Enid is moving across the world to attend university. Away from all that she knows, she soon finds herself at the center of three men's unyielding attention. Three men who are her professors. Inexperienced and innocent, she is the exact opposite...
"I prefer the term work with. I am his equal." Almalfi quips snobbishly.
Anxiety tickles the back of her neck.
Any friend or partner of Flynt's was no friend of hers.
This man was clearly dangerous.
And she'd had quite enough of danger recently.
"I'm going to go..." She says, shifting sideways to start to inch around his wide frame.
"Ah, ah. Didn't you come here to learn that which you have been dying to know?" His lips curl, his body shifting to stand between her and the door.
Eyeing him warily, Enid frowns.
"I don't mean to be rude, but why would I trust a single thing you tell me?" Her voice shakes.
Almalfi stares down at her and she doesn't like the glint in his eyes.
"Because I'm simply providing you a map to that which you seek. That way you can see it with your own eyes. No trust required." He winks.
He takes a step toward her and she backs away, pressing into the shelves behind her.
The wood sharp against her shoulder blades.
"Where is Mister Harold?" The question stops his movement.
The bottles behind her seem to hum.
"He... agreed to let me have the shop for an hour." Almalfi responds.
She thinks of the crotchety old man who had barely even let her and Emilia into the shop.
One of his eyes always watching them from behind his large spectacles.
Allowing someone free reign to his business didn't seem like something he would do.
"Did you hurt him?" She glares at the man.
His dark chuckle chills the air around them.
"Easy, kitten. No need to pull out your claws. He did in fact agree to let me have the area for an hour. It took quite a bit of monetary incentive, but I'm one of his most loyal clients..." He puts his hands up in a sign of mock defense.
She studies him, unsure whether to believe him.
"He hasn't been harmed. You have my word." Almalfi swears.
"And what good is your word?" She can't help but ask.
Another laugh escapes him.
"My, you are such a delight. It really is too bad that the immortals found you first..." His tone is dark and wistful.
An uncomfortable knot is throbbing in her throat.
"Tell me what you came to tell me or I'm leaving." Her demand is steadier than she expected.
He eyes her for another moment, before nodding in disappointment.
"Right, back to business. There is a filing cabinet in Easton's office. The code is your birthday. All the answers you have been craving can be found there." He speaks and she thinks of the sleek silver filing cabinet she had seen behind Theodore's desk.
She bites her lip, wary.
"How do you know that?" Enid questions, a weight pressing on her chest.
"Flynt wasn't the only uninvited guest at the estate on Halloween." Almalfi boasts.
Goosebumps bloom on her arms.
Her feeling of safety in the estate was lessening with each passing day.
Nausea burns in her stomach as she imagines them invading the place she now knew as home.
She has to clamp down the urge to cry.
"What do you want? Why are you telling me all of this?" The questions fly from her mouth.
She is overwhelmed.
Past overwhelmed.
She was promised answers and all she has is more questions.
And a path to the truth.
If she can get there.
Her soul feels heavy in the face of all that is to come.
"You deserve the truth." His voice is patronizing.
"You don't care about the truth." She glares at him.
He pulls the hat back onto his head.
"I do about this." His hands pull the collar of his coat up.
She feels the oak against her spine, listens to the buzzing of the lights above them.
Sucking in a deep breath, she straightens.
When she moves toward the door this time, he doesn't stop her.
"Tell Flynt I said hello." Enid's voice is bitter, shaken.
Almalfi's responding smile is positively Machiavellian.
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A familiar, scarred face.
Hope you enjoyed seeing the bravery and snark that has been growing in Enid.
