Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 128061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
“Tristan has come to visit. By himself. I have no idea why. Excuse me.”
He’d been a huge help in that battle the other day, and when we got back to the restaurant to get our clothes, he’d stopped Nelson from chastising me about taking his gargoyles. Then he’d stopped him from chastising me for endangering his people. Then he’d just removed him from the premises, because Austin had gotten a little worked up about the whole thing. I’d told Tristan that he was welcome here anytime. Maybe he was taking me up on that. Or maybe he’d just come to say goodbye.
“Miss,” Mr. Tom started when I met him on the second-story stairs. “Mr.—”
“I know.” I passed him, feeling Niamh coming up the walk.
She entered the house just as I was coming down the hall and glancing in the first sitting room, where I’d sensed his presence.
“Good morning,” she said, even though it was a little after noon. “Lovely day, isn’t it? What’s that clown doing here?”
“I’m about to find out.”
He sat on the couch holding the bracelet, moving it around in the light.
“Wondering if I replaced some of the real gems with fake ones?” I asked, taking a seat opposite him.
He didn’t hurry in his inspection. “I used to think this bracelet was beautiful.”
“Not now?”
He looked up before turning and laying it on the table behind him. We hadn’t moved it since the raid. I hadn’t really thought about it, and Mr. Tom hadn’t brought it up.
“Not now, no. I see how hollow the achievement of protecting it was.”
“That wasn’t hollow. You lead a fine team. The best team, right? Because no one could best you and get that bracelet?”
“You bested me.”
“I also lead a fine team. Or…you know…have a fine team. They just kinda seem to do whatever they want at this point. Sorry about Cyra’s addiction to stalking you. She doesn’t mean anything by it. She thinks it’s a fun game. She couldn’t care less about your secrets.”
“Who told you she was following me?”
“She usually rats herself out eventually.” I crossed my ankles and clasped my hands in my lap.
“Miss.” Mr. Tom stepped in the room and bowed. “I was going to ask if you wanted me to make up some snacks or bring in something to drink, but you sprinted away too quickly and made me chase you all the way to the front of the house.”
I stared at him for a moment. “And I’m sure Tristan doesn’t think less of our professionalism after having heard that.”
“Of course not,” Mr. Tom replied. “Can I get you something to eat or drink? Espresso, cortado, café au lait?”
I lifted my eyebrows at Tristan.
“No, I’m—”
“Or how about an iced coffee?” Mr. Tom tried. “Something spicy, perhaps? We’re nearing the pumpkin spice season. I can nudge it here just a little early. What about a—”
“I’ve changed my mind,” Tristan said. “How about an iced ristretto, ten-shot, with breve, four pumps of caramel, three pumps vanilla, poured, not shaken, with heavy whipping cream on top and three sugars, two mixed in and one on top to make the cream crunchy.”
Mr. Tom blinked at him for a moment. “Excellent choice, sir. Coming right up!”
I blinked at him too.
Tristan smiled, his teeth white and straight. “I heard that in the coffee shop the other day. It was so extravagant that it stuck in my mind. I figured it would give him a challenge.”
I laughed. “You figured correctly. What can I do for you, Tristan? Or is this a friendly chat?”
He leaned back, his expression turning serious. “I didn’t know what to expect when I came to this territory. The setup sounded a little absurd, I will admit. It didn’t take me long to see the merit in your mate, though. He has a firm handle on this cairn—pack. But it was you who blindsided me, both at first and during the raid.”
I wasn’t sure if I should say thank you, so I just kept quiet, waiting for him to get to the point.
“All the gargoyles coming here heard that you were new to this life and totally inexperienced. Completely green.”
I spread my hands. “They’d be right.”
“No,” he replied, shaking his head, “they wouldn’t. Your experience is in actual warfare. Real battles. When you took a stand against those mages, it was clear that you have more experience in your short tenure than my leader has had in his many years. Than any of the living leaders have. We all saw it. We felt it, through this new link. Is this link forever?”
“I honestly don’t know. The house likes to keep things from me. I’m trying to figure it out, though. You’re not trapped. Hopefully.”
He shook his head again. “You mistake me. I don’t feel trapped. I feel connected. In that battle, I felt connected. All my guys did. To you and to each other. It was an amazing feeling. A natural feeling, like we were always meant to have a female bring us together and keep us bonded.”