Raya grabbed at it, but he pulled it out of reach.
“Behave, witch.”
Raya subsided, her curiosity overwhelming the urge to tease the hell out of Phoenix.
“That’s better. I could almost get used to you like this. I’ll have to ply you with mysterious treats more often.”
“You make me sound like a pampered dog. ‘Sit, Raya. Wear this blindfold, Raya. Good Raya!’”
“That’s how witches treat demons, usually.”
Raya opened her mouth to fire off a retort, then shut it again. He wasn’t entirely wrong.
“Speaking of obeying, you’re going to have to follow a few rules.”
“Rules?”
“Yes, rules. Rule one: you don’t carry your wand.”
“What—”
“Rule two: you don’t make any sudden movements.”
“But—”
“Rule three: you don’t speak to anyone except me, and then only if you absolutely must.”
“Are you serious?”
He shot her a look.
“You’re serious,” she said. She’d never seen him be serious about anything before.
They took the Métro away from the posh 7tharrondissementto a seedier neighborhood on the other side of the Seine, emerging from the station onto a sidewalk that was simultaneously wreathed in shadows and cut by the garish lights of neon signs.
Phoenix pulled her to the side and took out the blindfold.
She hesitated. “Phoenix, isn’t this a little weird? Putting on a blindfold and walking down the street?” Their interactions were all fun and games—until now. Banter, she could handle. Trust was another story.
“Are you afraid?”
She couldn’t read the faint edge in his tone, which made her even more nervous. Her lips pressed together. “Of course not,” she lied. Her skin prickled with goosebumps. This was nothing like their usual flippant exchanges. This was different, and it was making her uneasy.
She snatched the blindfold from his hands and positioned it over her eyes. “Let’s do this.” She felt his hands at the back of her head tugging the wand out of her hair.
He took the ends of the blindfold and tied them.
She couldn’t see. She felt his arm slip around her waist.
The leather they both wore slid together as they touched.
“Ready?” he said.
She nodded.
They walked side by side for a considerable distance. The noise of the passersby and the nearby clubs seemed amplified to the point of distortion.
Raya’s disorientation and apprehension increased.
