28 Chapter 28: Her Lips (1/2)

SALEM: I felt something against my shoulder.

Elina's eyes were closed. She breathed slowly, softly. She leaned to her side, her head resting against me.

I nudged her a little. No reaction. She was asleep. Unconscious. Vulnerable.

For the same reasons a witch hunter never falls asleep next to a witch, a witch never slept next to a witch hunter.

But she knew I couldn't kill her.

And I knew she couldn't kill me. Not so easily at least.

Her hair was still silver. I swallowed. This was the time first time I've seen her this close. Her lips were slightly parted. Her chest rose and fell slowly. Tiny flakes of magic glittered in her hair. Like snow. Like stars.

My nose itched. Her scent was that of a woman with magic laced in it.

With her eyes closed and her mouth shut, she almost looked like a human woman. Kind of like Julia Abernathy. It was frightening to think about how easily a witch could fool a man. Seduce man.

My eyes rested on Elina.

She was fooling me too.

She had lied to me. But which part did she lie about and why?

The part about Julia being a witch had to be true. Because if it was a lie, then she would've thought of something more believable.

Hmm...

It was easier to think of why she has lied.

There is something she wants from me.

”A down payment in good faith.”

”A down payment for your trust.”

The question was why would she want my trust?

But it isn't just about the why. The timing, the when, is important too.

Elina didn't pursue this kind of deal after we met the merchant and the mercenary, and the two knights from the Church, the green eyed bastard and his friend, Gregor.

She only proposed this after talking to Julia. Which means that Julia told her something she didn't know, something that caused her to plan ahead.

Whatever that plan was, it involved getting my trust. The only reason for wanting my trust is because she will need me to do something and has no way of forcing me to do it. She needs me to want to help her.

But help her with what?

I looked down at her. Her peaceful sleeping expression, innocent like an angel, but a devil when she was awake.