“Why—is it her real one?”Cha was instantly intrigued.If so, perhaps Dy could put a whammy on the fae woman.Or Cha could save up to have a black magic mage do it.
“Of course not, but it has some summoning power regardless.Unless you want her to find me faster than she will inevitably do, then I suggest you refrain.I’d prefer to remand myself without embroiling you.Yet again.”
Cha thought about that.Maybe that meant he still cared about her wellbeing.Otherwise, why not consign her to the fell hounds and other fae retribution along with him?“You didn’t answer my question,” she pointed out.
“Let me out of here and I will,” he suggested.
“Let yourself out,” she snapped, her nerves fraying.Better to be annoyed than this devastated guilt.“I’m not your maid.”
“No, you’re my human pet.A poorly trained one.”
“Ha ha.Speaking of which, would you take this fucking collar off of me already?I couldn’t find the catch.”
“I thought perhaps you’d grown fond of it.The look does suit you.My feral beast.”
Did she mistake that he sounded affectionate there?She didn’t know which way was up—and not only because of the darkness and the Moonstone transition.“You’re being evasive.”
“I’ll give you two for one, I will answer your questions and take off the collar, if you’ll let me out of wherever we are.”
“In a secret compartment inside Big Betty,” she told him helpfully, additionally intrigued that he hadn’t known.Usually he seemed to know every damned thing, including that they were in Moonstone.Was it being in Moonstone?He’d had that one-time telepathic conversation with her in Moonstone and nowhere else.“Tell me this,” she said, since he hadn’t acknowledged that information.“Why can’t you let your own self out?”
“Because it’s been lined with iron,” he bit out.“One of the few materials I can’t manipulate.”
Oh.Had Cha known that?Dy was forever tinkering with her inventions.“Is it painful?”
“You enchant me into unconsciousness, pack me into a crate like an animal, smash the crate against a wall, and then drop me in this coffin andnowyou ask if any of this is painful?”
“I hoped you might not remember any of that,” she admitted weakly.It did sound bad, put that way.
“Well, I do remember and I want out.”
“Because you’re in pain?”If he was, she couldn’t justify inflicting more on him.
He let out a groan of frustration.“No.I just can’t do it myself.Youhave to open the door.”
Interesting.“If and when you get out of this cubby, what will you do?”
He was silent a long moment.“That’s my business.”
“Call me a busybody,” she suggested.“Inquiring minds want to know.”
“Then you shall have to stew in your curiosity.”
“Oh, I’m curious, but that’s not why I’m asking.”
“Oh?”he inquired coolly.
“Oh!Because if you’re just going to hightail back to Citrine to marry Bitchy Lou—clearly against your will, I might add—then I’m not cooperating.”She flopped onto her back again—well, as best she could in the small space—and crossed her arms over her chest.
“You’re keeping me here against my will,” he pointed out.
“For good reasons!”She turned back and poked him hard in the chest so he grunted.“We risked our lives and livelihoods to rescue you.I’m not going to bow down and smile obediently while you race off to undo all of that.”
“I never asked you to take those risks,” he growled, grabbing her hand and holding it in a viselike grip.“In point of fact, I specifically told younotto.”
“Well, I don’t do as I’m told,” she hissed back.
“Believe me, I’ve noticed.You’re the most impossible person in all the fae and human realms.”