Spin the Shadows (Dark and Wicked Fae #1) - Cate Corvin Page 0,44

it. The ground was starting to feel a little more solid beneath me. “Yeah, I probably should’ve practiced first.”

“Mmm.” Robin made a noise of agreement and got to his feet, pulling me with him. “Let’s get home. We’ll go through the cloned copy of Calder’s phone and decide our next move.”

He kept an arm around my waist, keeping me from falling over from vertigo. I didn’t try to remove it.

Sisse sat on top of Robin’s Acorn laptop, staring at me as I drank a mug of chamomile tea.

“I can’t believe you met Jack,” she sighed. A little hand fluttered to her chest. “Isn’t he dreamy?”

“He’s as cold as ice,” I said incredulously. “Literally.”

I’d traded out my revealing clothes for a pair of black jeans and boots, and a top that tied around my back and left most of my midriff exposed. The wardrobe had seemed to sense my desire for dark clothes, matching the tinge of darkness in my mood.

I never told anyone why I’d left Emain Ablach. Not even the twins, or Ioin. They all just thought I hated the small-town life.

They didn’t know I was such a failure that Pomona had let me leave with a mix of exasperation and relief that I wouldn’t destroy any more of our island—but mostly relief.

Some of the other dryads had whispered their hopes that I wouldn’t return when they thought I couldn’t hear them.

I had no idea why I had spilled that secret to Jack Frost, of all people. I didn’t trust him.

I didn’t even like him.

“He’s gorgeous.” Sisse made it sound like that decided the matter.

“Yeah. And a jerk. There’s plenty of other gorgeous Gentry to ogle if I feel like it.” I studiously avoided looking at Robin as I said it. “He froze me in place, Sisse.”

“You got out,” she said reasonably, and under her breath added, “I wouldn’t have tried to escape.”

Robin ignored us completely, clicking through the files the chip had transferred over to his laptop. The program he was running analyzed every message Calder had sent on the burner phone that operated off a non-approved network.

“Anything good?” I asked, desperate to stop hearing about Jack. Yeah, so he was beautiful, like a prince made of ice. And I wasn’t entirely sure he actually meant me harm.

But if he was Robin’s counterpart, getting friendly with him might be opening the door to betraying my boss, even if it was unknowingly.

“Yes,” Robin finally said, clicking a few more times. “Calder and Prince Brightkin have plans to meet in Myrage again next weekend, and there’s a veiled reference to the Undercity. However, there’s nothing concrete on where the girls are kept, and I’m curious how Calder gets in and out of Myrage without being seen.”

“We need better insider information.” I tapped my nails against the mug. “We need to know exactly what Calder knows. Even on a burner phone, he’s not going to come right out and state his plans or hiding places.”

Robin nodded, running a hand through his dark hair. “Right. That’s why we’re going to kidnap him, and I’ll take his place in glamour at their next meeting.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Boss, I like the way you think.”

15

It was well after dark when I decided to go home, but to my surprise, Robin didn’t offer me a ride.

He pulled on a dark coat and opened the door. “Let’s get dinner.”

I blinked in surprise and ignored Sisse’s giggling when I snatched up my coat and purse and followed Robin out the door.

He held out his arm for me as we walked through Thornwood. I left my bike parked behind the stone wall of his house, figuring I’d just walk tomorrow. No one would steal it out of a yard in Thornwood. “Dinner’s on you, right?”

“Of course.” He almost sounded offended. “It was my invitation.”

“Good. Because I’m starving after all that.” I linked my arm through his and tried to pretend it was just because I was hungry that my stomach was doing barrel rolls in my abdomen. Maybe he was just concerned that using the ring had completely addled my brains. “You don’t think the Ghosthand is out right now, do you?”

Robin thought for a moment, his arm tightening a little. “Unlikely. Not only was breaking their cycle once unusual, but you have me with you.”

“Right, a hitman in shining armor.” I smiled up at him. “Much better than a knight.”

We walked out the gates of Thornwood and down Main, where the city was still buzzing with life.