Page 111 of Cold Curses

Because I knew he was already gone.

* * *

“You could have called me,” Connor said when we were in the town house and I was in a hot bath to soothe the aches.

“Someone did call you,” I pointed out, sinking down to my chin in fragrant bubbling water. “Thanks for the rescue.”

Connor sat on the floor beside the beautiful copper tub, legs stretched in front of him, arms crossed. “Black is the upstart?”

“Supposedly, he’s the one who’s been acting as the upstart. But I don’t get it. The upstart has minions. How could he control demons or convince them to follow him? We’re missing something.”

“We’ll find him,” Connor said.

But that wasn’t the thing that worried me. “He broke my sword in half,” I said. “I’m not strong enough to fight him even when we do.”

“We’ll get you another weapon,” he said. “And you won’t fight him alone. You’ll get the sorcerers together—”

“Even then, I don’t know,” I said. “I still feel like he’s holding back.”

“You think that he’s controlled by someone, that you’re only getting a sample of their magic?”

I shook my head. “I thought maybe a client had his leash, but not anymore. I think this is all him. And where did his power come from? How did he get it so suddenly?”

“And what’s the thing of yours that he wants?”

I let silence follow that question for a moment. “It has to be monster, doesn’t it?” I quietly asked.

“But why?” Connor asked. “Maybe he’s confused it with some sort of elf magic? He’s half-elf, and your mom was kidnapped by elves, wasn’t she?”

“Along with your uncle Jeff, yeah. But that was before I was born. I don’t know why he’d think monster was elvish.”

“Feeling that you have unique magic might be enough,” Connor said.

“He’s power hungry,” I said quietly. “He’d have heard about Sorcha, about her strength and the fact that she nearly took control of the city. Maybe he thinks I have some of her magic. That’s technically correct, given she made the Egregore. But how would he know that? Sorcha was killed nearly a year before I was born.”

“He doesn’t have to know its source,” Connor said. “And given the timing, he might have concluded it was related to the Egregore. Maybe he’s made a posthumous mentor out of her. You should check with your parents, just in case they know something. And warn them.”

“I know. And I will.”

“We’ll get him.”

Silence fell, and I dropped my head back, closed my eyes. “If he wants monster, we can’t tell Lulu or anyone else. And we can’t put it back into the sword. Not until he’s put away. Or put down.”

I felt monster’s immediate anger, immediate grief.

It’s for you,I silently told monster.I swear it.“If he thinks Lulu knows, he’ll hurt her.”

“And if monster’s in an object, it would be easier for him to take.”

I nodded. “Puts me in one hell of a position. And monster, too. I was worried about having to tell Lulu. Afraid of what she’d think of me when I confessed what monster was. Now I can’t let it out, and that doesn’t feel any better.”

Connor blew out a long, slow breath. “I don’t like him.”

That lifted a corner of my mouth. “I’m aware. Tell me about Kieran Swift.”

“He’s okay,” Connor said. “Seems genuinely interested in helping with demons, even if that’s not his only reason for being here. Secondary reason at best.”

“Everyone is obsessed with you, puppy.”