He closes his eyes, still trying to wrench himself away from me. Fortunately goblins aren’t any stronger than people; you just have to stay away from their teeth.

“Do you understand?” I say, slamming his body hard against the wall.

He starts to nod his head—which is a terrible idea.

I move the broom away. “Watch yourself. Just say it out loud.”

“Yeah,” he pants. “I understand.”

“If I see you again, I’ll kill you.”

“Why aren’t you killing me now?” he asks. A bit narky for someone in his position. “Wouldn’t that send the same message?”

I huff into his ear.

Because I’m tired, I think. And because for all I know, you’ve got a goblin wife and goblin kids, or a goblin boyfriend, and I’d like a life—I’d like a week—with a lower body count.

“Because I’m tired of washing goblin blood out my jeans,” I say.

I heave him back by the collar and shove him towards the door.

He glances over his shoulder at me, like he still can’t believe I’m letting him go.

“Seriously,” I say. “If I see you again, I’ll kill you. Even if I just accidentally run into you at Tesco.”

The goblin runs away.

I lean over and pick up his dagger. (Too bad I can’t keep it. Goblin gear is always cursed.)

Does this mean I have to find a new flat?

I bolt and chain my front door. I don’t have any furniture to shove against it, so I decide to use the broom handle like a wedge—that should slow someone down, at least. Then I call and order myself some pad thai from the place down the street.

I take off my trench coat. There’s nowhere to hang it, so I toss it on the floor. And then my shirt. I go into the bathroom to unstrap my wings. I’ve been using two belts. The leather chafes, and the buckles bite into my chest, and if I pull them too tight, I can’t breathe. But if I don’t hitch them tight, my wings work themselves loose and push out the back of my coat—which is too fucking hot to wear in the middle of summer. Honestly, it’s not worth leaving the flat.

I won’t have to deal with this after tomorrow.

I get the belts off and drop them on the floor, then try to crane my head around to see the spot where my wings actually attach to my shoulders. I can’t quite manage it. But I can feel the joints there, the two knots where my skin goes from soft to leathery.