Garrick’s eye widened. “How much coin are we talking about?” he muttered breathlessly.
I shook my head. “We haven’t found anything yet, but I imagine it’s a lot. Like,a lota lot.”
“Well.” He blew out a breath. “I can’t find the money for you, if that’s what you’re asking of me.”
I shook my head. “No, that’s not why we called you here. We need protection. Thishouseneeds protection.”
He furrowed his brows, perplexed by my fear of a teacher. “From a headmistress?”
I nodded. “She’s a witch.”
“Ah.” He nodded as if it made perfect sense. “What is this witch’s name?”
“Mirabel,” I answered.
“Mirabel Dacre,” Maeve clarified. “From the Dacre Coven.”
“You definitely have reason to be afraid.” Garrick looked at me knowingly. “They’re a shifty bunch. But they’re not stronger than me,” he smirked.
I exhaled in relief. “So you’ll help?”
He shrugged. “Do I have much of a choice?”
I tilted my head. “Garrick, you always have a choice. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do. If you really don’t feel comfortable, then—”
He waved off my concern. “My lady, don’t worry, I’m at your service. Just don’t forget about me when you find that coin.” With a wink, he turned to the window that faced the front of the house.
I chuckled. “Of course not.” This was Arya’s money, but she forfeited her rights to it when she pulled me through the portal and switched places with me. Anyway, since Garrick was helping to protect her little hoard, she owed him.
Besides, this was dirty money. If she had an issue with me spending it, she could damn well take it up with me in person. I would love to see her try.
I watched in awe as magic flowed from Garrick’s fingertips and draped the house like a veil.
“Are you sure we can trust him?” Maeve whispered as we watched him work.
I nodded. “Yes. We can trust him.”
“How do you know?”
“My gut is never wrong,” I mumbled. “It’s how I knew I could trust you.” I glanced at her and winked. She blushed and looked down at her feet. I turned back to the warlock. “Garrick is rough around the edges, but he knows what it’s like to be betrayed,” I whispered. “That hurt tends to stay with you for a long time, and it makes him less likely to betray someone because of it.”
Recognition dawned in Maeve’s eyes. “Because of what the emperor did to him?”
I nodded. “I don’t know what happened, but it was serious enough for Garrick to lose an eye over it. But that’s not even it. It’s the fact that he hasn’t let go of the property in the Northern District. He could have sold that house long ago and lived off the millions he would have made, cutting ties with the emperor and everything related to him. But he hasn’t.”
“Oh,” she mumbled. “I hadn’t thought about that. I just thought he wanted to make money to gamble.”
I shrugged. “Maybe, but that’s just a surface level feeling. Sometimes we need to dig a little deeper when it comes to human emotions,” I whispered. “Garrick isn’t as shallow as he pretends to be. I mean, look – he’s helping us when he could be gambling at The Broken Tankard.”
Maeve raised a brow. “You think he’s up to something?”
I grinned. “I’m almost positive he is, but only time will tell.”
Garrick wiped his hands. “All done.”
The magic appeared like a purple cloak that suddenly fizzled out and disappeared. I glanced around at the room in surprise. “What happened to it?”
Garrick chuckled. “It’s not meant to be seen. But whoever tries to enter will get a rude awakening.”
