“You two are awfully cranky this morning,” Elder Farrar murmured, but he held out an envelope to me. “Can you mail this while you’re in town?”
My brows lifted as I took the thick envelope from him, my fingers rubbing…yep, I would know that feel anywhere. “Wouldn’t you prefer to spell this to the recipient than have it travel through the postal system?” Besides, I wasn’t sure it was exactly legal to send what felt like close to twenty grand in cold, hard cash through the mail. And it was incredibly ignorant.
He shrugged, sipping from his coffee. He appeared refreshed, like he might have had a very decent evening with someone special. I wondered which of the house staff he had snagged for one-on-one time. He choked on his coffee and I quickly held up a napkin. The vision of employee faces stopped floating through my mind.
His eyes flared golden, glowing brightly. Everyone at the table froze, except for Queen Ruckler who grabbed his coffee cup, and Elder Zeller who grabbed the napkin from me and handed it to Elder Farrar. Elder Farrar dabbed at his mouth quickly, blinking repeatedly. His eyes stopped glowing…and he actually glared across the table at me. More dabbing of his mouth. “Ms Jules, do try not to think so loudly next time.”
Now I blinked. “Excuse me?”
He sighed heavily, sitting back on his chair and brushing away Queen Ruckler’s helping hands when she blotted at his shirt. “You do know a Mystical’s powers only become stronger as they age?”
I nodded.
He pointed at his head, a sardonic smile lifting his lips. “In the past few years, one of my gifts has accelerated, popping up now and then when someone is thinking about me.”
I stared, and I asked point blank, “You heard my thoughts?”
Golden brows lifted. “Yes.” His lips twitched. “You were correct although, it wasn’t one of the house staff.” He stared at me steadily. “Never do that. The possible problems are endless.” His eyes flicked to Aria then back to me. “Anyway, that envelope is going where it’s needed and going how it’s needed.”
My cheeks instantly flushed, and I hastily stuffed the envelope in my purse. “I’ll mail it.” I cleared my throat. “My apologies on the…thought.”
Slowly his lips curved in a private grin, his mind going somewhere I was positive had nothing to do with breakfast. “And it was more than decent, Ms Jules.”
Sin started choking on his toast.
I waved a hand, mumbling, “Really…too much.” I waved my hand again, trying to erase his pleased expression from my mind. “I shouldn’t have been thinking of you like that.” Realizing how that had sounded as everyone stared and my blush fully alive on my cheeks, I rambled, “That came out wrong. I didn’t mean it like that. I just noticed he looked…” Oh God. “…refreshed.”
Sin chuckled deep in his chest, muttering quietly behind his napkin, “Shut up now, love.”
“Right,” I murmured, brushing hair out of my face. I’d had enough to eat, and I was more than ready to leave. “Let’s go.”
Sin looked grumpily at his still half-full plate. “I’m not done yet.”
“Eat fast or take it with you,” I whispered harshly against his ear. I stood and grabbed my purse over the back of the chair, slinging it over my left shoulder. Sin stuffed as much food in his mouth as fast as possible, while I said goodbye to King Collins.
The One murmured from his place at the table, “Ms Jules, I trust you have my diamond, since it disappeared before I could retrieve it?”
The conversations at the table deflated into stunned quiet.
I cleared my throat while covertly yanking on the back of Sin’s shirt to hurry him up. “I have my Primal Diamond, if that’s what you’re referring to.”
Silver eyes flicked to Sin then back to me. “Two against one seems hardly fair.”
My lips curved all on their own. “When I want something badly enough, I never play fair.”
Elder Kincaid’s mate, Fi, who had a bit of a staring problem, interposed into the conversation, deflecting beautifully. “That is an interesting purse, Ms Jules.” She stared at it for a long moment. It was my black one with the pink skull on it.
“Thank you.” I was going to take that as a compliment. I yanked harder on Sin’s shirt. “We’ll see you all in a bit.”
Elder Farrar chuckled quietly, waving as Sin stood. “Have fun on your trip.”
I had been starting to turn, but I slowly tilted my head back to him, cocking it. I had heard something in his tone. My eyes roamed his bronzed face. “Is there something I need to know?”
“Criminals are always so perceptive,” he mumbled quietly, his grin still beaming. “How I do like you, Caro. And you should know…just that…” His head teetered back and forth. “You should remember your roots.” His face appeared pensive for a moment. “Oh yes…and the towel’s on your right side, not the left.” A finger flicked to the side. “To the right. That’s very important.”