Lux [h.s]

nine

"I have a job proposal for you."

Cora knew it was a bad idea. It was more than that, it was an awful one. Possibly the worst decision of her life. Then why had she agreed to it?

She'd never been the kind of person that let themselves be persuaded easily, especially when the request was of dubious nature like that one.

But she hadn't been able to say no. There were just a few people in her life she could never disagree with, and it looked like Harry had quickly become one of them. Or more like, he'd always been.

Thinking about it, she'd always known he would've brought her to her demise, so really, she shouldn't have been that surprised by the events of that night. They were the result of a long sequence of circumstances that had started in the second she'd first given Harry a room, so precise and mathematical that there was no doubt his enchantress would've been able to predict it all just fine, if only she'd been asked.

She'd known it was a bad decision to give him her attention since the very first moment he'd stepped into her life with nothing but a blue feathered hat and a rose made of gold, but she'd liked to pretend it wasn't, for a little while. She'd thought it would be fun to indulge him a little bit, not realising that some people are just like quicksand: when you realise you got too close, it's already too late.

And so she'd followed him into his room with nothing on her mind like a moth rushes to the fire, too attracted by the light to realise it'll burn its wings.

She'd definitely been too naïve, and he'd taken advantage of it. He'd used her weaknesses to spark something between them, not caring when the blaze became too powerful to be stopped.

She'd followed him into his room and no bell had rung in her mind in alarm when he'd let the door close behind them, or when he'd started talking.

"I need you to do something for me, Cora."

"What is it?" she asked, curiously.

He still hadn't turned around and his back was to her, hiding the look on his face from her. "I need you to find an address for me."

She'd known it was a weird request in the second it'd first left his mouth. There was no excuse for her behaviour, because she'd known. She'd always known, and maybe, deep down, she'd also enjoyed it.

She'd liked to meet someone that seemed to understand her, for once. Someone that understood her feeling of never quite belonging somewhere, held between two worlds without truly being part of either. And in a way, he did.

Harry did understand her, because he was just like her. What she hadn't known, though, was that he'd also weaponised it, with the only difference that she hadn't been on the receiving end of his wrath.

It doesn't matter how familiar you are with fire, how many times you start it in a fireplace and wrongly believe you are its master, if you're too careless you'll get burnt just the same. But she hadn't been properly aware of it, which was why she'd found herself going along with his statement.

"What kind of address?"

Harry turned his head. Cora could see the moonlight hit his face, enhancing his side profile with a silvery line of light. "Someone's address."

She nodded. She could do that. "Whose address?"

"An old friend," he replied. "I'd do it myself, but you can understand how they wouldn't hand it out to me if I were the one asking. I'm a stranger, and I'm aware of my reputation in these lands."

Cora smiled. She would help him, especially if it was for a good cause such as seeing someone he used to know again. "What's the name?"

"Conner Everett."