wreck. I wasn't expecting company." I fanned myself air. "You wouldn't believe how hot it gets in here after an hour of cleaning."
Cass smiled. "Oh, gosh. I definitely get you. Back home, it's so hot one can fry an egg on the sidewalk. And cleaning isn't my thing, either."
"Can I get you anything?" I asked.
"Nah, I'm good." Cass scanned the room, her nostrils flaring, sniffing the air. "Fancy place, isn't it? But kind of dark and dreary like an old, giant tomb. I prefer brighter colours to lift the mood. You know, yel ow or red."
"You haven't been here before?"
Cass frowned, hesitating. "I have, but not in this room."
I regarded her for a moment. I wasn't a good liar myself, but I could tel when others were tel ing fibs. Why would Cass lie about such a triviality, unless Aidan and she were dating and they tried to keep it a secret? A pang of jealousy hit me ful force, taking me by surprise. Inhaling deeply, I curled my lips into a smile. "What can I do for you?"
"There's this tiny inconvenience I'd like to discuss with you." Cass took off her bonnet and placed it beside her. "I've no idea how to start. Made myself this fabulous list—" she fished in her pocket for a crumpled paper that looked like she'd used it more than once "—but it's al useless."
"Just spit it out, whatever it is."
"Okay." Cass inhaled and exhaled a few times. "You may find it a bit hard to believe at first, which I can ful y understand, but once you've slept over it, you'l see I'm offering you a perfectly fine explanation of what's going on."
Why did I have the feeling whatever Cass aimed at involved Aidan? And probably not in a good light. "Say it, Cass. I don't need any more cushioning."
"You've won a major prize and now half of the Interracial court's coming after you." Cass let out a big sigh. "There, I said it. Way to go, me!"
"The what?" No keep away from Aidan? No Aidan's seeing someone else? I laughed.
A frown crossed Cass's face. Two tiny, red dots twinkled in her eyes. "What's so funny? If I were you I'd be scared to death, girl."
I burst into a fit of laughter. "It's just, I thought you were going to—" Shaking my head, I wiped the tears from my eyes. "Sorry. Please go on."
Cass regarded me careful y. When I remained serious, Cass resumed the conversation. "A little birdie told me a few nights ago you were in the woods, doing something very naughty."
The jewels. She knew. Of course, they had to belong to someone. I groaned. Dal as had messed up big time.
Cass snapped her fingers. "Hey, focus. You entered a race, and since Aidan chained everyone else to a tree, they had no chance to stop you.
No idea how you figured out the riddle, but you scooped the first prize. Congratulations. You've just won a vacation to a big, relaxing place cal ed a grave."
"Who did what?" I shook my head to clear my mind and calm my racing heart. Okay, play it cool. I had nothing to fear. Cass's crazy talk proved nothing. "You're mistaken. Why would you think it was me?" If I went to jail because of Dal as's stupid plan, I'd kick him right where it hurt the most.
"I know you were near the shed. There was an eyewitness."
"You said it was night. How could this person possibly identify me?" I tried to keep my composure, but my voice shook. Dal as was as good as disowned.
Cass smiled as she peered at me, green eyes glinting. "He saw you up close when he demanded the jewels, but you ran with your backpack.
You were wearing al black, covered in mud, and your hair was tied in a ponytail."
"I can explain," I whispered.
"I doubt that, mate," Cass snorted very unlady-like. "Now you're stuck with this ability for half a mil ennium."
Huh? "You're saying I've earned a skil for the next five hundred years? Are you serious? Shouldn't I be dead by then?"
"Technical y yes, I guess." Cass squirmed in her seat, chewing her lip. "Actual y, we're not real y talking about a skil , rather a gift. I'm sure you've noticed it already and if not, Aidan wil make
Cass smiled. "Oh, gosh. I definitely get you. Back home, it's so hot one can fry an egg on the sidewalk. And cleaning isn't my thing, either."
"Can I get you anything?" I asked.
"Nah, I'm good." Cass scanned the room, her nostrils flaring, sniffing the air. "Fancy place, isn't it? But kind of dark and dreary like an old, giant tomb. I prefer brighter colours to lift the mood. You know, yel ow or red."
"You haven't been here before?"
Cass frowned, hesitating. "I have, but not in this room."
I regarded her for a moment. I wasn't a good liar myself, but I could tel when others were tel ing fibs. Why would Cass lie about such a triviality, unless Aidan and she were dating and they tried to keep it a secret? A pang of jealousy hit me ful force, taking me by surprise. Inhaling deeply, I curled my lips into a smile. "What can I do for you?"
"There's this tiny inconvenience I'd like to discuss with you." Cass took off her bonnet and placed it beside her. "I've no idea how to start. Made myself this fabulous list—" she fished in her pocket for a crumpled paper that looked like she'd used it more than once "—but it's al useless."
"Just spit it out, whatever it is."
"Okay." Cass inhaled and exhaled a few times. "You may find it a bit hard to believe at first, which I can ful y understand, but once you've slept over it, you'l see I'm offering you a perfectly fine explanation of what's going on."
Why did I have the feeling whatever Cass aimed at involved Aidan? And probably not in a good light. "Say it, Cass. I don't need any more cushioning."
"You've won a major prize and now half of the Interracial court's coming after you." Cass let out a big sigh. "There, I said it. Way to go, me!"
"The what?" No keep away from Aidan? No Aidan's seeing someone else? I laughed.
A frown crossed Cass's face. Two tiny, red dots twinkled in her eyes. "What's so funny? If I were you I'd be scared to death, girl."
I burst into a fit of laughter. "It's just, I thought you were going to—" Shaking my head, I wiped the tears from my eyes. "Sorry. Please go on."
Cass regarded me careful y. When I remained serious, Cass resumed the conversation. "A little birdie told me a few nights ago you were in the woods, doing something very naughty."
The jewels. She knew. Of course, they had to belong to someone. I groaned. Dal as had messed up big time.
Cass snapped her fingers. "Hey, focus. You entered a race, and since Aidan chained everyone else to a tree, they had no chance to stop you.
No idea how you figured out the riddle, but you scooped the first prize. Congratulations. You've just won a vacation to a big, relaxing place cal ed a grave."
"Who did what?" I shook my head to clear my mind and calm my racing heart. Okay, play it cool. I had nothing to fear. Cass's crazy talk proved nothing. "You're mistaken. Why would you think it was me?" If I went to jail because of Dal as's stupid plan, I'd kick him right where it hurt the most.
"I know you were near the shed. There was an eyewitness."
"You said it was night. How could this person possibly identify me?" I tried to keep my composure, but my voice shook. Dal as was as good as disowned.
Cass smiled as she peered at me, green eyes glinting. "He saw you up close when he demanded the jewels, but you ran with your backpack.
You were wearing al black, covered in mud, and your hair was tied in a ponytail."
"I can explain," I whispered.
"I doubt that, mate," Cass snorted very unlady-like. "Now you're stuck with this ability for half a mil ennium."
Huh? "You're saying I've earned a skil for the next five hundred years? Are you serious? Shouldn't I be dead by then?"
"Technical y yes, I guess." Cass squirmed in her seat, chewing her lip. "Actual y, we're not real y talking about a skil , rather a gift. I'm sure you've noticed it already and if not, Aidan wil make
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