“Everything.” I kissed the top her head. “It’s hard hiding secrets from your roomie.”
Happiness twitching in her wings, she scooted off the contract. “You going to sign or what?”
After I signed my life away, I sat back, half expecting my soul to be contractually ripped from my body.
Nothing happened.
Either because I was overly dramatic or had no soul or maybe both.
The stack of papers shimmered under my hand. It was the only warning I got before they disappeared.
“Whoa.” Colby walked a circle where they had been. “Where did they go?”
A sour taste hit the back of my throat. “Straight to the director’s desk.”
Much like the mythical Satan, he was the final word on all binding contracts.
“That’s so cool.” A shiver worked through her. “You’re a witch and all, but you never do witchy stuff.”
“You’re just mad because I refused to enchant the kitchen to bake for you on command.”
Rainbows and kittens might as well have burst from her eyes as she rounded them for full effect.
“I would blow things up less if you did…”
“Are you trying to tell me you blow things up on purpose, so I’ll cave to your demands?”
A heartbeat passed as I watched the calculations run behind her eyes. “Gotta go.”
Quick as a flash, she kicked off the table and zoomed back into her game room.
“Spoiled brat,” I grumbled loud enough for her to hear. “No respect for your elders.”
The weight of the pen in my hand brought my attention back to who waited for me.
I had done the deed. Signed my name. Accepted my fate. And maybe, I would do some good.
I was a willing employee, as willing as any Black Hat, and it was time to pay the piper.
“I’m going to talk to Asa,” I called, figuring she was already plugged in. “Stay inside the wards.”
He met me at the gate, and it was silly to be more comfortable with the ward between us when I just did the unthinkable by returning to Black Hat, which entailed a formal agreement to work with Clay and Asa.
“It’s done.” I worried one of the claw marks I would have to repair later. “I’m official.”
The peridot of his eyes was eclipsed by burnt crimson for a split second. “I’ll send the case files then.”
“Clay’s still not here?” I checked the road, but I could see it was clear for miles. “Where is he?”
“At the hotel.” He examined the claw marks too, or maybe the tips of my fingers. “I put him in stasis last night while the enchantment repaired the damage from the dryad.”
“He hates that.” I couldn’t blame him. “How much longer does he have?”
For Clay, he could still hear and see what happened around him. He was paralyzed, not sleeping.
“I’m going to head back now.” He backed up a step. “You have my number if you have any questions.”
“You’re going to walk back?” The sun was up now, and so were my neighbors. “The whole way?”