Read Online The Magic Knot by Helen Scott Taylor - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Helen Scott Taylor
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would be running in the opposite direction screaming.
Gradually she became aware of the heavy silenceand glanced at Niall and Michael. They were both watching her: Niall with his mouth set in a tight line of disapproval, Michael with an indignant pout. Michael clicked his tongue. “Now, why does she not look at me that way? I have the glamour.”
Niall rounded on Michael. “Button your lip. We’re not here to stroke your ego.” Niall turned back to Rose, eyes veiled. “If you have questions about your father, lass, now’s your chance.”
Rose had lots of questions about her father, but first she wanted to discover what Niall was so eager to hide from her.
“Michael, what do you mean, that you have the glamour?”
Niall gave Michael a dirty look. “You could not keep your mouth shut.”
Michael shrugged. “Makes no difference.” He pointed his cigarette at Nightshade. “Exhibit one in the freak show. Meself, I’m just small fry.”
Nightshade growled low in his throat, raising the hairs on Rose’s body.
Niall smacked his palm on the kitchen counter. “Show her, Michael, if you must. But make it snappy.”
After depositing his glass on the counter, Michael held his hands before his face and wiggled his fingers. “Abracadabra.”
Niall rolled his eyes, drawing Rose’s gaze for an instant. When she looked back, Michael was different. It took a moment for her to work out what had changed. His face was the same, but the gloss had gone. His hair was no longer as thick and luxuriant, his complexion less glowing. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot. He was still good-looking, but in a more normal way, and he was clearly a little worse for wear.
Rose hadn’t thought of it for years, but whenever her mother looked awful after a drinking binge, she’d go to her room to refresh herself and return looking perfect. “I could use some of that. What is it? Some kind of illusion?”
Michael opened his mouth, but Niall beat him to it. “Something like that.”
Niall didn’t seem the type of man to use deceit to improve his looks, so she passed over him and stared expectantly at Nightshade. “I bet you use it too.”
The nightstalker grinned and arched a brow at Niall. “I’m naturally beautiful. My gift is different.”
“Your gift?” Presumably he meant his wings. She glanced at Niall, remembering his superhuman leap to rescue her. “Do you have a gift?”
“We have no time for this now.” He stared pointedly at the clock above the fridge. “What is it you be wanting to know about Tristan?”
Tristan
. Niall’s familiar use of her father’s Christian name jolted her back to reality. She was avoiding the very questions she craved answers for, frightened of what she’d discover. Reluctantly, she met Nightshade’s disconcerting silver gaze. “You said you know my father?”
“That’s right.”
“In what context?”
“They live together,” Michael chipped in as he clicked his lighter and lit another cigarette.
“Live together?” Rose studied Nightshade, who shifted uneasily. She glanced toward Niall, who avoided eye contact, then Michael, who grinned wickedly. The penny dropped with the thud of a lead ball. “Ah.”
Rose clutched the back of a chair. Her father had a
relationship
with this…this…The room suddenlyseemed too bright. She covered her eyes with a hand. When Rose’s mother had railed at her for being boring and plain, Rose had clung to her fantasy of a normal dad who would think as she did and value her academic achievements. She’d been ready to accept that her father might not be quite as she imagined, but this was beyond anything…
“Lass, are you feeling all right?” Niall’s gentle inquiry brought tears to her eyes for the disillusioned child inside her. She blinked them away before uncovering her face.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. It’s just a surprise.”
“You must come home with me, Rosenwyn,” Nightshade said in his dark, gravelly voice. “You and I
Gradually she became aware of the heavy silenceand glanced at Niall and Michael. They were both watching her: Niall with his mouth set in a tight line of disapproval, Michael with an indignant pout. Michael clicked his tongue. “Now, why does she not look at me that way? I have the glamour.”
Niall rounded on Michael. “Button your lip. We’re not here to stroke your ego.” Niall turned back to Rose, eyes veiled. “If you have questions about your father, lass, now’s your chance.”
Rose had lots of questions about her father, but first she wanted to discover what Niall was so eager to hide from her.
“Michael, what do you mean, that you have the glamour?”
Niall gave Michael a dirty look. “You could not keep your mouth shut.”
Michael shrugged. “Makes no difference.” He pointed his cigarette at Nightshade. “Exhibit one in the freak show. Meself, I’m just small fry.”
Nightshade growled low in his throat, raising the hairs on Rose’s body.
Niall smacked his palm on the kitchen counter. “Show her, Michael, if you must. But make it snappy.”
After depositing his glass on the counter, Michael held his hands before his face and wiggled his fingers. “Abracadabra.”
Niall rolled his eyes, drawing Rose’s gaze for an instant. When she looked back, Michael was different. It took a moment for her to work out what had changed. His face was the same, but the gloss had gone. His hair was no longer as thick and luxuriant, his complexion less glowing. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot. He was still good-looking, but in a more normal way, and he was clearly a little worse for wear.
Rose hadn’t thought of it for years, but whenever her mother looked awful after a drinking binge, she’d go to her room to refresh herself and return looking perfect. “I could use some of that. What is it? Some kind of illusion?”
Michael opened his mouth, but Niall beat him to it. “Something like that.”
Niall didn’t seem the type of man to use deceit to improve his looks, so she passed over him and stared expectantly at Nightshade. “I bet you use it too.”
The nightstalker grinned and arched a brow at Niall. “I’m naturally beautiful. My gift is different.”
“Your gift?” Presumably he meant his wings. She glanced at Niall, remembering his superhuman leap to rescue her. “Do you have a gift?”
“We have no time for this now.” He stared pointedly at the clock above the fridge. “What is it you be wanting to know about Tristan?”
Tristan
. Niall’s familiar use of her father’s Christian name jolted her back to reality. She was avoiding the very questions she craved answers for, frightened of what she’d discover. Reluctantly, she met Nightshade’s disconcerting silver gaze. “You said you know my father?”
“That’s right.”
“In what context?”
“They live together,” Michael chipped in as he clicked his lighter and lit another cigarette.
“Live together?” Rose studied Nightshade, who shifted uneasily. She glanced toward Niall, who avoided eye contact, then Michael, who grinned wickedly. The penny dropped with the thud of a lead ball. “Ah.”
Rose clutched the back of a chair. Her father had a
relationship
with this…this…The room suddenlyseemed too bright. She covered her eyes with a hand. When Rose’s mother had railed at her for being boring and plain, Rose had clung to her fantasy of a normal dad who would think as she did and value her academic achievements. She’d been ready to accept that her father might not be quite as she imagined, but this was beyond anything…
“Lass, are you feeling all right?” Niall’s gentle inquiry brought tears to her eyes for the disillusioned child inside her. She blinked them away before uncovering her face.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. It’s just a surprise.”
“You must come home with me, Rosenwyn,” Nightshade said in his dark, gravelly voice. “You and I
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