Wild Knight (Midnight Empire: The Tower #1)(16)

“Think of the money though,” I said to no one in particular. It would be enough to tide me over for months. In Britannia City, that was the difference between survival and a visit to an early grave. I was healthy and strong, but it only took one bad stroke of luck to turn fortune’s tide. One wound that took too long to heal. One encounter with the wrong people.

A knock on the door forced me to my feet. So rude. Didn’t they know I’d had a long day? All I wanted now was a shower and sleep.

I opened the door and greeted Mona Keyes, my landlord. She didn’t own the building though. She only managed it for a man called Elliot whom I’d never met. She was a stout woman with medium-brown hair the same shade as her eyes. Her skin was maybe half a shade lighter with gold undertones. Large freckles dotted her face and arms. When I first met her, I must’ve stared at her freckles for what seemed like an eternity. My mother once told me freckles were caused by the sun and yet somehow people managed to pass down the trait to their descendants. You didn’t see them often, so when you did, you stared.

Or at least I did.

“How are you, Mona?”

She knocked on the wooden frame. “The door’s sticking. I’ll ask Bruno to fix it.”

“Thanks, I was going to mention it. Want tea?”

“No, thank you. I’m here to give you notice we’re getting new windows installed next week.”

My eyebrows crept up. “The whole building?”

Nodding, she pushed her glasses to the bridge of her nose. At least they were connected to a chain around her neck. Judging from the number of times they slid, I guessed there were plenty of moments she missed and they dropped off her nose completely.

“They’re past their best and some of the lower-floor windows have started to crack. Elliot wants all of them replaced at the same time.”

“I smell a rent increase in my future.”

She offered a weak smile. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Will you be with them?” My flat was warded, but I’d carved an exception in the spell for Mona. She was the landlord. If there was an emergency, I needed her to be able to enter if I wasn’t here. Of course, that presented a risk because multiple animals violated the lease, but I’d weighed the pros and cons and made what I felt was an informed decision.

“I’ll let them in if you’re not here, but I have no interest in hanging about while they work.” She rolled her eyes. “You know how men are. It’ll be all bawdy chatter. Half the time I swear it’s to make me uncomfortable.”

I mulled over the situation. I’d have to send the animals to the temporary realm I used in case of emergency, but they hated it there. The last time I sent them, Big Red expressed his displeasure upon his return by having explosive diarrhea all over the flat.

“You know, there’s actually nothing wrong with my windows, so maybe you could skip mine. It’s only the door I’d like fixed at the moment.”

Mona pressed her lips together to form a thin line. “I’m not sure that will matter. Once Elliot gets a bee in his bonnet…” She shrugged. “You know how men are.”

“I would appreciate it if you could let him know my windows are perfect as they are.”

“I can tell you right now what the answer will be. He won’t want to deal with yours later.”

I begrudgingly accepted defeat. If I put up too much of a fight, they’d wonder why. I didn’t need anyone suspicious of me.

One of the animals brushed against the back of my leg and I jerked the door so that there was only an inch gap. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m desperate for a shower.”

Mona sniffed the air. “Yes, I thought I smelled fish. You should really open the windows when you cook it.”

“Good suggestion. I’ll definitely do that next time.” I started to close the door, but Mona wedged the toe of her shoe in the doorway to stop it.

“There’s one more matter to discuss.”

Uh oh. “What is it?”

“The rubbish collection schedule has changed to Mondays. If you put yours out too early, you’ll be asked to bring it in. We don’t need to attract pests. There are more than enough of those already.”

“Noted. Thank you.”

I closed the door and pressed my forehead against the doorjamb. I really needed to add an early warning system to my ward. I’d never forgive myself if I came home to find the animals gone. I knew exactly what would happen to them too. There’d be no rehoming. They’d end up on someone’s dinner plate. Even Hera. These were desperate times for many people and they weren’t above eating whatever meat they could get their hands on.

This seemed like a sign from the universe to accept the prince’s offer. If I needed to change flats unexpectedly, I’d need the money to pay the security deposit plus first and last month’s rent. It was money I didn’t have.

I locked the door and turned to face the animals. “I can’t take any chances. I’ll have to send you to your holiday home until these windows are installed.”

In the meantime, I’d do the job for House Lewis and collect the generous fee. If I needed the money to move, I’d have it. If not, it would be a nice nest egg.

I ignored the noises of disapproval and headed to the bathroom for a hot shower. I did some of my best thinking in there and right now I needed to strategize. Tomorrow I would enter the belly of the beast and I had to force myself to think through every possible scenario to quell my nerves. I needed to feel prepared for every outcome, however unrealistic.