AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That depends. Are you going to ask a little more nicely?” He turned to Eva again. “Are you sure you want to partner up with this guy? I promise I’m a much better choice.” He winked. “I haven’t lost a piece of a dragon’s hoard.”
I growled. “Does Liam know you’re hitting on random women?”
He rolled his eyes. “Temper, temper.”
Eva cleared her throat. “Can you help us track someone down?” she asked, bringing us back to our task at hand. “I’m pretty sure my brother stole the artifact. But he never went home after. I don’t know where he is. If I call him, would you be able to pinpoint his location?”
Seth instantly turned serious. “Sure, as long as you keep him on the phone long enough.”
“I suspect he’s working for someone who has strong enough magic to cast a stable portal,” I put in. I figured if he was going to help us, he might as well know all the details. It could mean the difference between failure and success.
“If he is in an area that is warded against magic, I might have some difficulty,” Seth admitted. “But I can break through low-level wards. And us being here at Desmon’s place means they won’t be able to track us right back. However, I have a feeling they’ll know where it’s coming from. Did you want to do this right now?”
Eva shrugged. “Sure, why not? The faster we figure this out, the better.”
She picked her purse up from the armchair and pulled out her phone. She made a face when she looked at the screen.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s just my boss again. I’m going to ignore it. She’ll be upset no matter what I say, and I’ve already told her I can’t go in today.” Eva covered the side of her mouth and lowered her voice, as if telling us a secret. “She’s a bit of a bitch.”
“Sit here,” Seth said, pointing to the armchair, “so I can focus my magic on one spot.”
She sat, and dialed the number. After a moment, she frowned. Then, after a little longer, she covered the mouthpiece. “He’s not picking up.”
“Do you think he’s suspicious?” Seth asked.
“He used my house as a getaway spot, so I’m not sure. Tony’s never been really smart or particularly clever.”
“He was clever enough to get past security and steal the artifact,” Seth said, glancing my way. “That must count for something.”
“No,” Eva said, ending the call. “I’m pretty sure someone helped him there, and he was just following orders. I mean, he’s usually shit at that too, but this isn’t how he normally operates. He doesn’t think ahead. Never has. And he wouldn’t look twice at a historical artifact, magic or not. He’s more of a petty thief. I can try again in a bit. I hope I’m not taking up too much of your time.”
“Nah, I’m staying to visit with my mother anyway. We can try again after a late lunch.”
“Is it lunchtime already?” Eva checked the time on her phone. “Wow, it is! I am famished, come to think of it. I haven’t eaten all day.”
“Skipped breakfast?” Seth asked. “It’s supposed to be the most important meal of the day.”
“Yeah, well, Mr. Slave Driver over there hasn’t let me eat yet.”
Seth laughed. “See? Another reason to come with me instead. I’ll feed you.” He glanced at Eva’s phone. “I should put a spell on your phone to start the trace, in case your brother calls while I’m not there.”
“Ooh, you can do that? Like one of your canned spells?”
“You saw those, huh? Bottled spells are so yesterday. This is a little different. You’ll still need to get to me ASAP once you pick it up so I can guide it, but it should start the process.” He took the phone from her and got to work.
The door to the library opened, and Elana poked her head in. I introduced the older lady to Eva. Unlike her son, Elana was very proper, with her blonde hair, now sprinkled with silver and gray, gathered neatly in a low bun at the nape of her neck. There was a story behind why Seth’s mother lived with Desmon, but I didn’t know the details. They rarely talked about it, and I never pried. It wasn’t my job to know.
Whatever the connection was, the woman earned her keep by making sure the place was well-run and did a good portion of the cooking as well. She had lost her magic years ago but had started relearning and rebuilding it ever since she found—or rather, Seth found—her long-lost daughter, Tansy. I’d met Seth’s sister several times. She was a sweet girl and was practically attached at the hip to her demon, much like Seth was with his Liam. Demon loving must run in the family.
While Desmon’s estate was impressive, it wasn’t too difficult to maintain, since unlike many dragons who liked to be waited on hand and foot, Desmon preferred his privacy. Before Carly moved in, it had only been him, Elana, the groundskeeper Logan, and a handful of guards who lived on-site. I had been one of those guards and had called this place home for a few years.
“Lunch is ready. We’re having lobster rolls today, and I made plenty extra, so please join us,” Elana said.
I licked my lips. I did enjoy seafood, and we had to eat anyway. But what sealed the deal was Eva’s hopeful look. I felt bad for not thinking of her needs. I tended to ignore things like food when I was working, especially if it was something as important as this case. But I shouldn’t expect her to do the same. I should’ve fed her before coming here.
“Thank you. We’d love to stay,” I said. My chest tightened at Eva’s grin.
