Chapter 8 – Regina #2
“I’ve got some feelers out,” Sadie continues. “Trying to find people who worked with him back then. See if anyone knows what his deal is and if we can trust him.”
“Be careful,” I warn, lowering my voice to a whisper. “We don’t want this guy knowing we’re looking into him. Not when he has information that could get Killian killed.”
Sadie rolls her eyes. “Relax. I know how to use finesse.”
“Doubtful,” Micah mutters.
“Excuse you, I am the dark queen of finesse.” She throws a chip at his head. He catches it and eats it, because of course he does. “I’ve been doing spellwork since before you could tie your own shoes.”
“We’re the same age, Sadie.”
“Yeah, but I was always more advanced.”
They bicker for another minute while I flip through the dossier. It’s thorough. Disturbingly thorough. Sadie has somehow obtained performance records, financial documents, and what appears to be a list of Vyse’s known associates dating back several decades.
“Remind me never to piss you off,” I mumble.
She beams, clearly taking that as a compliment.
“How’s Killian doing?” Sadie asks, her tone softening. “Any change?”
The question hits me harder than it should. I set down the papers and take a breath.
“No change.” My voice comes out steadier than I feel. “Which is... maybe a good thing? The stasis is holding. He’s not getting worse.”
“But he’s not getting better either.”
“No.”
Sadie nods slowly. She doesn’t offer empty reassurances, which I appreciate. She just accepts the information and moves on.
“So you’re seriously staying with Villeneuve for the foreseeable future?” she asks, clearly changing the subject, which I also appreciate. “How’s that working out?”
Micah makes a face. “It fucking sucks.”
“It’s necessary,” I add quickly. “For the time being. The mansion has better wards than the frat house, and until we figure out what to do about...” I trail off, not wanting to say too much.
Even Sadie doesn’t know about Villeneuve being a dragon.
“Until we figure things out, it makes sense to stay somewhere more secure.”
“Makes sense.” Sadie doesn’t push for details, even though she’s apparently a master of interrogation and investigation when she wants to be.
She starts gathering her papers back into her bag.
“I’ve got my sorcery exam in the morning, so I’ve gotta run.
But let me know if anything changes, yeah?
With Killian or with the creepy siren guy. ”
“Will do.” I catch her arm before she can leave. “And Sadie? Thank you for the research. You didn’t have to do that.”
She shrugs, but I can tell she’s pleased. “What are almost-sisters-in-law for?”
She’s gone before I can respond to that, disappearing into the stacks with her messenger bag bouncing against her hip.
Micah watches her go, then turns to me with an expression of mock outrage. “She likes you better than she likes me. Her own brother.”
“She does not.”
He slumps in his chair, arms crossed. “She’s never made me a dossier.”
“That’s probably because you’ve never needed intel on a supernatural operative.”
“Hey, I’ve played against an entire football team of wizards. I absolutely needed it then. But I’m pretty sure if I had ever gotten kidnapped and she was the one who answered the phone, she would have paid them off to keep me longer.”
I laugh, and it feels strange. Like I shouldn’t be capable of doing anything other than worrying about Killian right now. “That’s just how sisters are.”
Micah’s expression softens. “Have you heard from Cadence?”
“I’ve been answering her texts.”
He raises an eyebrow. “That’s a suspiciously vague answer.”
“I’m keeping things suspiciously vague.” I sigh.
“She’s going to have questions when I’m honest.” I pick at the corner of my gummy worms package, not meeting his eyes.
“About Kyle, about the pack, about everything. And I just... that’s not what we need right now.
I can’t deal with her on top of everything else. ”
Micah is quiet for a moment. When he speaks, his voice is careful. “She sounds a little...”
“Overbearing?” I offer.
He laughs. “I was going to say concerned. But yeah. That too.”
“She is.” I finally look up at him. “Concerned, I mean. That’s the problem. Cadence processes everything externally. Loudly. And probably with a PowerPoint presentation about how I’ve ruined my life by not going to grad school and getting involved with shifters.”
He perks up a little. “So she knows about us?”
“She knows I left Kyle and moved in with a pack of wolves. That was enough to generate seventeen consecutive phone calls and about forty texts.” I shake my head.
“I love her. And I know it’s not her fault she was the favorite child, or that she came out of the womb perfectly in control of her powers.
But she’s a lot. And right now I can’t handle a lot.
I have to keep her on a need-to-know basis and she definitely doesn’t need to know about this stuff with Killian. Or Villeneuve.”
Micah reaches across the table and takes my hand. His palm is warm, grounding in exactly the way I need right now.
“For what it’s worth,” he says quietly, “you’re definitely my favorite.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Your favorite what?”
“Anything.” He grins.
“You haven’t met Cadence,” I tease. But there’s some truth in it. I suddenly turned invisible to every guy I was ever interested in the moment they met Cadence.
Logically, I know that’s not going to happen with the wolves. But the old wounds are there and I’m not sure I’ve healed from them as much as I want to believe.
“Don’t need to.” His grip tightens slightly. “Not even a contest.”
The warmth in my chest expands, pushing against my ribs. I squeeze his hand back and let myself just enjoy it.
“Come on,” I say, gathering up Sadie’s dossier and the books I haven’t finished. “Let’s check these out and go home.”
Home. It’s not exactly the right word for Villeneuve’s mansion, but it’s got my pack.
And right now, that’s close enough.