The Fake Dating Spell novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Sabine's Offer

Tavish read the page for a long time.

He stood in the grey morning light of the bedroom with the paper in his hand.

Wynne sat on the edge of the bed wrapped in a quilt.

"I don't remember writing it," she said.

"No."

"You aren't surprised."

"I'm angry," he said. "That isn't the same."

"At me?"

"No." He folded the paper once, carefully. "Get dressed. We're going to see your friend."

"Why Pippa?"

"Because you said Aventine gave you that ring. And because I'd like to know who sold him what."

Pippa's herb shop stood on the corner of Tallow Lane, with strings of dried lavender over the door and a cat asleep in the window.

She was behind the counter grinding yarrow when they came in, and she took one look at Wynne's face.

"What happened?"

"Nothing," Wynne said. "A strange night. Pippa, did Lorcan ever buy anything from you?"

"Lorcan? Oh, lots. He never paid on time."

"Anything odd? Around the time we met?"

Pippa put down the pestle.

"Grey stone resin," she said slowly.

"Two years ago, the week after he met you. I thought it was for a ring."

She rubbed her chin.

"It's what jewelers use to set a stone so it can't come out."

She frowned.

"I remember because he asked for the kind that dissolves in the blood. He said his betrothed had very sensitive skin."

Nobody said anything.

Tavish went to the shop window and stood with his back to them, and the thread stretched to its full length.

Wynne's hand rose to the ring.

The bell over the door rang.

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