Reluctantly, I moved back to my seat, thankful she hadn’t skewered me but also oddly shaken. She clung to the blade like a child clutching their favorite toy, finding security in its presence.
Breathing easier, she lowered the dagger and opened her eyes. The ride evened out as we left town and turned down the deserted road that led to the manor. With the crowds and onlookers gone, I pulled back the heavy draperies covering the windows. She seemed to relax further, though she maintained a tight grip around the dagger’s hilt.
I cleared my throat, keeping a distrustful eye on her weapon. “Thank you for not stabbing the upholstery. It’s quite difficult to replace.”
Something resembling a smile flickered across her features, and I felt a tiny surge of relief. She shifted closer to the window, turning her face up like a flower seeking the sun.
We traveled for a distance in silence. The only sounds were the clack of the carriage wheels and the steady beat of the horses’ hooves.
I ran my thumb absently over a scar at the base of my collarbone. What to talk about? There really wasn’t much of an icebreaker after you extorted services from someone and they had a panic attack inside a moving carriage. It didn’t seem appropriate to pry into her private life, yet asking about the weather didn’t seem appropriate either.
I tried it anyway—the weather, not her secrets.
“It seems as if it might snow soon. The clouds are…”—I leaned forward and glanced out the window—“ominous.”
She didn’t react or give any sign my trivial conversation starter had interested her. Who could blame her?The clouds are ominous.My insides shriveled. This sort of thing—charming women and claiming their interest—used to be easy for me. It had always come as naturally as breathing. A devastating smile, a devilish arch of my brow, and plenty of daring stories from my treasure-hunting days had them hanging off every word.
But that was before. Now, every expression felt tainted, and there were no more bold adventures.
Better to stick to the business at hand.
“I’ll show you the plans I’ve made for your commission after you’ve had some time to get settled. The sooner you start, the sooner you can leave.”
That got her attention.
She angled her head slightly, curiosity getting the better of her. “What kind of weapon is it?”
“It’s essentially a crossbow. With modifications. Magical ones. I came across a version of it once…” My hand clenched as I tried to bury the memory. “But it’s gone now. Thanks to your abilities, I’ll have one like it for my collection.”
“Do you have a supplier?” She was so close to the window her breath fogged the glass.
“A supplier?”
“Of magic.”
“Oh, yes. I have someone who owes me a favor.”
Her tone was dry. “Did you threaten him too?”
I made a sound in the back of my throat. “They’re a she…and what do you think?”
“I think we’re here.” Her lips parted as she gawked at the approaching manor perched near the edge of the cliff. The forest receded as we traveled down the rocky lane, and I tried to imagine the scene from her point of view. It didn’t bode well. The three-story structure of dark, crumbling stone lay sprawled across a weed-infested, overgrown property. Ivy climbed the face of the manor and wound around giant pillars. Most of the lower windows had been boarded up, and a few of them had iron bars.
The carriage slowed to a stop just as the front door opened, and a lone woman stood in the entrance. I climbed from the carriage and held out my hand for Liana. She was slow to move, taking a moment to tuck the blade back into its sheath. Ignoring my offer of help, she exited onto the gravel driveway and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, either warding off the chill or the gloom projected from the manor.
“My housekeeper, Ms. Wilder, will help get you settled and show you to your workspace. Give her a list of personal items you require, and we’ll have them delivered. Once you’re situated, your work will begin. And Liana?” I waited until her gaze met mine.
“Yes?” she whispered.
“Welcome home.”
Chapter 6
Liana
Welcome home?
Neither word fit my situation or the monster of a house standing in front of me. It was badly neglected, and there was something oddly forlorn about its structure, almost as if it sat alone at the edge of the world. In the distance, the sheer face of a cliff gave way to a view of the horizon, and somewhere below, the surf crashed against the rocks.
