The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stifvater

Author:Maggie Stifvater
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2013-07-25T04:00:00+00:00

28

G

ood evening, king of swords.”

“And good evening, noble blade. Did you do a read

ing before I came? To tell you how it all worked out?” the Gray Man asked as he walked with Maura down toward the Champagne Mutiny. He had showered before he came, though he had not shaved his trademark grizzle from his jaw, and he looked nice, although Maura didn’t point this out.

“Did you kill someone before you left to pick me up?” Maura had traded her tattered blue jeans for a slightly less tattered pair of blue jeans and an off-the-shoulder cotton shirt that showed how well her collarbone and neck got along. She looked nice, although the Gray Man didn’t point it out.

But they were both aware that the other had noticed. “Of course not. I don’t think I kill nearly as many people as you think I do,” he said, opening the passenger door for her. “Do you know, this is the first time I’ve seen you wearing shoes. Oh, so — what’s going on there?”

Maura glanced over her shoulder to where he pointed. A small, weary Ford had just pulled up behind the Gray Man’s rental car. “Oh, that’s Calla. She’s following us to the restaurant to make sure you’re really taking me there and not burying me in the woods.”

The Gray Man said, “How ridiculous. I never bury anybody.” Calla gave a mean-spirited wave in his general direction. Her fingers were claws on the steering wheel.

“She likes you,” Maura said. “You should be glad. She’s a

good friend to have.”

The tired Ford followed them to the restaurant and waited

on the curb until the Gray Man and Maura were seated at a table

beneath a honeysuckle and Christmas-light-covered trellis. Fans

fixed in the corners kept the humid night at bay.

Maura said, “I’m going to order for you.”

She waited to see if he would challenge her, but he just said,

“I’m allergic to strawberries.”

“Six percent of the population is,” she noted.

He said, “I see where your daughter came from.” She beamed at him. She had one of those lovely, open, perfect smiles, genuinely happy and very beautiful. The Gray Man

thought, This is the worst decision I’ve ever made.

She ordered for them. Neither drank any wine. The appetizers were delicious, not because of the kitchen, but because all

food eaten in anticipation of a kiss is delicious.

The Gray Man asked, “What is it like, being a seer?” “That’s a funny way to put it.”

“I only mean, how much do you see, and how clearly? Did

you know I would ask that question? Do you know what I’m

thinking?”

Maura’s smile curled cleverly. “It’s like a dream or a memory,

but forward. Most of it is fuzzy, but sometimes we’ll see one

particular element very sharply. And it’s not always the future.

Oftentimes, when people come for a reading, we’re really telling

them things they already know. So no, I didn’t know you would

ask that question. And yes, I know what you’re thinking, but

that’s because I’m a good guesser, not a good psychic.” It was funny, the Gray

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