I nodded and finished my tea, wincing a little at the almost bitter aftertaste. Give me Coke or coffee any day. Hell, even the cheapest instant was better than this.
"I don’t suppose you’ve heard any whispers about this sort of summoning being performed, have you?"
She shook her head. "No, it is not my line of work. I protect, not destroy."
I said, "No witch destroys. That is against the laws, isn’t it?"
Something gleamed in her eyes. Amusement, perhaps. Or pity. "Ask Ilianna that question. She could answer it more fully than me."
"Ilianna hasn’t destroyed anything or anyone."
"I’m not saying she has."
"Then what are you saying?"
"Ask her."
Yeah, like that would do any good. When it came to talking about the Brindle and the brief time she’d spent there, Ilianna was decidedly mute. I pushed to my feet and held out my hand. "Thank you for your time."
She rose and clasped my hand. "Be careful, young woman. Evil nips at your heels, and that is not a good thing when your dark angel is not by your side."
"I can protect myself," I said. And tried to ignore the suspicion that I’d just tempted fate.
Adeline smiled. It was a knowing yet sad smile. "Yes, you can. Except in the areas where it perhaps matters the most."
I sighed. Why couldn’t people just come out and say what they meant?
"Because," she said, a smile touching her thin lips, "speaking in riddles means we can never truly be wrong. It is merely a matter of interpretation."