Within These Wicked Walls(79)

“And debtera work at night, too. So, you know, we’d be awake at the same time.”

“Right. Okay.” I raised my eyebrows at him. What did art and exorcism have to do with each other? “Are you going to help me with these weapons?”

“We could be together,” he clarified. “And we could be nocturnal.”

That made me laugh, and it lifted the seriousness from his expression. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me in for a kiss. After a moment I pulled back, breathless. “I want to be with you, nocturnal or not,” I said, rubbing my nose to his. “But first things first.”

“Right, yes, the Evil Eye,” he said with a heavy sigh, as if he were tired of hearing about it. “And then, wedding preparations.”

I gaped, then snapped my jaw shut, blinking at him for a moment. “Wedding preparations?”

“Of course.”

“What do you mean of course?”

“Andi,” Jember called from the top of the stairs, “come see me in your room.”

“Oh, thank God,” I murmured, rushing out of the room and up the stairs. I had been beginning to sweat. A wedding … I couldn’t even imagine it. I’d never really wanted to. Men seemed to need periodic babysitting, but women came already fully capable—unless they were unable to work or wanted children. But I was working, doing what I loved, and I could cook and defend myself. And bearing children was the furthest thing from my mind.

Our ideas for the future vastly differed, but there would be plenty of time to talk about that when he was safe and well.

Like you said, Andi. First things first.

Jember followed me into my cozy room and locked the door behind us. The door had an amulet nailed to it, one I’d never seen before. “What’s that for?”

“Extra protection,” he said, easing himself to sit on my bed. He was wearing some of the dark grey knitwear this house had chosen as its uniform. It was strange seeing him in dark colors. I’d grown up seeing him in mostly white, with rich colors as accents. The grey didn’t suit him. “Because you counteracted the temperature, the Evil Eye isn’t connected to this room, thus can’t hear us. But I added an extra shield, just in case.”

“Just in case of what?”

“The two of us are the only ones who can be in on the plan of attack. If Magnus or Saba get wind of it, it’ll get back to the Evil Eye. We need to work with the element of surprise as much as we can.”

“I understand. So what’s the plan?”

“We need to put up as much defense as possible. If we prepare a room ahead of time—the game room downstairs, which I’ve already started on—we can create barricades with amulets to keep the hyena inside.”

“But it’ll break through. We need more defense than just amulets.”

“If the hyena’s target is inside the room with it—hear me out,” he said, and I clamped my jaw shut again. “The target and someone helping to protect them in the room. An amulet shielding the doorway. And then you, outside of the room, constructing the amulet.”

How could I tell him I would be the one inside the room without giving myself away?

“We can’t lock Kelela in with it, there’s no way she’d be able to help defend herself with her injuries. And if she’s killed—God forbid—the Evil Eye will just go dormant again and this will all be for nothing.”

“If the hyena is focused on the target it won’t bother to waste time breaking down the defense at the door. It’s important that you’re out of danger while you’re working.”

“I think you should be the one constructing the amulet. You’re much faster than I am.”

“I’ll be gone before then. And you’re fast enough.”

Tomorrow I’d have to try to force him to stay again, but that was a problem for tomorrow. “Is this how you did it?”

“I didn’t have a team of people. Just me. I’d sent the target out of the house for the day, then spent part of the afternoon scattering the limbs of the Evil Eye’s servant around the city. But I did lock it in a room with the defensive amulet on the door, and I crouched on top of a high bookcase for extra protection.”

My gape tweaked into a grin. “That’s brilliant.”

“It only just worked. If I’d had help maybe I wouldn’t be…” He gestured to his leg. “And I hadn’t had time to construct any more than one shield at the door. I’ll show you how, and we can make at least three apiece tonight if you’re willing to stay up.”

“Of course I’m willing. I’ll do whatever it takes. Although, I’m not really comfortable scattering Saba across the desert.”

“Me neither. We’ll just have to keep an eye on her.” He leaned over, his forearms on his thighs, and groaned. “I can’t believe I left my pills at home.”

“And your mentee, now that we’re on the subject.”

“What?” Jember lowered his brows for a moment, then raised them. “Oh right. Him.” He winced, rubbing his knee. “Maybe he’ll get fed up with waiting and go back to his parents. That would be the perfect homecoming present.”

“I’ll ask Saba to bring you some medicine.”