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Corvus repositioned himself, leaning against the counter near his half-eaten meal and slid the box down the length of the marble countertop, making me have to stop it from careening off the edge.
The box knocked against my palm and something inside of it shifted. Something heavier than anything that size ought to be.
“I’m good,” I replied tensely. “Whatever it is, I don’t want it.”
“You’ll want this one. Besides. It’s not a gift, so don’t look so damn uncomfortable.”
Was it that obvious?
“It’s payment for what’s owed.”
I held the box between my fingertips, a muscle beneath my eye twitching.
“Go on,” Corvus prodded. “Open it.”
I sighed but did as he asked, lifting the top off the box...and gasped.
“You like it?”
It was a blade. Similar to mine, black with gleaming metal edges honed to perfection. Though that’s where the similarities ended. A silver crow in flight emblazoned the tang, etched into the black coated metal so that it gleamed silver in the light. A tiny blue gemstone set into the place where it’s eye ought to be.
I didn’t have to ask to know it was a sapphire.
“I know it isn’t the same, but…”
I lifted the blade out of the box, carefully running a finger along its edge. Turning it in my palm to feel the even weight distribution. Finding the crow’s wings wrapped all the way around the tang to the other side.
It was beautiful craftsmanship.
But what did it mean?
An unnamed emotion roiled in my gut like a tightening fist. Was he trying to tell me I, too, was a Crow?
Or was this meant to assert that I belonged to them. A weapon to be honed in their image, to be wielded once Diesel owned me.
I clenched my teeth at the warring possibilities. Trying to pretend I hated both of those options, but the hopeful ache in my gut told me the truth my rational mind tried to deny.
I set the blade back into the box and glanced up, finding no evidence of either in Corvus’ stony blue eyes.
“Do you like it?”
I swallowed hard before replying, to ensure my voice came out without any indication of what was going on within. “It’ll do.”
He nodded.
I cleared my throat. “So, about who’s supposed to be watching me today—”
“Go whenever you like. I’ll come get you later.”
I cocked my head at him.
“I have some things to take care of here and Dies needs the others tonight. If you wouldn’t mind.” He gritted his teeth and I wondered how hard it was toaskme something rather than demand it, “could you stay here one more night? There’s a loft above the garage you can use. It’s furnished and has windows and doors that I promise won’t be locked when you wake up.Oryou can have any bed in the house you want. No one will be using them tonight.”
This was...weird.
I opened my mouth to reply but shut it again. I wanted to argue for the sake of arguing. I liked the way his face soured when I told him no, but this was different.
He was giving me something. Trust. My freedom, even if it was for just a few hours. In return he asked for a small favor. In all honesty, I’d sleep just as shittily no matter where I laid my head tonight anyway.
