Page 19 of Ballad of Nightmares

“Ah… Seven years, I think,” Jay answered. “Met a man that knew the way through using the ditches. Cost me all of my money. Damn shadow dealers. I barely had anything when I got here.”

“What did you do?”

“I did what most people do for work when they arrive in Shadow. Groundwork in the cemetery. That’s how I met Sam. And he is actually friends with the King’s Hand. He’s the reason I have this gallery now.”

“He paid for this?”

“Sam was looking for a place to showcase some of his works. But not uptown. The Foxhole Gallery wouldn’t take any of them. Said they were too dark. When I spoke with him about wanting to rent this building so I could curate some of our lower-class workers’ arts… he brought it up to Milliscent. I had the building two weeks later.”

Ana sipped on her coffee another moment. “So, Sam knows who the king is?”

“Not sure. I think he and Millie fuck on occasion.” Jay shrugged. “They’ve another friend, Rolfe. Sexy bastard. You would notice them. He and Sam are usually together. I think they share an apartment in midtown. Rolfe is a demon too. He may be some sort of shifter. I’m not entirely positive on that.”

“You speak of demons so causally,” Ana teased.

Jay laughed. “Love, when you live in Shadowmyer, all your favorite nightmares come true.”

Ana chuckled behind her coffee. “Sounds more like a fairy tale.”

Jay’s smile only widened. “Come on,” he said, straightening. “We’ve got a consult in twenty-five minutes—“ he paused to press his hands into the counter, giving her a full once over. “Wear something…snug.”

Ana eyed the wink he gave her. “Oh? Is there some poor rich soul you need me to seduce?” she teased.

“Oh, no, love,” he grinned. “Even better.”

Ana laughed him off. “Right. I’ll just wear my joggers and a crop then,” she bantered as she pushed off the stool.

She glanced back at the castle in the distance as Jay exited the apartment and left her to change, her mind reeling with what her next step would be.

Sam…

Shit.

Of course, the one person she’d found worth being a distraction was the one person she might actually be able to use.

It was a dangerous and terrible idea… and it might even hurt when it came time to kill him…

But she needed more information than what Jay could tell her.

CHAPTER EIGHT

SAM WAS SITTING on the roof of the parking garage when his phone buzzed, and he couldn’t help the devious chuckle that hit his chest upon seeing the unknown number.

It had been three weeks.

Three weeks of him preparing for her.

He had Rolfe watching her at all hours of the day, finding out if she was meeting with anyone who might have any information on him. He, himself, had settled in shadows outside her new apartment in the late hours of the night and sometimes tailed her himself.

Though he still hadn’t figured out her endgame. Why she was so adamant about taking all these crowns and causing an uproar. Maybe she did have a political agenda.

Or maybe she was simply greedy.

Hey, stalker, the text read.

Sam smiled at the phone.Temptress? Finally, taking me up on dinner?

Art consult this morning,she replied.I’d ask you to lunch, but I think that’s already covered.