AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What about them?” I demanded with annoyance. “Are they responsible for these fires? For the murder? Who was killed, anyway?”
Odette padded closer to the desk and perched on the edge nervously, wringing her hands as if conjuring a spell.
“Stop that!” I snapped, certain that something was about to fly off one of my shelves in her anxiety. “What about these warlocks in Mynton?”
“They were never properly vetted,” she confessed. “The police were supposed to go and check on them, but they had moved on by the time anyone got around to it.”
“Lovely,” I growled sarcastically. “So now they’re here? Wreaking havoc on South Havenmire?”
“I did a locator spell on their caravan. I know where to find them,” Odette suggested quickly. “They’re not technically in South Havenmire, but they’re closer than Mynton now.”
I arched an eyebrow expectantly. “They’re inNorthHavenmire?”
I drew in a sharp breath. A bunch of rogue warlocks who undoubtedly liked to dabble in dark magic in the vicinity were as good suspects as any, in my opinion.
“Then why are we sitting here talking about this?” I almost yelled, rising. “Have the Royal Guards go to them at once.
“They’ve been dispatched,” Odette reassured me. “But there’s no one at the camp.”
“Because they’re too busy burning down my city,” I hissed, falling back into my chair. “But why? What would make them do that?”
“They’re warlocks,” Odette replied smugly. “They thrive on chaos.”
I shook my head. “No. That’s not true,” I replied bluntly. “They don’t just go burning down cities for no reason. And they don’t travel in covens. This isn’t typical. Find them and see what they’re about.” My shoulders tensed more. “Why wasn’t this brought to my attention sooner?”
Odette snickered mirthlessly. “You want us to run to you with every suspicious activity in the kingdom?”
“Yes,” I snarled. “That’s my job. To oversee the residents of Steelshire. I can’t do that if I’m not made completely aware of what’s happening in my kingdom.”
“I told you the police were handling it,” Odette protested.
“Except they didn’t, and now South Havenmire is burning. Get the Royal Guards in?—”
A loud knock on the office door cut off my sentence.
“What?” I yelled, and the head of the Royal Guards rushed in with Harman at his side. I was surprised to see my advisor from the Council there. “What are you doing here, Harman?”
“I’m here to offer my assistance, Alpha,” he replied bowing, but the head of the Guards stepped forward to interject.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Alpha, but there has been another murder. This one was at Miss Maren’s place of employment.”
Blood drained out of my face, and for half a second, I forgot that Maren wasn’t at Maximo’s that night.
“Who?” I choked, envisioning Tristiana or one of the other dancers.
“The club’s manager, Jergin. They found him in the alley outside, in the middle of the show.”
I jumped out of my chair and stalked toward the door, determined to get to Maren before she could hear the terrible news from someone else.
“Where are you going?” Odette screeched, materializing in a cloud of glistening gray in front of me. I sidestepped her and continued through the vast hallways of the castle, ignoring her question. “It’s not safe for anyone out there, Nyx!” Odette screeched.
“I’m going to Maren,” I growled when she wouldn’t leave it alone.
“NOW?” she howled. “Is this really the time to be thinking about your dick?”
I stopped abruptly and whipped around, advancing on her with such force, she gasped.
With my face inches from hers, I spoke with eerie calmly. “Sometimes, I think you forget yourself, Odette. Your service is to the kingdom, not the other way around.”
