those tomes.’
‘I have … peculiar interests when it comes to personal study.’ I cleared my throat again, not knowing any other way to explain my morbid curiosity. ‘I can produce my files tomorrow if you wish.’
‘I doubt I’ll have the time. That was quite a mess in the ruins you left behind. Most of the wards didn’t survive.’
‘The dust sprite—’ I began, watching a dark brow rise, the barest lift of his lips. I quickly changed topics. ‘I didn’t anticipate Ainsworth being foolish enough to let a demon out of a compendium. I also hadn’t anticipated how vicious they can be.’
‘Which compendium?’ He sat up with interest.
I couldn’t help the shudder that rolled through me at the memory of the book. Of that forsaken iron so close to my skin. ‘They have more than one?’
‘If the rumours are to be believed, there were seven in total that Commander Ainsworth possessed. Some more deadly than others,’ Blackthorn mused thoughtfully, a sudden distance in his tone. ‘Five I’ve managed to hunt down. The Ainsworth house sold them off two centuries ago to pay off family debts.’
How carelessly mortals handled such deadly things. ‘Well, they didn’t sell them all. One was in the ruins. It’s covered in forsaken iron and Finneaus’s blood opened it.’
‘Interesting.’ He pressed his knuckles against his lips in thought. ‘It appears we have ourownquestions for the Council tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow?’ I frowned, a horrid unease slipping into my gut.
Blackthorn motioned his hand absently and then something small and white was suddenly fluttering on to the arm of my chair. I jumped, looking down at the creature, only to see it was a tiny bird made of paper. An enchanted message.
‘That was supposed to be delivered to you in the morning,’ he added, making me wish the overstuffed chair would swallow me whole with embarrassment at my reaction.
I held out my hand, letting the little message hop into my palm and unfold itself, trying my best to contain my childish wonder. I’d never seen an ink spell before, only read about them.
The Council request our presence in the grand hall at ten o’clock.
William will meet you in the entrance hall.
Blackthorn
Curt and to the point. Each word made my heart sink a little further as the small note folded itself up into a neat square without command.
‘I wouldn’t worry about it,’ Blackthorn commented sardonically. ‘The Council like to perform when they make mistakes.’
Easy enough for him to say in his grand house, with his title, and his ability to throw together partnership papers whenever he pleased.
‘I think they’d argue the mistake was including me in the treaty in the first place,’ I muttered darkly, watching his gaze move over the paintings again. ‘You have an interest in painting?’
‘My father used to paint,’ he said softly, the words appearing to have slid free against his will. I was reminded of the portrait on the stairs.
He closed my art folder with a sharp snap, pushing it unceremoniously onto the already overfilled side table – a move I took as a dismissal, so I got to my feet.
‘I’ll let you continue with …’ I paused, finding myself troubled by his words about the compendium and just what Ainsworth could have been up to. ‘The compendium had a warning on the spine in Salvor tongue.’
‘Not many take the time to learn the old summoning language,’ he observed quietly. ‘Are you certain you weren’t up to anythingnefariousin those ruins?’
‘As I said, peculiar interests,’ was all I offered. If he asked Alma, she’d probably tell him nefarious was my middle name for all the hassle I caused her.
