Chapter 7 #2
Petra tried it on. He was right. The deeper color brought out a warmth in her complexion that the beige had flattened. Annoying man.
“Fine,” she muttered, adding it to her growing pile of selections.
She became increasingly aware of Seth as they moved through the shops.
Petra caught herself stealing glances at him while she browsed.
She noticed the way his jacket emphasized his broad shoulders.
The contrast of the white shirt against his golden skin.
The casual confidence in his movements as he examined a display of scarves and selected one in deep forest green.
“This,” he said, holding it up. “With your coloring, this would look great.”
She took the scarf automatically, her fingers brushing his. “You’re surprisingly knowledgeable about women’s fashion.”
“I have many talents.” His smile was pure mischief. “Besides, I have sisters. Well, not biological sisters, but close enough. They taught me that practical doesn’t have to mean boring.”
Petra draped the scarf around her neck, checking her reflection in a nearby mirror. The green did look good, bringing out hints of color in her eyes she’d never noticed before. When she looked back at Seth, she found him watching her with an expression she couldn’t quite read.
“Good?” she asked.
“Very good.” His voice had dropped slightly, and become warmer somehow.
Heat crept into her cheeks. She busied herself with removing the scarf and adding it to her pile, very aware of Seth’s presence behind her.
This was ridiculous. She’d known the man for two days. She was in the middle of a life-threatening situation involving dark magic and potential murder. This was absolutely not the time to be noticing how well he filled out his clothes or how his smile did interesting things to her pulse.
Petra paid for her purchases and they headed back toward the parking garage where she’d left her hatchback. The afternoon sun was slanting low between buildings, casting long shadows across the cobblestones.
“Thank you,” she said as they walked. “For accompanying me today, and for arranging the meeting with Katja, helping with the phone, and…” She gestured vaguely with her shopping bags. “For the fashion advice, I suppose.”
“My pleasure.” Seth’s expression turned more serious. “You’re handling this well, Petra. Better than most people would.”
“I don’t feel like I’m handling it well. I feel like I’m barely holding it together.”
“That’s normal. You’re allowed to be scared.”
“Are you ever scared?” she asked. “In your line of work?”
“All the time. Fear keeps you sharp. It keeps you alive.” He held open the door to the parking garage for her. “The trick is not letting it paralyze you.”
They found her car on the third level. Petra loaded her shopping bags into the boot while Seth kept watch, his attention on the surrounding area in a way that reminded her he was always assessing threats.
She caught him looking at her just once, his dark eyes intense in the garage’s fluorescent lighting.
When she met his gaze, he smiled. Not the professional smile he’d given the shop clerks or the reassuring smile he’d offered when she was nervous.
This was something else entirely. Something warmer and a bit wicked that made her stomach flip.
“What?” she asked, trying to sound normal.
“Nothing. Just thinking you’re braver than you give yourself credit for.” He leaned against her car, casual and completely at ease. “Not many people would choose to stand against the Venifucus. Especially not someone who just found out magic exists two days ago.”
“I don’t feel brave.”
“The bravest people usually don’t.” He pushed off from the car. “You should head back before Herr Müller starts wondering where you are. I’ll follow at a distance, make sure you’re not being tailed by anyone other than me.”
“You think someone might follow me?”
“I’d rather be paranoid and alive than trusting and dead, remember?”
Right. Because her life now involved potential surveillance and possible assassination attempts from dark mages. Wonderful.
“Seth, do you think you could come to dinner tonight too?” she asked, not sure why she was suddenly keen to have him in the castle, but feeling that it was the right thing to do.
He looked taken aback for a moment, then seemed to think about it. “I usually work best from the shadows, but if you think you need me to come out into the open, I will. What makes you ask?”
“My grandmother might call it a knowing. I just feel like you need to be there. The staff needs to know you are helping me, and that I have more allies than they realize. I need you there as backup, so I don’t seem so alone and vulnerable. It’ll make them think twice before acting against me.”
“Then I’m happy to accept your kind invitation,” he said, bowing his head. “I’ll be there at seven.”
Relief flooded through her. “Thanks.” The word was inadequate to express the gratitude she was feeling, but it would have to do.
Petra got into her car, and Seth walked to a motorcycle she hadn’t noticed parked a few spaces away. Of course he had a motorcycle. He probably looked absurdly good on it too.
He unlocked a saddlebag and took out a soft leather jacket, exchanging his sport coat for the leather. He immediately went from business casual to biker chic. She determinedly did not watch him in her rearview mirror as she drove out of the garage. The man was just too hot for her own good.
The drive back to the castle felt shorter than the trip into town had been.
Petra’s mind was churning through everything that had happened.
The meeting with Katja. The burner phone currently sitting in her handbag like evidence of espionage.
The shopping trip that had felt almost normal except for the part where her companion was a shapeshifting hunk who looked unfairly attractive in business casual.
She needed to focus. Tomorrow the estate lawyers would return. Tomorrow she’d have to navigate legal waters while pretending she didn’t know about the Venifucus or the workshop’s dark secrets. Tomorrow she’d have to be convincing and careful…and smart.
But tonight, she’d have Katja at the castle at dinnertime. She’d have an ally inside the walls of her new place who understood both law and magic. Someone who could help her plan the next steps.
Petra pulled up to the castle’s front entrance, parking in the same spot she’d used when she first arrived. That felt like weeks ago instead of just two days. Herr Müller appeared as she was unloading her shopping bags from the boot.
“Good afternoon, madam. I trust your shopping trip was successful?”
“Yes, thank you. I found everything I needed.” Petra managed what she hoped was a normal smile.
“Also, I wanted to let you know that I’m expecting a guest for dinner and she’ll be staying overnight.
Can you arrange to give her the guest room next to mine, please?
Frau Katja Brenner will be staying for a few days to assist me with estate matters. ”
If Herr Müller was surprised, his expression didn’t show it. “Of course, madam.”
“Thank you.” Petra headed toward the entrance, bags in hand. “Also, please let Frau Dietrich know there will be three for dinner tonight, and that I’d like it to be served at seven-thirty, if that’s convenient.”
“Three people, madam?”
“Myself, Frau Brenner, and one other guest. A security consultant who’ll be helping me assess the property.” Not exactly a lie. Seth was definitely providing security consultation along with everything else.
“Very good, madam.”
Herr Müller’s face remained impassive, but Petra could practically feel his attention sharpening. He was definitely reporting this to someone. Whether that someone was part of the Venifucus or just the estate’s lawyers remained to be seen.
Either way, the gauntlet had been thrown. Petra was taking control of her inheritance, and anyone watching would know it by morning. She just hoped she was ready for whatever came next.