Black Wings, Gray Skies (Black Hat Bureau 4)

There were two different factions within the grume working against one another for different outcomes.

But which was which? Who was harboring Sorie? Who was ensuring he and his progenitor got caught?

“You expect me to believe Jilo is evil, but trust that you’re sunshine and puppies.”

“Like puppies,” the daemon informed me. “Puppies soft.”

Afraid the next descriptor out of his mouth might be crunchy, I kept going before he did.

“According to Jilo, you’re a baby-crazed boo hag who tore herself in two to create Sorie. She claims it’s you, not her, who has killed enough humans to garner our attention.” I drummed my knee. “Forgive me, but it sounds like you’re two buddies who had a falling out and now want to get the other in trouble.”

“The best lies mirror the truth.”

Leaving us with two similar stories from two opposing sides that each contradicted the other.

I didn’t trust either of them. Jilo or Marah. There had been too much death for me to pick a side.

“You’re the one who greeted us. Does that make you this grume’s leader?”

“Yes,” she said after a moment. “I suppose it does, but we don’t view it that way.”

“Then why does Jilo want to pin this on you?”

“Jilo believes that if she kills me, she will be welcomed home. She blames her excommunication on me.” A flicker of grief washed over her. “She refused to leave, so I had no choice but to physically remove her and ban her from the nest.” Steel entered her gaze. “The others support me. They won’t take her back.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out then.”

The heavy metal door I noticed upon entering swung open to reveal two young men holding hands.

“Marah?” The taller one pushed his companion behind him. “Is everything all right?”

“They’re guests,” she assured him. “You have nothing to fear.”

With a curt nod, he sidled along the wall to the exit then shoved the other man out ahead of him.

“You’ll have to forgive them.” She stared after the pair. “We can’t afford to trust anyone these days.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” I rose, and so did the daemon. “We’ve got all we need, for now.”

“We’ll be here, if you decide to visit again.” She spread her hands. “We’re homebodies.”

The daemon gave himself over to Asa, who reached in his pocket and flung a handful of BB gun pellets.

“Forgive me.” Asa touched the small of my back. “Our experience with Jilo has taught us caution.”

“I understand.” A brittle smile crimped Marah’s face as she hit to her knees. “One, two, three…”

With firm pressure, which I didn’t mind at all, Asa guided me out the way we had come. “Iron?”

“Steel.” He kept a brisk pace beside me. “I couldn’t risk a purer metal.” He flexed his hand. “It doesn’t appear to have affected Marah either way, but I thought it worth trying.”

Iron burned the fae half of him, and a wound inflicted with it could kill him if his attacker had good aim.

Boo hags must not have that problem, which, if they did branch off witches, made sense.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”