“The mind is the seat of higher consciousness. The third eye. The heart is believed to hold memory and wisdom. There are a multitude of rituals one might use to scrape information from these remnants—and they would need it to be living tissue. Perhaps your killer was looking for some kind of information both of your victims shared, not revenge,” said Iona.
Saga pushed herself up enough to sit back on her heels, and the worldswam around her. “Like information on Eira Goff.” She felt drained and nauseated.
The two women had squared off while Saga had been incapacitated, but hearing her voice now, they took a step back from each other, Avery returning to Saga’s side.
“Eira was a shrewd businesswoman and brilliant chemist.” Saga took a deep breath, and, with an offered hand from Avery, she shakily made her way to her feet. “She made billions in pharmaceutical patents, among other things. A lot of that information might have died with her… But perhaps her nurse or closest friend might have had some of it.”
Iona’s eyes flashed. They were cold now. Hungry. “Deliciousandclever. I admit, Hemlock, I am almost jealous of your good fortune.” She gave a mockingly apologetic smile to Saga. “Though I learned years ago humans are far too emotionally unstable for my employ.”
Avery shifted her position, standing between Saga and Iona once more. “You swear to me thatnone of thiswas done with your magic or knowledge?”
“I am an agent ofretribution, Hemlock. You’re looking fordesperation.”
Avery gave a curt nod to Iona. “Thank you for your time.” She offered her arm to Saga and led the way toward the door.
They’d taken a few steps when Iona’s velvet melody stopped them. “Saga,” the iele purred, proffering a business card between two perfectly manicured fingers. “Call me when you’re ready to accept the justice you deserve.”
“We’re leaving, Iona,” Avery growled.
Saga took the card without looking up. It was a long-practiced defense. If you take the card or the pamphlet, the hard sell stops. It didn’t mean you had to call or buy anything. It was your ticket out. “Let’s go.”
Once out the front doors, Saga broke away from Avery’s support. The fresh air stung against her cheeks, and she wiped at the tear stains, hands imprecise in their frustration.
“Are you well?”
“No!” Even Saga was surprised by the power of the word as it erupted out of her. “What the fuck was that, Avery?”
“I am sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” Saga choked on the words, her anger rising.
“I should have removed her sooner, I misjudged how deep under you were.” There was a simple sincerity to this admission. “You did not deserve to have those moments dragged out of you, especially not with an audience present. If you want to continue this investigation together, I promise that moving forward I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety, both physical and mental.” No excuses. No guilt.
Saga believed her and so her anger fizzled, escaping as a strange, frustrated sigh that tightened her throat and threatened tears were not far behind. “How were you so unaffected? Weren’t you the one who called her ‘The Addler’?”
“I no longer have anything she can feed on.” As this didn’t paint a clearer picture, begrudgingly Avery elaborated. “There were those who helped me destroy the Erlking, and there were those who merely helped me find the motivation.” Avery smiled bitterly, sucking air in through her teeth with a shuddered breath. “I have no current desire for revenge.”
Saga looked back at Reprise, and Avery’s reluctance to talk about her relationship began to make more sense. She wanted to ask more, but knowing how vulnerable she’d felt even after Iona’s magic had been interrupted, she thought better of it. When Avery was ready, she would tell her. “We have to make a plan for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” There was hope in Avery’s voice.
“Eira’s funeral just became our only lead.”
42Iele is the Romanian name for this particular kind of fey, whose natural form is very similar to beautiful human women. It isn’t common to find iele living without a community of other iele; they are not solitary creatures. Many things have been written over the years about them, and many may be true, but what can be certain is this: (1) The iele are able to see the scales of justice within each individual. (2) A contract with an iele will bring you justice, but the iele will feed on the vengeance you take. (3) An iele has the power to seduce you into a contract, much like a siren or succubus.
43The practice of divination through the study of the viscera, especially the liver of a sacrificed creature.
Chapter 15
Avery
