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“This is confidential. I insist.”
Nur is quiet in the corner, watching. Arsene can’t shake the feeling that Nur will give up the game as soon as he’s out of earshot. The problem is, Irvincaninsist. All he has to do is call Myra back and Arsene will have to bow to her authority.
With a last warning look at the hollow, he leaves.
Chapter 10
NUR
The human doctorturns to him as soon as he’s fastened the tent shut—“So we won’t be interrupted.” He gestures to the cot on one side of the tent. “Sit. I admit I’m curious about you.”
“I have nothing to say about myself.” Nur almost wishes the angel hadn’t left. He holds himself very still. If he says the wrong thing, Arsene will surely tie him up and leave him behind.
Irvin hums. “I doubt that. Are you wounded, too? I smell ichor.”
He knows the answer to this. “I’m not a demon.”
“That’s interesting. You have the look of one. But it doesn’t matter—I just want to help you.”
“If you want to help me, ask less questions,” Nur snaps. He shifts restlessly, wondering if he can get to his feet and leave. But Arsene obeyed the human. That must mean he has sway, and Nur should do as he says.
Yet if he does, he might end up eating nothing but dust once again.
“It’s alright.” Irvin pulls out a stool and sits. He lifts his hands. “You don’t have to show me. But Myra wants me to assess you for the safety of the camp.”
“The angel will vouch for me.”
Irvin’s mouth twists. “She doesn’t trust the angel.”
Something about that dark gaze makes him want to sink into the walls. “Then I’m doomed.”
“Because you’re with him?”
“Because I’mworsethan him,” he bites out. “I’m not an angel, I’m a creature of Hell. I’m dangerous. I don’t live by the rules of his kind.”
Irvin leans in. “I’ll tell you a secret—I don’t care for their rules either. In fact, I don’t think much of rules at all. All I want to know is, are you a danger tous? Let’s pretend Arsene isn’t in the picture at all. Say you asked us for help. Asked to be let into the caravan, to travel with us. Can I trust you with my friends? My children?”
Nur chews his lip, tasting bitter ichor. “I don’t know,” he says at last.
Irvin nods sharply. “I’d say that’s right. You can’t know. But I encourage you to find out.”
He gets up. The tent blurs, everything turning to haloes of light and shadow. Nur blinks, trying to stay out of the aether. His heart thumps. Is the interview over?
Irvin comes back with an armful of clothing. “Here. You’ll need something clean to wear. I’ll have someone find a pair of boots for you—they’re hard to come by. You’ll have to be assigned a job in the camp. The angel doesn’t do much within the camp, but he’s not one of us. He’s not part of our company, and that’s the way he wants it.”
“Am I…?”
He trails off, the words stuck in his throat.
“That remains to be seen,” says Irvin.
While Nur is still reeling, the human disappears and comes back with another, a boy who’s transparently surprised when he lays eyes on Nur. His bright eyes are curious and invasive. Nurshrinks back.When did I become like this? Afraid of being seen? I was the scourge of the Court.
But this isn’t the Court—that much is clear.
“This is Rhys. He’ll show you to the fire and give you a job.”
“Come on, then,” Rhys says, dimpling.
