Spin the Shadows (Dark and Wicked Fae #1) - Cate Corvin Page 0,13

had suddenly taken up residence in my stomach, turning towards my glittery pink bike and looking down. Somehow, I hated him seeing this bike and the idiotic fake fairy wings bouncing on my shoulders.

It just drove the differences between us deep. No Gentry would ever work for Fairy Ferry or a boss like Numa.

Gwyn fell into step next to me, his hands in his pockets. “See you tomorrow morning?”

Surprise lanced through me. He wanted to meet up again?

Had I actually died and woken up in a different reality?

“I… yeah.” I tried not to sound so shocked. “But you have to let me get breakfast next time.”

With an extra paycheck coming in from Robin, we’d be absolutely rolling in tarts. The king and queen of Tart Castle.

“Try to come a bit earlier,” was all he said. “Give us more time to talk.”

My face was probably a permanent shade of crimson. “I’ll be here.”

I placed the box in my bike basket and swung my leg over. Before taking off, I waved once, curling my fingers once I’d dropped my hand.

“Bye, Briallen Bananatree,” he called with a bark of laughter, but when I glanced back, he was gone.

I turned the corner towards Fairy Ferry, and a roar ripped through the air.

A motorcycle breezed past, the body lacquered glossy black. Several bones were mounted over the handlebars.

And Gwyn waved back at me with a grin as he passed.

I stopped pedaling, slowing to a halt. Everyone in Avilion knew those bikes; they belonged to a notorious Solitary Fae gang, who answered to no laws and neither Queen. The bike, the tattoos of poisonous plants...

Gwyn was part of the Wild Hunt.

5

“Trade you.” I held up the box with the last blueberry tart and wiggled it around enticingly. “For the package to Thornwood.”

Audra Brightbreeze looked at it askance, but I already knew she was sold. The nephelai loved tarts about as much as I did, and that was saying something.

“I still need an extra package or I won’t meet my quota this week,” she said, but her eyes were glued to the box.

“Here. Three for Acionna Harbor.” I popped the box on her table and stacked three packages wrapped in dried seaweed, trading them for a gilt-wrapped box marked as FRAGILE.

I ran my fingers over the glossy paper. “Bet it’s a cut-crystal dildo.”

Audra made a face, swiping her pale blue hair out of her eyes. “Cut-crystal still isn’t good enough for their kind,” she said, clearly glad to be rid of the Thornwood delivery. “Nothing but pure diamond for Gentry cootch.”

I made a gagging sound and stacked my boxes, making for my bike. “Thanks, Audra.”

All I heard in return was a muffled noise. She was already stuffing the tart in her face.

But now I had a perfect alibi to show up at Thornwood twice. I was just lucky Audra hated the Gentry even more than I did and would even prefer Sobek Street over the high-class neighborhood.

I shot through my deliveries, saving the Thornwood package for last, and even managed to pedal up the hill to the gates before sundown.

I rolled to a stop at the gates, already digging in my pockets for my ID, but the feline guard waved me on through the gate. It was already sliding open for me. “Go on.”

I paused with my hand in my pocket. “You don’t need ID?”

“You’ve been granted clearance.” The guard gave me a deadpan stare. “Unless you want to wait around to sign in?”

I shook my head, determined to be at Robin’s by six o’ clock sharp, even though this should’ve been a momentous occasion for me.

I’d been granted unfettered access to the ritziest neighborhood in Avilion, thanks to Robin.

I dropped off the gilt package on the front steps of a glittering mansion made of ice and pedaled to the back of Thornwood as the sun sank behind the trees. Dragging my bike behind the stone wall and out of sight, I didn’t even bother to check the front door, instead stomping my way through the tall grass to the back door.

It opened under my touch. I wished I’d had time to shower before showing up, covered in sweat and more glitter than a nereid stripper would use in a year, but Robin had known perfectly well what he was getting when he signed me on.

A loud, high voice filled the air as I walked into the office, shedding glitter everywhere.

“Honestly.” Sisse was perched on the desk again, wearing a dainty suit woven of hellebore petals. She