Page 60 of Smoke, Mirrors, & Misdemeanours

Ark didn’t answer immediately. He was still watching her face—how focused she was, how lightly her thumb traced the space between two angry blisters.

His breath came short. He tried to not sound like an untried youth. “Yesterday.”

Cassia glanced up, her eyes locking onto his. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want you to worry.”

“You should’ve told me anyway. So, what happened?”

The truth hovered just behind his teeth, but so did the questions it would raise, and the worry he’d cause her.

He considered lying, brushing it off with something vague and harmless. But she was holding his wounded hand in her lap, her eyes seeking his. She deserved the truth, and talking about it might take her mind off the evening’s unpleasantness.

Most of all, it would remind them of the real reason for their arrangement.

“It happened at Starlight,” he said.

Her eyes widened. “What⁠—”

Quickly, he interjected, “Listen, before you worry. The children are safe.”

She stared. He held her gaze. “Trust me.”

Finally, she gave a tight nod.

He told her the rest and watched her eyes widen as he told her a mysterious energy had attacked him when he touched the cellar doorknob.

She gazed down at his palm, brows drawing together. “What kind of magic does this?”

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “This thing—whatever it is—is guarding Starlight and everyone living there. It doesn’t like intruders, like me.” He looked at her. “Have you ever felt anything at Starlight? Anything at all?”

She considered the question. “I’m half-human, so I might not be as sensitive as a full-blood witch. But I’ve always felt safe there—like the house itself was looking out for us. It just feels like home.” She met his eyes. “Can we find out more about it?”

“I intend to. I’ve talked to Caius and Rhodes about it, and they’re equally perplexed.” He paused. “But we need to be careful. This entity has been keeping the children and staff safe for years. If we’re careless, we risk turning a guardian into something far less friendly.”

The concern in her eyes turned fierce. “You think it could hurt them?”

“I think it doesn’t know the difference between a threat and a stranger. Until we understand what it is, I’d rather it not have to decide.”

Cassia nodded. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. After a beat, she said, “Caius and Rhodes. They’re not just your friends, are they?”

He stilled. “What do you mean?”

“The three of you seem very close. Like you see each other every day, and not just for idle nights on the town.”

His guard rose—a reflex honed over years of keeping this part of his life separate. He didn’t like questions about his friends, or Aegis & Ash. Didn’t like the way curiosity pressed against the walls he’d built.

“Right,” he finally said. “We are more than that. Partners. Colleagues.”

“What does that mean, exactly?”

Ark didn’t answer. She was watching him, waiting. The half-smile he offered was tired. “That’s a longer conversation. And not one I want to rush.”

He could feel the questions still hovering behind her eyes. She pointed out, “That’s the second time you’ve dodged the question tonight.”

“I know,” he murmured. “But I did promise I’d show you one day.”

Cassia tilted her head. “Will you? Really?”