Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“But can you control those players?” Austin asked as I sat down beside him.
“Can I? Yes. Can Niamh? I don’t know. I get the feeling she’s dabbling in things not even I have dared to mess with.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Austin said.
“There’s another matter we need to discuss as well.” Tristan rubbed his chin in thought, still looking out the window. “A certain well-connected mage has gone missing. The connected parties have been incredibly tight-lipped, but…I have…thoughts.”
“Is it urgent?” Austin asked.
“No.” Tristan glanced at me. “Didn’t the ex change the dinner to tonight, since you couldn’t make last night?”
Butterflies swarmed my belly. As I’d expected, Matt hadn’t been pleased about the change in plans. “Yeah. It’s a late afternoon supper.”
Tristan nodded. “It can wait, alpha, until you get a chance to talk to Niamh. I don’t have anything concrete, just some connecting of the dots and a hunch.”
I pulled up Hollace’s number on my phone then handed off the envelope for Austin to open.
“Yup,” Hollace said when he picked up. “Jessie?”
“Yeah, hi. What’s the situation?”
Cyra’s voice drifted in. “What’s she saying?”
“Hang on, Jessie, let me put the call on speaker.” Hollace’s phone was muffled, and then he spoke again. “Did you notice we were gone, or did something happen?”
“Two mages snuck into the yard and attempted magic,” I told him as Austin broke the foil sticker sealing the package. “Her called me. The original basandere.”
“We’re calling her June behind her back,” Cyra said. “Otherwise it gets too confusing.”
“June, then. They’re taking the mages to the Box. Why did you leave?”
“Not to sound cloak and dagger, but you’ll see when we get there,” Hollace said. “There’s a box for you. Or a package or whatever. We should be there in about…” The phone muffled again. “How long, Edgar?”
“You’re letting Edgar drive?” I asked in sudden alarm.
“Oh heavens no,” Hollace replied. “Only one of us can come back from the dead. No, Patty is driving. She insisted.”
“Hello, Jessie,” Patty, Ulric’s mom, called from somewhere in the car. “I didn’t mind at all, don’t you worry. We have only one pit stop to make along the way—a friend lives near there. She gave up the garhette life and moved in with a lovely Jane woman. I’m just going to say hello really quick—”
“No way,” Cyra said. “No—Edgar, tell her. We can’t stop along the way for any reason. It’s in the note. We have to go straight there. You promised.”
“Yes, but—”
“I have an early supper with the ex tonight anyway,” I interrupted, not needing the argument. “You—”
“What’s a supper?” Cyra asked.
“An afternoon delight,” Patty helped.
“No—oh my God, no. Not an afternoon delight. You need to look that term up. It’s basically an early dinner. Matt has always been very concerned about his evening routine and his bedtime. When it comes to gatherings like this, he prefers to start and end early.”
“Why not just call it Early Bird Special, like the diner in town?” Cyra asked.
“Because early supper sounds better. He thinks it’s posh.”
“Weird,” Hollace said.
“Anyway, doesn’t matter.” I waved the thought away. “You don’t have to hurry, basically.”
“Who is Matt again?” Patty asked.
“Her ex-husband,” Cyra responded. “Even though there is a holiday party with both families, he’s insisting on Jessie meeting with him and his new squeeze alone. He’s obviously trying to flaunt his status.”
“Well, we probably won’t do the holiday party because—” I started.
“Oh my—well, Austin Steele will put a stop to that,” Patty interrupted. “I need to get an invite to the holiday party, though. I don’t know anyone who can talk up Jessie better than I can. I’ve practically made a science out of it. Why—”
“No, no.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “No. We’re not even—it’s fine. It’s all going to be fine. Just get here. Bring the box, or whatever you have. And there better not be a severed head in it.”
There was a pause.
“This just got super dark,” Hollace murmured.
“Oh, she’s not at all as wholesome as she seems,” Edgar said in the background. “Sometimes she comes out with things that make you worry you may not wake up the next morning. You know, for those of you who sleep.”
“No—I mean, because of the movie Se7en?” I said. “With Morgan Freeman and the— Never mind. Just get here.”
I tapped the end button and noticed Tristan’s grin.
“What?” I asked.
He chuckled. “You and your crew provide endless entertainment.”
“I’m glad you’re amused.” He laughed harder, and I pushed up off the couch. “I’m going for a shower, and then we’ll go through what’s in that envelope. We need to figure out if we’re going to go to that dinner.”
“We’re definitely going to the dinner,” Austin said. “What we need to figure out is how dangerous it’s going to be before we enter their world.”
I paused and pointed at Austin. “Could you really force them out of L.A.?”