Page 191 of Bedeviled

“I’m trying to make conversation here, brat,” the fairy says.

I glance over at him in the darkness and narrow my gaze. “I’m not a brat.”

“I call it like I see it,” he says.

“You’re obviously projecting.”

“Yeah.” I hear the smirk in his voice. “I think my wife would agree with you—my daughter might, too.”

“You’re a dad?” I say, raising my eyebrows. “Wow, you gave me that without forcing me to bargain away my soul?”

He gives me a look. “Gods, witch, I’m not a demon like that pet of yours.” He flicks a not-so-kind look at Nero, who nobly ignores him. “The bargain is that you now tell me what happened to Memnon to make him attack the one person he cares for above all others.”

I glower into the distance as Last Rites Cemetery comes into view.

“He was bonded against his will to Eislyn,” I say, my lips tugging down at the corners.

“And before she made her move to take over an entire kingdom, she decided to go out of her way to have Memnon kill you?” he says, not skeptically but rather like he’s taking in just how fucked-up that situation is.

I run a hand through my hair. “Eislyn and I go way back,” I explain. “Two thousand years ago she was the royal advisor for Memnon and his family. I first met her when I married Memnon⁠—”

“When you were Roxilana?” the Bargainer asks as we pass through the wrought-iron fence that encircles the cemetery.

My throat tightens, and I give a curt nod. “She had a sick interest in my husband even then.”

The Bargainer waits for me to expand on the subject.

I sigh. “Among her many sins, she entombed my husband, murdered my in-laws, betrayed our nation to Rome—and she’s tried to have me killed several times.”

The Bargainer makes a small noise.

“What?” I glance over at him.

“She sounds like a bitch.”

I almost laugh. “She is.”

The fairy assesses me. “And yet, despite all her attempts, here you are,” he says.

“Here I am,” I agree.

It’s quiet for several moments. Finally, the Bargainer breaks the silence. “Do you actually have any sort of plan here, or are you working on vibes alone?”

“I love your belief in me,” I say. “You should really go into the inspirational quote business.”

“Gods, you are mouthy. I’m taking that as a no.”

The gravestones gradually give way to crypts. We weave between them, Nero prowling at my side.

“All you need to do is drop me off in the Flora Kingdom,” I say, “and I’ll figure it out from there.”

The Bargainer scoffs. “I’m not a carrier pigeon, and sugar, I hate to break it to you, but dropping you off isn’t going to end the way you think it will.” He pauses briefly. “I’m serious. Do you have a plan?”

No.

I turn to face him. “My plan was to have you steal Eislyn’s scroll to prevent her from crossing over. Since that obviously hasn’t happened—?” I give him a probing look.

“It hasn’t happened,” he confirms.