Spin the Shadows (Dark and Wicked Fae #1) - Cate Corvin Page 0,52

that only came with territorial protectiveness.

“Sure is, Miss Bananatree,” Gwyn agreed. “You didn’t tell me you were close with Goodfellow.”

He said Robin’s name like it was a black curse, both of their eyes narrowed at each other.

I had a feeling someone’s throat was going to be ripped out here shortly. I drew myself up to my full height and planted my hands on my hips. “Excuse both of you.”

That got their attention. They tore their eyes away from their staring contest and looked at me.

I cleared my throat, already blushing a little. Damn it, Gwyn.

“You clearly already know each other, so I’ll keep this short and sweet. Gwyn, Robin is my boss. Boss, Gwyn is a good friend of mine. I expect both of you to behave as though you are respectful of my feelings in the matter, which is that I have no part of your territorial wars, or your history, and like both of you equally.”

Their narrow-eyed looks had slowly morphed into expressions of incredulity and, in Gwyn’s case, amusement.

The Wild Hunter was the first to take my words to heart. “Any friend of Miss Bananatree is a friend of mine… when she’s around,” he said, showing sharp teeth in a smile.

Robin’s was no less feral.

I breathed a sigh of relief, though. So they might kill each other later instead of right here and now, but I’d take what I could get. “Shake like friends?”

For the second time in fifteen minutes, Robin shook the hand of one of my friends, but this time he gritted his teeth.

“Remember when you locked me in the Garda cells for three days?” Gwyn asked, his garnet eyes glinting. “I remember that.”

“That’s because you were violating Section 42 of the Marina Code of Conduct, after getting in a bar fight that cost nearly twenty thousand in property damages.” Robin gave him a grim smile.

“Like friends,” I snapped. How had I ever thought I could both work for the Seelie fixer and be friends with a Wild Hunter? They were intrinsically different.

They shook again and released each other like they’d touched something filthy.

“Bossy little thing,” Gwyn murmured, his eyes softening when he looked at me. “If you’ve quit working for the satyr, what brings you out so early, Briallen?”

I opened my mouth and paused. What if Robin didn’t want me spilling every detail—

“The Ghosthand found another victim last night.” Robin’s voice was cool, emotionless. “We’re on our way to look at the body.”

Gwyn nodded slowly, cutting me a sidelong look that Robin didn’t miss. “You okay with this, Bananas?”

It was sweet of him to think about how this might affect me.

I already knew that this scene was going to be just as bad as the one I’d come across in the alley. We needed to go look at it, and I would learn what I could from Robin, but… even that didn’t make the prospect of looking at a corpse appealing. “It’s necessary on the job training.”

The Wild Hunter took a step closer and reached out to touch my arm. “Need some moral support?”

I smiled up at him, sure that Robin would say no, but my boss gave him a thoughtful look.

“Yes.” Robin’s tone was crisp. “If you stay with her, and keep the press off her back, then feel free.”

I hadn’t even thought of the press. No doubt the scene was swarming with them, but this time, instead of biking away, I’d be closed in behind all the reporters with the Garda.

Gwyn picked up his box of pastries. “Well, then. Bodyguard duties for the dryad it is.”

He pulled out a rose raspberry tart and passed it to me, which I nibbled as we continued towards the edge of Mothwing Falls, and didn’t offer one to Robin.

I walked between the two of them, determined to keep them from breaking into any more territorial arguments, a situation I never thought I’d be in with two Gentry.

“How long have you been working for the Garda?” Gwyn asked, an odd note in his voice.

I realized how little we knew of each other despite the kiss. I knew he was a Wild Hunter. And that entailed dragging the souls of the lost to the Otherworld.

And… that was about it, really.

“Only a few weeks,” I said quietly, shredding a rose petal and popping it in my mouth. “I would’ve told you before, but… it’s not the sort of thing I want to advertise.”

“Mm.” His gaze landed on Robin’s back. “Yeah, if I worked with him, I wouldn’t want to