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It was creepy. I honestly didn’t recognize myself anymore.
“Very pretty. You clean up well. Perhaps this is what was always meant to happen, and dealing with Tony was just the means to find you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I didn’t like that he was implying we were supposed to meet, like it was fate or something.
The only person I wanted to be fated to meet through kidnapping was Mateo. I wondered if he’d figured out yet where I was. I certainly hadn’t a clue, though I had a feeling this was the wizard’s actual home in Florida.
“How about we talk about this over dinner? You must be tired after everything you’ve been through.”
“You mean having one of your goons kidnap me, slam a car door in my face, nearly rip out my arm, drive me to an abandoned warehouse, and then drag me through a portal? Yes. I’m exhausted. I’m also pissed off.”
“And rightfully so, my dear. Let me make it up to you with dinner.”
“I don’t want dinner. I want to leave.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t let you do that. Now, we can do this the hard way, or you can cooperate and get your answers over dinner. Which is it going to be?”
I had to admit, I was curious. I had even more questions now than before. Like, why did he need me? What did he mean about working together? I also doubted I had much choice other than to play his little game. Now that the initial adrenaline rush had worn off, I’d lost some of my bitchy snark. “I’d love to come to dinner,” I lied, keeping my tone pleasant.
“Good. I’m glad you are no fool.” He clapped his hands twice, then addressed the air. “Milly?”
Who the hell was he speaking too?
He looked me up and down. “Dinner is in an hour. Clean up and put on something more appropriate.”
I looked down at my clothes. “I wasn’t exactly expecting to see anyone today. I don’t have anything else. I can’t just snap my fingers and change into new clothes by magic.”
“Milly will take care of it.” He looked at the door for a moment expectantly before it finally opened. “Ah, there she is now.”
An ancient woman stepped into the room. She was petite, tiny even, and despite her advanced age, she had an elfin quality to her. Upon further inspection, I noticed that her ears were indeed pointed. I didn’t know anything about elves. Even after the fall of The Wall they were rare, since they lived in their own realm and had no reason to step into ours. Or at least, that was what I had always been told. She wore a smile, but there was an air of sadness around her.
“I want you to get our guest installed in the room closest to my personal suite. Make sure she has something nice to wear and get her down to the dining room in an hour.”
“Yes, Master.” Then to me, she said, “Please come with me, Miss. I’ll get you settled.”
Realizing there was nothing to say, I followed the woman out the door and down the hallway.
Chapter 27
Eva
I goggled at the formal dress laid out on the bed. Did this guy really expect me to wear that? It was more suitable for a fancy ball than dinner at home. I looked for my clothes, but they were gone.
“I took them down to the laundry,” Milly said. “I thought you’d want them cleaned.”
“Oh. That’s fine. Thank you.”
Milly had been nice to me so far, and she was just doing her job.
“If the color’s not to your liking, Miss, I can change it temporarily. But my magic isn’t quite what it used to be.” There was that sadness in her eyes again, and I wondered if Augustine was doing something to control her magic.
“No, no, it’s fine. I’ll wear this.” I waited for her to leave so I could drop my towel, but she didn’t. She just picked up the dress and held it out to me. Did she expect to dress me?
“I can get dressed by myself.”
She frowned. “Am I doing something wrong, Mistress Evangeline?”
“Oh no, Milly! You’re doing great. I’m just not used to being waited on, that’s all. And you can call me Eva.”
