Gifted Thief (Highland Magic #1)(67)

I grinned. ‘Indeed.’

Speck gnawed on his lip. ‘Aren’t you worried about whoever is really trying to kill you?’

I met his eyes. ‘Frankly, I was expecting it. I get enough looks that could kill when I wander around the castle. A lot of the highborn Sidhe really don’t like me. And they’ve not even spoken to me. I’ve laid the groundwork for them to believe that I’ll have at least one gift emerge in the next few days. I’ve also made a big show of being angry rather than scared. It might buy me some time.’

Speck wasn’t ready to let it go. ‘That’s all very well, but shouldn’t you be scared? I’m terrified and no one even knows I’m here.’

‘I have a secret weapon,’ I said simply. I pulled the scimitar out of my pocket and laid it down.

‘You’re going to read their mail?’

‘It’s not a letter opener.’

Lexie frowned. ‘It looks like a letter opener.’

‘It’s a scimitar.’

‘Tegs, I love you to bits but that’s not a scimitar.’

I placed my finger to my lips, encouraging her to be silent. ‘Watch.’ I slid the blade out of the sheath but, before I could rub it, there was a painful flash of light. All four of us moaned in sudden pain, covering our eyes.

‘Bob,’ I complained, ‘I’d not summoned you yet.’

‘Jeez Louise. You tell me to pay attention in case you need me at the drop of a hat then you fling me off to some Sidhe dude who stomps around and shouts a lot and you’re annoyed because I’m listening in and ready to appear when you want me to.’

He had a point. ‘Okay, okay. But it’s nice to have some warning before you do the flashing thing.’

He smirked. ‘Flashing? I can do flashing if that’s what you want.’ He began to unbuckle his tiny belt.

‘No! That’s quite alright.’

‘It’s larger than you’d think.’ He winked at me. ‘Size does matter.’

I gritted my teeth while the others slowly pulled their hands away from their eyes and gaped.

‘What is that?’ Speck asked, recoiling. ‘I don’t like little people. They give me the creeps.’

Bob stuck out his tongue.

‘He’s so cute though!’ Lexie interjected, jabbing Speck in the ribs. It must have been painful because he exhaled loudly and threw her a dirty look.

‘I prefer handsome,’ Bob said. ‘Or stud-like. Magnificent will also do. Cute suggests kittens and puppies.’ He shuddered. ‘That’s not me.’

Brochan, still staring, let out a massive sneeze that startled us all. ‘Genie,’ he said flatly.

‘How did you know?’

‘I’m allergic.’ He took out an embossed handkerchief and rubbed his nose.

Bob jumped up and down. ‘You’re allergic to genies? That’s awesome! Let me get closer! Can I make you sneeze on command?’

‘Bob,’ I said warningly, ‘that’s enough of that.’

‘Uh Integrity, you’re no fun.’

‘So you keep saying.’

Lexie’s brow knitted together. ‘Tegs, you’ve not made a wish, have you? Because that could be related to all the attempts on your life.’

‘No,’ I said cheerfully. ‘Those are all Sidhe and nothing to do with Bob. Up till now there have been no wishes.’

The pixie looked relieved but Speck’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. ‘Up till now?’

I beckoned all three of them over. We got into a huddle, our backs turned on Bob. ‘I know what the side effects are,’ I whispered. ‘But they’re always related to the wishes themselves.’

Speck nodded. ‘I heard there was a guy in Fife who came across a genie. He wanted everyone to like him so he wished he could hear everything that was said about him. The genie turned him invisible and he was never heard of again.’

‘If he was never heard of again,’ Lexie pointed out, tossing her hair, ‘how did anyone ever hear the story of the wish? Although there was that woman who wished to be younger and ended up trapped in the body of a baby. That was real.’

Speck scowled at her. ‘Why is your story real and mine isn’t?’

Brochan rolled his eyes. ‘Enough. Either way, wishes always go wrong. This is a bad idea, Tegs. You can’t trust genies.’

‘I can still hear you, you know,’ Bob piped up from behind. ‘I’m not deaf. I’m not evil either.’

‘I know all that,’ I told them, ignoring Bob. ‘It’s why I’ve not asked for anything yet, despite what’s happened.’ I didn’t bother mentioning that I would have tried when the stoor worm attacked if I’d had the chance. Under that kind of pressure, I could really have messed things up. It was better not to dwell on it.