Page 40 of Grimoires & Glamoury

Charles flinched slightly at the news.

My eyebrows rose. “Doesn’t Sawyer’s family live in Hemlock Hollow?”

“They do,” Seth confirmed. “My theory is that the Fae have paid a visit and are looking for the grimoire and have either frightened off his parents...or eliminated them.”

“I wonder,” I said half to myself, “if Sawyer went home to the hollow thinking he could simply disappear in a rural area, and the Fae caught up to him?”

“Or they were already at his parents’ home, waiting for them,” Charles added.

Seth leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and putting himself closer to me. “I want you and Charles to go to the Hollow. It is our understanding, Lorna, that you have had dealings with the Fae in the past, and that you also have a professional connection with Ruby Prentiss-Dragos.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could say anything Seth was plowing right along.

“Retrieve the Fae grimoire,” he said, “and either lock it away never to see the light of day again, or better yet bring it to me and I will personally destroy the damn thing. Find out who murdered Tadd and what became of the Westons. Help bring their assailant to justice.”

If anyone else—or any other Supe—had dared to give me an order, my argument and outrage would have been loud and long. However, I was face-to-face with an ancient Vampire and as I didn’t have a death wish…I zipped my lip and simply inclined my head.

Sometimes, discretion was in fact, the better part of valor.

“We will leave right away,” Charles was saying.

“Good.” Seth nodded. “The Fae cannot be allowed to run unchecked through the mortal realm, killing in their quest for old treasure.”

“Agreed,” Charles said.

Old treasure? I thought.

As one, Ekaterina and Seth rose to their feet, signaling the end of the meeting.

“I will expect daily updates from the two of you,” Seth said.

Now I stood as well, and then Nadia was back again to escort us both out. Charles moved beside me, resting his hand at the small of my back. I was grateful for it—for once. Because a small part of me was shaken by what had gone down.

Nadia accompanied us to the elevator, pressed the button and smiled. “The number for you to contact us with has been sent to your cell phones,” she said.

The elevator door slid open and Charles and I stepped inside.

“Thank you, Nadia,” he said.

I gave her a polite smile and waited until the doors slid closed.

“God damn it,” I said under my breath as soon as the elevator began to move. “Looks like we’re going to Hemlock Hollow.”

“You never told me you had a contact in Hemlock Hollow,” Charles said.

“You never asked,” I shot back.

“Can you be ready to leave by noon tomorrow?” he asked as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

“Yes.” I sighed, thinking of how I was about to lean very heavily on Dex and Kathleen to run the store.

He nodded as he shot off a text message. “I’ll make arrangements for Chloe to stay with my brother and his wife for the next few days.”

I blinked up at him. “You have a brother?”

“I do,” he said. “Are you comfortable with me arranging for our travel?”

“That’s fine,” I said. “But FYI, it’s about a seven-hour drive...maybe longer. And it’s a rural area. Gravel roads. One of your fancy luxury cars wouldn’t be a great idea. We’d stick out like a sore thumb. Also dress casually. No fancy suits. Dress like a regular person.”