Page 10 of Kiss the Dawn (Order of Helsing #4)

MERRY

“ A gain?” Kalveen throws down his cards in a dramatic gesture of abandon.

I can’t help but giggle and kick my feet under the table.

Midsommer is closed tonight, but here I am, hanging in the VIP room with Crush and the ogres. As much as I love my chapter house team, there’s something special about being here with the half-blood fae.

A sense of belonging.

A sense of home.

Breyburn pours us all more honey milk. “Maybe we should be taking her to some gambling dens. Crush?”

“No,” Crush says gruffly. “Those places are rough. ”

“Shame,” Breyburn drawls. “We could make a killing.”

“Speaking of killing,” Kalveen says, “you should see the look on Crush’s face right now. If looks could kill…”

The clan leader does look particularly murderous. I get that he’s being protective, but I can take care of myself, and so I lift my chin and tell them so.

Across the table, Roarke almost smiles.

Crush sighs. “This isn’t about your abilities, Merry. This is about risk, and it just isn’t worth it.”

Breyburn holds up his hands, his warm brown eyes softening. “I was joking. Merry, I wouldn’t grace any of those shitholes with your presence.”

My cheeks warm. “You’re such a charmer.”

Beside me, Crush goes tense. “Oh, yes, he totally is.”

Breyburn’s eyes widen slightly. I don’t know him that well, but I’d say he looks panicked. “How about some snacks?” He shoves back his chair and ambles over to the table set up with a buffet of delicious foods.

“What would you like, Merry?” Crush asks me.

I stare at him a little too long because it’s hard not to, and he smiles, a small, knowing smile that makes my stomach flutter. I drop my gaze, wishing, not for the first time, that I didn’t blush so easily.

“I’m stuffed. But thank you.”

Roarke taps the table to get our attention, then makes some signs with his hand.

“Oh, yes,” Crush says. “Roarke’s reminding me that we asked around about a pure-blood fae healer but haven’t had any bites yet.”

My heart sinks. “Oh…Okay.”

Roarke says something else with his hands, and this time Kalveen translates.

“Roarke asks how long your memories have been compromised.”

“Too long it seems. I’m beginning to think I’ll always be this way.” The mood dips, and I want to kick myself. “I’m sorry. I’m such a buzzkill.”

“No. You’re not. Memories are sacred,” Kalveen says. “No one has the right to mess with them.”

Roarke signs again.

“He says he’ll keep looking,” Crush says.

“I want to learn sign language.” I blurt it out as soon as the idea forms in my mind, and everyone goes dead quiet, making me wonder if asking this is some kind of faux pas. “I mean…is that allowed?”

“It’s not the regular sign language humans use,” Crush says. “It’s something that we created for Roarke.”

“Will you teach me?”

Roarke watches me with a strange intensity that makes me nervous. “I mean…if that’s not too much of an imposition…”

Roarke signs again, and Crush’s jaw tightens in disapproval.

Oh boy… “What did he say?”

“He said there’s no point of learning a new skill that you might forget in a day or so.” His jaw ticks, his gaze fixed on Roarke even as he apologizes to me. “I’m sorry about that.”

“No, don’t be. He’s right.” I lock gazes with Roarke. “Then find me a healer and fast.” He dips his head. “Oh, and there’s another thing I wanted to ask you about.” I pull my phone from my pocket and show them a photo of the symbol on the card Edwin found in the white van. “Have you seen this?” Roarke shakes his head, and the others all mumble no. “It’s the only lead we have left on the missing persons case we’re investigating.” I fill them in on the details and how someone almost killed Edwin trying to destroy the van and any evidence inside it. “Someone kidnapped those people, and this symbol could lead us to them.”

“Then we’ll keep an eye out for it,” Crush says. “Whatever you need.”

Roarke deals the cards, and Kalveen tops up my glass. It’s time for another round.

“If you win this round, you’re buying us dinner tomorrow night,” Breyburn says cheekily.

I pick up my cards and smile. “Looks like I’m buying dinner, then.”