“Hor d’oeuvres?” Lucian saidhopefully.
Pepper threw a pillow athim.
“I’m afraid not,” Hank said. “She didn’t say much more afterthat.”
“Great,” I said. The pain medicine was dragging me down. “Mind if I take anap?”
Pepper and Lucien popped right up. “Sorry!” Pepper said. She turned to Lucien. “Can you take mehome?”
“As you wish,” Lucien said. “I need to spend some time job hunting anyway, so it works out.” Lucien leaned down, lifted my hand and kissed the top of it. “Farewell, lady. I shall see yousoon.”
I tried not to grin but failed. “See you later, weirdo. Thanks for saving me. I’ll reimburse you for having your leathercleaned.”
“No need, my dear. It’s rare I get to act as champion to a lady so fair.” He set my hand down, straightened, and motioned for Pepper to lead the way. He left Hank with a longlook.
When the door finally shut, Hank let out a longbreath.
“Oh, God, there’smore?”
“There is. Do you want to take a nap now orlater?”
“Meaning do I want the bad newsfirst?”
Hank adjusted the pillow and pulled my foot onto his lap carefully. “It’s up toyou.”
“How bad isit?”
“You’re going to be busy once your foot heelsup.”
“That doesn’t sound bad. I need to get back towork.”
He laughed. “Helping Portia repair the veil. You’re the only necromancer in Midnight Cove. She needs your specific powers to help. Souls are slipping out. She can’t control the dead but youcan.”
“I should have taken a napfirst.”
Hank gently moved my foot up from his lap and gathered up my dishes. “The end result would have been the same. Portia needs you rightnow.”
I snuggled back down into the couch. “Did she say anything about you andme?”
“Not a word. I don’t think it’s in her policy to comment on anything.” He gave me a hopeful look. “Is there anus?”
“Ask me when I finish my nextnap.”
Hank barked out a laugh. “Willdo.”
