Wild and Wicked Things

by Francesca May

One for malice Two for mirth Three for a death Four for a birth Five for silver Six for gold Seven for a secret never to be told Eight for heaven Nine for hell Ten to the devil wherever she may dwell

Whoever she is, she has a darkness inside her and it glitters like broken glass.

When he died fighting, Bea had cried every day for a month. Afterwards she was brighter, harder, brittle, all her tears cried out, her sadness replaced with glass.

“That you’re not like other women.” I sipped my coffee, purposefully taking my time in answering so she knew that I meant what I said. “I’m exactly like other women,” I said. “That is why they’re afraid of me.”

a bit of money and power never hurt anybody.

The taste of the memories was better than the memories themselves.

I’m not sure it’s safe to bring a bunch of nosy, kazamed Bright Young Things into the house, even if the garden’s warded.”

Nobody wants to escape if they already have everything they need.”