Brian beams. “No problem! So, how’s the shadow king? Still brooding mysteriously?”
“Something like that.”
“Can I meet him properly? I only got a glimpse yesterday, and it was mostly just scary eyes. Which were very impressive, don’t get me wrong, but I’m curious about the whole package.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s dangerous and I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
Brian tilts his head. “You’re worried about me.”
“I’m worried about having to explain to the police why there’s a law student sized hole in my living room floor.”
“That’s basically the same thing.” His grin gets impossibly wider. “You care about me, Felix. Admit it.”
“I tolerate you.”
“You care about me and you’re bad at showing emotions so you’re pretending it’s tolerance. HighPriestess Magdalene did the same thing. She said she ‘tolerated’ us but then she cried when Brian One left to become an accountant.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Brian.”
“Yes?”
“Go downstairs. There are customers who need caffeine. That is important work.”
“Are you sure you don’t need help up here?”
“Positive.”
He looks like he wants to argue. But then he glances at his watch and winces. “Okay, fine. But if you need anything, just shout. I’ll hear you. These buildings have very thin floors.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
“It wasn’t meant to be!” He grabs an apron from the hook by the door. “I’ll hold down the fort. You deal with your brooding shadow king. We’ve got this!”
He bounds out with the same energy he arrived with. The door closes behind him, and blessed silence falls.
I take the crystals and herbs into the living room. Dis is exactly where he was last night. Sitting cross-legged. Back against the invisible wall. Looking like a dark prince who has decided to slum it in the human realm.
He watches me set up the protective items around the circle. His expression is unreadable.
“More defences?” he asks.
“Reinforcements.”
“How thorough of you.”
I place a piece of black tourmaline at each cardinal point. The crystals hum slightly with protective energy. It won’t stop him if he really pushes against the bindings, but it might buy me time.
“Your little blond friend is very enthusiastic,” Dis observes.
“He’s annoying.”
“He seems fond of you.”
“He’s delusional.”
