Page 7 of A Skirl of Sorcery (The Cat Lady Chronicles #3)

There wasn’t an immediate answer when I knocked on Mallory’s front door so I knocked harder. I heard footsteps and exhaled, relieved that she was in and I could talk to her – but it wasn’t Mallory who opened the door.

Boris was wearing a silk robe that perfectly matched the colour of his skin. He glowered at me, his eyes flashing with irritation. ‘What do you want?’

I smiled pleasantly; I wouldn’t get anywhere with the spriggan unless I was polite. ‘I need to speak to Mallory.’

‘She’s not here.’ He started to close the door but I blocked it with my foot.

‘When will she be back?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Can I wait inside?’

He snorted derisively. ‘No.’

‘I’ll wait on the stairs, then.’ I could be patient; it was one of my more useful skills.

‘You’ll be waiting a long time. She won’t be back today or tomorrow. In fact, I’m not sure if she’ll ever return here.’

Something tightened inside my belly. ‘I saw her here only hours ago. Is she okay?’

‘Depends on your point of view.’ I stared at him hard and he sighed and appeared to relent. ‘She’s fine.’

Strictly speaking spriggans weren’t Fae, but they worked for the Fae and it was documented that the Fae didn’t lie. In fact, they couldn’t lie. Although it wasn’t guaranteed that Boris was telling the truth, I had no reason to suspect otherwise.

‘I really, really need to speak to her.’

‘Well you can’t.’ He glanced down. ‘Now please remove your foot.’

Not a chance. ‘The ban sith – Keres. Did she ask Mallory to contact me? Did she ask to stay with me in particular?’

‘I don’t have to answer your questions,’ Boris said.

‘No, you don’t,’ I replied softly. ‘But I’d like to know if I’ve let someone into my home who is planning to kill me.’

Boris sucked in air through the large gap in his front teeth. ‘No. The ban sith had never heard of you until Mallory suggested your name.’

‘Are you sure?’ I pressed.

‘Can anyone ever be sure?’ he returned.

True. I sighed. ‘Alright. Thank you.’ I pulled back my foot and Boris immediately slammed the door in my face. ‘Tell Mallory I’d still like to talk to her!’ I called, but if he heard me he didn’t respond.

I had one final port of call before I returned home.

The riverside market in Danksville would be closing up for the day and I couldn’t visit Trilby’s home without a prior invitation, so I had to catch them before they finished for the day.

At least the late timing meant that I wouldn’t be interrupted by any other customers; it was always helpful to talk to Trilby without anyone eavesdropping.

Head bowed, they were packing away the last few items when I jogged up. They smoothed over a skein of fabric, checked the contents of three small glass vials, and sealed a larger wooden box with a magical flourish. Then, without looking up, they spoke. ‘Hello, Kit.’

The more time I spent around Trilby, the more I learned that their powers were deep and mysterious.

I didn’t know what manner of Preternatural they were, but knowledge could be dangerous and sometimes it was better to live in ignorance.

Even so, curiosity scratched at me whenever the black-market seller was involved.

‘Hello, Trilby.’

‘I was hoping I’d see you today. I’ll be getting a fresh supply of magicked catnip at the end of the week. I shudder to think how you’d react if it sold out before you could get your grubby paws on some.’

I doubted Trilby had used the word paws by accident. I might not have actually told them that I was a cat sith, but somehow they had learned what few others knew. I allowed their remark to pass without comment; only a true fool with no self-control draws notice to that which they want to hide.

‘Brilliant,’ I said. The cats would be pleased, and happy cats equalled happy Kit.

‘But you’re not here to buy anything, are you?’ Trilby lifted their head and gazed at me with their dark, enigmatic eyes. ‘I know that expression. You want information.’

‘Actually, it’s more advice that I’m after.’

Interest flashed across Trilby’s face. ‘I’m flattered that you would come to me. The answer is yes.’

I frowned. ‘Yes?’

‘Yes to Thane – yes to spending more time with him, yes to kissing, yes to sex. Yes to allowing yourself to fall in love with him.’

Whoa: hold up a minute. That wasn’t the advice I wanted. ‘I’m not falling in love with Thane.’

Trilby grinned. ‘Okay.’

‘I’m not! I like him. He likes me. We will embark upon a lot of … fun … together once the full moon is over and he’s past his wolf phase. We’ll be friends with benefits. That’s all.’

‘If you say so.’

‘I do!’

‘Cat ladies are allowed to fall in love, you know.’

‘I didn’t say otherwise,’ I huffed. ‘But I’m not falling in love.’

‘Sure thing, Kit.’ Trilby shrugged. Then they leaned forward and lowered their voice. ‘Because only a true fool with no self-control draws notice to that which they want to hide.’

My mouth dropped open. What the fuck? That was word for word the same sentence that had passed through my mind only moments before. ‘Trilby?’ I growled, in a tone that suggested violence.

They blinked innocently. ‘What?’

I folded my arms and gave my best death stare but they didn’t flinch. I stared harder, making a mental note to guard my thoughts more carefully whenever I was in Trilby’s presence. Are you Fae? I projected silently.

Trilby didn’t say anything and their expression didn’t alter. Next I filled my head with the opening strains of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’, silently humming the song to myself to block Trilby from reading any more of my thoughts.

Trilby looked at me; I looked at Trilby.

Eventually they cleared their throat. ‘So if you’re not looking for advice about your love life, how can I help you?’

I flicked a mental switch and quietened the earworm tune. ‘Ban siths,’ I said, trying to push away the feeling that I’d made a fatal error by ever trusting the market seller but sensing that it was too late to backtrack now.

‘You’ve been targeted by one? A midnight skirl predicting your death?’ Trilby reached for the wooden box in front of them. ‘I have some charged-silver four-leaf clover available. It can be effective.’

I shook my head. ‘No, my situation isn’t like that.’ Trilby probably already knew exactly what my situation was like but I told them anyway. ‘I have a ban sith staying with me. She’s left her family, friends and community and she’s lost her ban sith powers.’ I hesitated. ‘Or so she says.’

‘You think she’s lying?’

I shrugged uncomfortably. ‘I don’t know.’

‘You think she’s dangerous?’

I shrugged again. ‘Maybe. Or maybe she’s in danger and hasn’t told me. She’s already unsettled several of my neighbours through no fault of her own, and she’s only been in my house for a couple of hours.’

Trilby scratched their chin thoughtfully.

‘You can handle your neighbours, Kit, and you’re more than capable of dealing with any danger that comes to your doorstep.

A ban sith, even a sick ban sith without her powers, would realise that.

I don’t think you’re in any danger from her. Neither are your cats,’ they added.

‘So what should I do? Leave her alone and trust that everything will be fine?’

Trilby smiled. ‘I expect the answer will present itself to you very soon.’