Page 76 of Thief of Night
For the last few days, she’d felt close to Red. He hadn’t given her a hard time for getting drunk and messy. He’d told her his secrets. He was invited to Christmas. She could even imagine him showing up, bottle of wine in hand. Expensive wine, in that cheap hotel room.
Charlie shook her head. “Why are you asking me that?” But she knew as soon as she posed the question. She counted up the days. He was going to Rose.
“Because it’s what I need.” His gaze on her was steady. “Please, Charlie.”
She needed to stop imagining Christmas. She needed to stop thinking of a future. “And I am supposed to just trust you?”
“To do what?” he asked, as though what Charlie said wasconfusing. As though she was afool. As though he didn’t know that once he was untethered, he was free to hurt her.
“No,” she said, so furious that she felt lightheaded. “I won’t cut you free.”
His mouth twisted. He didn’t even look surprised. “So much for promises.”
“I saw you go out the window with that shadow girl,” Charlie said, low-voiced, as softly as if she were speaking to a lover. “I followed you. I heard her promise you my death in return for the assassination of the gloamist bound to her.”
He blinked, as though trying to break the spell of her voice. “You really followed me?”
“I did,” Charlie told him.
He shook his head. “I would have noticed.”
Her smile was malicious. “You didn’t. Because I’m the best.”
“And you believe I want you dead?” His eyes were coals, hot and bright. His soft mouth curved. “Are you actually afraid of me, Charlie Hall?”
“I spent days waiting for you to tell me what happened. I listened to you lie to me again and again.” Charlie pointed her finger at him. “So, no, I am not untethering you. Not unless you tell me the truth.”
“You wouldn’t like it.” His eyes were embers in the dark.
Lightheadedness hit her again, making her stagger. The unpleasant taste of the lemonade returned to her.
“You fucker,” she said woozily. “You drugged me? With what?”
“The lorazepam you brought back from Salt’s house,” he told her. “You don’t have to unbind me. I can make your hand hold the knife.”
“I’m going to kill you,” she said, the words slurring. Her tongue felt too big for her mouth.
“You might be the death of me,” he told her, opening the back door to the van. “But not tonight.”
24
[DRAFT] Transcription via AI from recording by Madurai Malhar Iyer
Malhar:How do you feel about needing to consume blood?
Red:What do you mean?
Malhar:Remy aside, you mostly drank it from Salt’s victims, right?
Red:You could call themmyvictims.
Malhar:How many were there?
Red:That depends on what you mean. There were people he had me kill for professional reasons. Then there were people with quickened shadows or people with shadows he thought he could quicken. Those who he could experiment on. Those who wouldn’t be missed.
Malhar:Did he learn anything?
Red:Eager to do some experiments of your own?
