I Regret Nothing - JB Trepagnier Page 0,20

where they were fighting. From what the news said, she was sloppy at several other scenes they tied back to her. She sold out her clients for a lesser sentence. Rei didn’t do that.”

Astrid sighed.

“Venus left that part out. Still, I have to give her something. Rei busted her lip in the shower.”

“I think there’s part of that story you’re leaving out, Astrid.”

“Okay, fine. Venus started it. My witches stopped it. Rei got just as nasty with Venus as she did with Rei.”

“I get the feeling there’s bad blood there that goes beyond the whole Museum of the Profane. They are both thieves. They probably knew each other before that. Rajack is coming with her now. We can ask her.”

“Oh, fine. Can I have one of those sausages?”

I smacked her hand away.

“Only if Rei doesn’t want them.”

Astrid cocked an eyebrow at me.

“You’re pretty possessive over the fox. What’s going on, Dakarys?”

“Let me worry about it.”

Rajack glared at Venus. I knew he didn’t entirely trust Rei yet, but she needed time to spill her secrets. I knew she wasn’t telling me everything too, but I didn’t think she was ready for that yet.

“Control your witches, Astrid,” Rajack growled.

Astrid looked longingly at my sausage haul.

“My witches stopped it, but your fox was the one that did the damage.”

“I’d do it again,” Rei said. “Venus is a shitty person, and she’ll stab you in the back the first chance she gets. I speak from experience.”

Astrid perked up.

“Tell me all about your experience, Rei.”

I realized how much we lucked out deciding against Venus as Rei told us a story about how Venus betrayed her mentor, almost got him arrested, and they beat him several times. I also realized how much more diligent I was going to have to be watching Rei’s six. It wasn’t just Faust. Venus was probably sharpening her toothbrush as we spoke. Astrid looked disturbed.

“If what you say is true, I don’t want her in my coven, but I can’t have her as a free agent and stealing my witches.”

Rei shook her head.

“She’s always been a free agent. Her coven kicked her out. Other covens would ask her to steal for them, but they didn’t want her in their ranks. I’ve dealt with witches before as clients. I won’t steal something if I know they are going to use it to cause harm.”

“I’m not clueless, Rei. I know about the Grimoire you stole and what it can do,” Astrid said.

“Did you know the coven I stole it from was using it to do bad things?”

“She also didn’t rat on who she stole it for like Venus did. Venus sent several witches to jail,” I said proudly like I’d trained Rei myself.

Rajack had more of an understanding with Astrid than I did. I got the product and moved things around, but Rajack arranged the trades. I’d gotten to know Astrid, but he spent more time with her.

“I know what kind of position this puts you in, Astrid. You can’t be seen siding with Rei over Venus, but you also know we’ll cut you off so fast if you hurt her. You have to work with Venus, so she doesn’t steal your witches. I have an idea.”

I loved it when his gargoyle brain started working. Rajack was super intelligent. It was the entire reason we got the computers figured out so fast, and he helped me get our black market enterprise up and running. Whatever he said was going to save Rei from the witches, leaving us to worry about Faust.

“Blame us,” Rajack said. “Give them a choice. Tell them you discussed the issue with us, and we told you if any witch came at Rei, your coven won’t get any more potion ingredients or talismans. It’s the truth. They can have a choice. Revenge or the black market. They don’t know Venus all that well yet. They can help Venus and lose their potions, or they leave it.”

It was a good idea. It could work. Venus had to want potions too, right? Astrid wouldn’t give her ingredients to hurt Rei. Venus had to be feeling the effects of the cuffs by now. It was like a vital part of you had been taken away. I missed my sphinx more than anything. I could access him in Scorchwood. We all had our magic there. Things were better in Silverhold except for these cuffs. That was why we needed Rei, among the other things we needed her to steal.

Rei just shook her head.

“That may