Stone Cold by Devon Monk Page B

how she got that way.”
    â€œIt matters to me.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause I think you did it. Zayvion doesn’t think you’d be dumb enough to kill the only bargaining chip we had to get Eli and his boss, Krogher, to negotiate with us so we could get Davy and all those other people they’ve kidnapped back. But I think you did it because Eli killed Victor and Dessa. Am I wrong?”
    â€œWhat do you want me to tell you, Al? I’m glad she’s dead, even though we lost the bargaining chip.”
    â€œYou killed her.”
    I didn’t say anything, just stared at her.
    She closed her eyes, then opened them again. “Hells, Shame. I can’t believe this. You know he’ll come for you. Eli Collins will walk right up to you and kill you in your sleep the first chance he gets.”
    â€œLet him come,” I said. “I’d be happy to have a little heart-to-heart with him.”
    â€œAnd that’s why you did it, isn’t it? You didn’t want to negotiate—you wanted to declare war.”
    â€œHe killed Victor,” I said quietly. “And Dessa. I’m not sorry Brandy’s dead.”
    â€œDoes Terric know?”
    â€œI think this conversation has about run its course, don’t you?”
    â€œSo he doesn’t know.”
    I hated that she could read me so well, but then, she’d been a Hound for years, and a damn fine one. Plus, she knew me pretty well.
    â€œYou and Terric should leave. Out of the country, somewhere safe.”
    â€œHold on,” I said. “One, I can take care of myself and so can Terric. We’re safe right where we are. Two, I didn’t say I killed her, I just said I’m not sad about her death, and three, you need to let go of this. Put it down completely, Allie. Eli was threatening to kill me long before Brandy was dead. If he wants to kill me, he is welcome to step up to bat and give it a swing.
    â€œBut I do not want you getting in the middle of any of this. You do remember he took a stab—literally—at Zayvion a few months back? He has technology to pop himself into any room anytime he wants, and he knows where you live.
    â€œSo listen to me, love.” I stepped toward her. “You are not to do anything to become a target.”
    She shook her head and looked away from me. “I can’t just—”
    â€œYou can.
Just.
” I tipped my head to catch her gaze. “Do you understand how important it is to me that you stay out of this and keep that little godbaby of mine safe?”
    â€œThe baby will be fine,” she said.
    â€œWe don’t know that. You and Zay don’t know that. The plan of you two not using magic or breaking magic until little Beckstrom-Jones shows up is still the right plan. A couple months and you can be in this fight up to your neck if you want,” I said. “Until then, please, Allie.” I reached over, touched her hand. “Stay far, far away from this.”
    Her eyes widened just a little at my touch. At the cold of it, the dead of it.
    I pulled my fingers away and gave her half a grin. “Fine,” I said before she could ask. “I’m fine. My magic’s fine. It’s under control.”
    She shook her head. “You think you’re good at it, don’t you?” she said as she walked toward the door.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œLying.”
    â€œGrading on a curve I’ll pull an easy B-plus in bullshittery any day.”
    â€œYou know I’ll share what I know with Zayvion,” she said as we walked down the stairs.
    â€œSure. Send him my way if he has any questions.”
    We walked out into the living room and Zayvion shifted in the love seat, making room for Allie to sit next to him, his arm around her.
    He gave me a questioning look and I shrugged. She’d tell him what we were talking about or not. Lady’s choice.
    Dash and Terric sat as far apart from each other on the