“How is Emme?”
“Conscious, so that’s good,” I said, placing the dish on the table. “And Mrs. Landreau gave us an MRE casserole.”
No one volunteered to take it home.
“What about the wraiths?” Burke asked with a frown.
“There were two of them, males,” Liam said.
“Same wraiths as the Quarter attack?”
“We don’t know,” Liam said. “There’s no evidence that confirms that yet. Claire did see someone outside, and we found a footprint.”
He didn’t mention the wings, so I didn’t, either. There was no telling yet if the winged individual was friend or enemy, so might as well not raise the alarm and put a target on his back until we knew more.
“They were with the wraiths? Or watching the house?” Burke caught on quickly.
Tadji crossed her arms, glanced between us with concern. “Why would someone be watching the house?”
“We don’t know,” Liam said. “Could be another hunter looking for a bounty, trying to track the wraiths.”
“Poor Gunnar,” she said. “And what a nightmare. That’s two nights in a row of wraith drama.”
“It’s not been my favorite week so far,” I agreed. “And it’s late.” I gestured to Gunnar, still at the curb, busily making notes in his tiny notebook. Undoubtedly making Containment plans for tomorrow. “He’s going to give you a ride home.”
Tadji nodded. “Good. I’ve got three interviews tomorrow. I’d like to be awake for them.”
Tadji and I exchanged hugs, and then Burke moved in for one. He might have been new to the group, and maybe wasn’t a match for Tadji, but he certainly wasn’t giving up easily.
The long night ended again with wraiths on my mind and Liam Quinn at my store again. But tonight, there was a new emotion layered over it. A new kind of interest.
“This is becoming a bad habit,” I said, moving to the table to put game pieces back in the box. “Me and you and wraiths.”
“Yeah. It’s the world we’ve got, I guess.”
“I guess. Not an optimistic thought, though.”
“No, it isn’t. I’m sorry about Emme. If you find out anything else, or if she remembers any other details . . .”
“I’ll let you know,” I promised. I put the top back on the box, walked back to its shelf, and stayed there for a moment. “If this was my fault—if she was hurt because I didn’t kill them—”
“You don’t control their behavior,” Liam said. “They could just as easily have attacked you, killed you.”
“Yeah, but if I’d killed them last night—”
“Don’t,” Liam interrupted, moving closer. “Don’t ever wish you’d killed something.”
I turned back to face him. “I have.”
I hadn’t often said the words aloud. I said them because I knew he’d understand. Because killing shouldn’t be easy or expected or just part of life, just part of the chain of war. Because I didn’t think he’d judge.
Because I wanted to feel something.
Liam’s expression softened. “How?”
I paused. “I was home alone. School had been canceled by then, but I was seventeen. A Valkyrie came in through the front door—threw it off its hinges. A handful of Containment soldiers had been chasing her. She was probably looking for a place to hide. She said something—I didn’t understand the language—and then gave me this ferocious smile. Her teeth were filed to points, and she wore that golden armor.”
“Conscious, so that’s good,” I said, placing the dish on the table. “And Mrs. Landreau gave us an MRE casserole.”
No one volunteered to take it home.
“What about the wraiths?” Burke asked with a frown.
“There were two of them, males,” Liam said.
“Same wraiths as the Quarter attack?”
“We don’t know,” Liam said. “There’s no evidence that confirms that yet. Claire did see someone outside, and we found a footprint.”
He didn’t mention the wings, so I didn’t, either. There was no telling yet if the winged individual was friend or enemy, so might as well not raise the alarm and put a target on his back until we knew more.
“They were with the wraiths? Or watching the house?” Burke caught on quickly.
Tadji crossed her arms, glanced between us with concern. “Why would someone be watching the house?”
“We don’t know,” Liam said. “Could be another hunter looking for a bounty, trying to track the wraiths.”
“Poor Gunnar,” she said. “And what a nightmare. That’s two nights in a row of wraith drama.”
“It’s not been my favorite week so far,” I agreed. “And it’s late.” I gestured to Gunnar, still at the curb, busily making notes in his tiny notebook. Undoubtedly making Containment plans for tomorrow. “He’s going to give you a ride home.”
Tadji nodded. “Good. I’ve got three interviews tomorrow. I’d like to be awake for them.”
Tadji and I exchanged hugs, and then Burke moved in for one. He might have been new to the group, and maybe wasn’t a match for Tadji, but he certainly wasn’t giving up easily.
The long night ended again with wraiths on my mind and Liam Quinn at my store again. But tonight, there was a new emotion layered over it. A new kind of interest.
“This is becoming a bad habit,” I said, moving to the table to put game pieces back in the box. “Me and you and wraiths.”
“Yeah. It’s the world we’ve got, I guess.”
“I guess. Not an optimistic thought, though.”
“No, it isn’t. I’m sorry about Emme. If you find out anything else, or if she remembers any other details . . .”
“I’ll let you know,” I promised. I put the top back on the box, walked back to its shelf, and stayed there for a moment. “If this was my fault—if she was hurt because I didn’t kill them—”
“You don’t control their behavior,” Liam said. “They could just as easily have attacked you, killed you.”
“Yeah, but if I’d killed them last night—”
“Don’t,” Liam interrupted, moving closer. “Don’t ever wish you’d killed something.”
I turned back to face him. “I have.”
I hadn’t often said the words aloud. I said them because I knew he’d understand. Because killing shouldn’t be easy or expected or just part of life, just part of the chain of war. Because I didn’t think he’d judge.
Because I wanted to feel something.
Liam’s expression softened. “How?”
I paused. “I was home alone. School had been canceled by then, but I was seventeen. A Valkyrie came in through the front door—threw it off its hinges. A handful of Containment soldiers had been chasing her. She was probably looking for a place to hide. She said something—I didn’t understand the language—and then gave me this ferocious smile. Her teeth were filed to points, and she wore that golden armor.”
