I open it abruptly and sure enough, Rita stares back, startled. She recovers quickly, grabs my hand, and drags me to the living room.
Elias sits on the couch, pinned in place by a grumpy-looking Cackle. “If I try to move him, he bites me. If I try to pet him, he bites me.”
“Looks like you’re stuck.” I smile at him with false sympathy. Then I scratch Cackle’s ear and whisper, “Good kitty.”
Cackle purrs.
On the coffee table in front of them is another Baciarvita box. Rich, deep magenta sides and a shiny black ribbon.
Whatever. Let’s get this over with. Rita hands me a pair of scissors and I cut the ribbon before flinging it onto Elias’s chest. Cackle goes after the ribbon, claws extended.
Elias screeches.
Apparently creating chaos soothes me, because a calm comes over me as I lift the lid from the Baciarvita box.
Inside is a lavender bag, similar to the pink one Edmund sent last time.
But this time, instead of a lollipop, the charm is a dagger, its handle tipped with a rose bloom.
A card falls out and flutters to the floor, handwriting-side-up. Cackle loses interest in Elias to tackle it, but I swoop in and rescue the card before he can.
Danica, the Layton symbol is a rose and crown. The Aseyev symbol is a dagger and crown. Together, we are rose and dagger. —E
I can’t control the happy little flutter of excitement in my stomach, but I can ignore it. And I can still be mad about anything and everything.
Rita bounces on the balls of her feet. “What do you think?”
“He’s trying to buy my affection with this?—”
Rita shoves the handbag into my arms. Soft, buttery fabric feels like heaven against my skin.
“—with this amazing handbag,” I finish.
Rita smirks. “And it’s working.”
“No, no it is not.”
She holds out her hands. “So give it to me, then.”
I want to lash out like an angry hobbit whose magic ring is threatened. No. I put the bag over my shoulder, admiring its fit and weight. It feels like it was made for me. Shaking my head at Rita, I say, “It is my burden.”
Elias, lifting his shirt to examine the scratches Cackle left on his chest, says, “Great. Will you two move so I can finish watching Serial Darkness?”
Rita rolls her eyes, but we scoot off to the side.
The doorbell rings while I admire my new bag.
“Another gift? Shit, Danica.” Rita shakes her head. “If you don’t want this guy, can I have him?”
I grumble as I answer the door, but the man standing on the doorstep isn’t a delivery guy. “Granddad!”
My immediate joy at seeing him dampens as soon as I remember everything that went down last night.
“Danica, please.” His mouth turns up in a smile, but it’s a sad one. “Let me explain myself.”
I take a deep breath and exhale. “Fine. Come in.”
Rita drags Elias out of the living room to give Granddad and me some privacy.
