Spin the Shadows (Dark and Wicked Fae #1) - Cate Corvin Page 0,29

more comfortable during the waxing and waning of the moon. The dark of the moon was when parties got really wild.

Under a set of iron stoplights, crossing the border from Main to Mothwing Falls, I got off my bike and decided to walk with it instead. I needed a little time to clear my head before I walked into the selkie twins’ enthusiastic domain, with all their questions about why I was so late and what I was doing, along with lots of waggling eyebrows.

The residential outskirts of Mothwing Falls swallowed me up, the streets becoming cobblestone and only dim lights still on.

I was so deep in thought that I nearly tripped over a loose stone. I stumbled and looked down.

It wasn’t a loose stone, but a pink snakeskin purse. A tube of lipstick and a few receipts fluttered out of the open bag.

I stared at it, a numb feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Something else that was pink sat just within the shadows between houses. I pulled out my Acorn 8 and flipped on the flashlight, taking a step closer.

My bicycle clattered to the ground.

There was a body in the alley.

And it was everywhere.

10

I opened my mouth to scream and managed to clap a hand over my mouth instead.

Something glistening and bright fluttered down out of the sky, and I batted it away in my panic before I recognized the acerbic voice.

“Briallen! Briallen!” Sisse clutched onto one of my flailing hands and clung for dear life. “It’s me! Calm down or I’ll bite!”

I stopped waving her away, freezing in place. My knees were shaking, feeling almost liquid. If I didn’t sit down, I was going to crash onto the pavement.

“Sisse… she’s dead.” I took several deep breaths. “Oh, my trees. Oh, Blessed fucking Branches. She’s all over the place.”

“Sit down.” Sisse flew to my shoulder. “There’s no one else around. Sit right there on the porch and call Robin now.”

I walked to the porch, mercifully leaving the sight of the body behind, and sat down hard. My hands were shaking so badly that Sisse had to hop down to my wrist and press the dial button when I found Robin’s number.

He answered before the first ring had finished. “Briallen?” His voice was oddly breathless, tense.

I opened my mouth, and instead of words, a dry sob left my throat.

Sisse pinched me on the collar bone. The pain was sudden, sharp, clarifying.

“Briallen, where are you?” I heard Robin shutting a door in the background, the jangle of car keys.

“She’s dead,” I whispered. “I’m in Mothwing Falls. The Ghosthand killed her.”

Sisse pushed her way under my chin, putting her tiny head near the phone. “We’re on Morpho Street, Robin. The Ghosthand is long gone, no one else in sight, but… it’s a bad one.”

“I’m on my way.” His voice was terse. “Stay on the line, Briallen. The Garda are coming.”

Even though I trusted Sisse, I still pulled myself back into the furthest, darkest corner of the porch, drawing up my knees to make myself smaller. If the Ghosthand came back, I’d at least see him coming.

I probably wouldn’t be able to escape, but I’d rather die with my eyes open.

The distant sound of sirens was like music to my ears.

Sisse stroked my hair reassuringly, clinging to a wild curl like a rope. “You’ll get used to death if you work for Robin,” she said kindly.

I’d calmed down enough from my blind panic to feel another jab of shame. “But I cried,” I whispered.

“Every Garda on the force who saw a Ghosthand victim cried the first time, and if they tell you otherwise, they’re lying.” Sisse pursed her lips. “It’s natural. You’ll adapt.”

I looked down at her tiny self, faintly shimmering in the darkness, and realized she was here because Robin had asked her to follow me home and make sure I got there safely.

The little glow of warmth I felt for him expanded into a small sun in my chest.

There was no way I was going to be sitting curled up on the porch like a scared-shitless coward when he showed up with the Garda. I got up and trotted down the stairs, only wobbling a little on still-weak knees, and avoided looking at the alley as I dragged my bike out of the way.

Then I made it back to the porch steps as Robin’s sleek black sports car came screaming to a halt at the curb.

He was out of the car before I’d even hung up the phone and shoved