“When Zoe sent Ariana irrevocably beyond the veil by destroyingEl Corazón, he, as a remnant of her magic, went as well.”
“And Moran stayed interred?”
“Yes, I had a colleague in Boston follow up,” Tariq said. “He remains undisturbed.”
Miles took over the telling of the story with added bits and tangents from Olive and Jasper and Tariq.
With my eyes shut, it was disconcerting to have so many voices coming from all directions in the room. I felt a solid weight sit on the armrest to my right and I knew without opening my eyes that it was Jasper. There was something both disturbing and comforting about his nearness. I tried to breathe myself into a state of calm with marginal success.
When they got to the part about Mamie appearing in the barn, they all went quiet. I knew they were waiting for me to finish the tale. I could have passed and let Miles finish, but that would have been the coward’s way out.
Instead, I sat up and opened my eyes. I turned to Tariqfirst, trusting that if his potion hadn’t worked, he’d come up with something else. Instead, a wide smile parted his lips and he said, “There she is.”
I turned back to the group and saw Agatha’s shoulders drop in relief. When I glanced at Jasper, he winked at me, and I glanced away before my flustered reaction was obvious to everyone.
“You don’t have to talk about this if you’re not ready.” Claire’s voice was gentle with understanding.
“No, it’s okay.” I swallowed around the knot in my throat. The sadness of losing Mamie all over again was going to take some time to fade.
I cleared my throat and described the events that had brought Mamie back and what had happened when she and Ariana had faced each other. I told them that in that final showdown, I had managed to unlock the grimoire and it had showed me how to call up the Dagger of Death.
“About that. Why did you stab the book and not Ariana?” Tariq asked.
“The grimoire specifically stated that I was to use the dagger on whatever the dark witch used for her power, which for Ariana wasEl Corazón. What happened to it, by the way?”
“We removed the dagger, and the book turned to ash just like Ariana. It is no more,” Miles said.
“How extraordinary.” Claire glanced at me. “Your family is very talented.”
“Apparently.” I nodded.
“I suggest you all take a few days off to recuperate from your ordeal,” Claire said.
“Or…” Olive swept a quelling glance around the room. “We could go out to the collection and do inventory to determine what other books that revenant stole.”
Tariq sighed and stood up. “I knew you were going to say that. Not even a near-death experience gets us a day off.”
Olive followed him out of Miles’s office. “If you knew, then why are you complaining?”
Claire rose and said, “We’d better mediate.”
I grabbed the grimoire off the table and followed the others into the main room to find Tariq and Olive still bickering.
I glanced at the three stories of dubious books surrounding me and felt the same stirring sensation of being home that I’d experienced the very first time I’d entered the BODO.
“What are your plans now, Zoe?” Miles asked. “Since your situation is resolved, we could take charge of the grimoire and keep it here for you if you’d like.”
I felt the book go still as if awaiting my answer. “Thank you, Miles, but I’m going to hang on to it.”
“If you’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
The corner of his mouth curved up and he said, “The job offer still stands.”
I felt all their eyes on me, waiting to hear what I’d say.
“About that.” I cleared my throat. “What’s the vacation situation?”
“Are you accepting?” Miles asked.
I glanced at the group. Both Claire and Agatha looked hopeful, Tariq encouraging, and Jasper—well, the man simply smoldered. I couldn’t look at him too long or I’d lose theentire thread of the conversation. Olive’s expression was bored, as per usual, while Miles seemed pensive.
“Yes,” I said. “I’m accepting.”
“That’s the first sensible thing you’ve ever said, Ziakas.” Olive clapped her hands. “We have an inventory to do, people. Let’s get to it.”
And so wedid.
