His gaze flatlined as he stared at me.“It doesn’t appear you’re taking this job as Guardian seriously, Miss Wakefield.”
“I am.”
“You’re too busy trying to get a date rather than do your job.The flower shop was closed today.”
I glared at him.“I know,” I snapped.“I had to.I was trying to get—”
I bit off my retort because he didn’t know about the grimoire and I didn’t want him to.
He didn’t even notice.
“That’s unacceptable.The Council—”
“You and the Council can mind your own business.I have everything under control.”
I was tired of this pushy guy.
“The Council,” he continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “has made a motion to remove you as Guardian and replace you with someone who can handle the Crossroads.”
I stiffened, staring at him.“That is unacceptable.Alice—”
“I explained to them Alice was dead and you’ve failed.”
“How dare you—”
“However,” he continued, talking over me.“I told them you were trying your best given that you had no knowledge of the Crossroads prior to Alice’s death.”
“Gee, thanks.”I wasn’t sure that was a win.
“And,” he said, “they’ve agreed to give you seventy-two hours to return the Red Queen and the fairy queen back to their rightful realms as well as close the Crossroads.”
“Seventy-two hours,” I said, my voice flat.“You think I can do all that in three days?”
“You have no choice,” he said.“I told them I’d monitor the situation and will report back.If you fail again, Miss Wakefield, you will be removed.”
And he sounded delighted by that fact.Like he was expecting failure.
I lifted my chin.“Do what you must, but I’ll see that the Crossroads are closed for good before your deadline.”
He gave me one curt nod.“See that you do.”
And then he was stepping down off the porch and heading to his car.I stood there in the late afternoon heat, sweat rolling down my back, watching him pull away and disappear down the country road.
“Jerk face,” I muttered.
Seventy-two hours.I had seventy-two hours to close the Crossroads and push two queens back to their respective realms.One I wasn’t so sure would go.
I stood there for the longest time with the grimoire clutched in my arm breathing through the urge to panic.I could do this.Ihadto do this because now I had no choice.
The problem was, I had no idea where to start—and the clock didn’t care.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ienteredthehouseto late afternoon sunlight slashing across the worn living room.I expected to find one of the queens lounging there, but neither were present.
No broken lamps.
No fairy dust littering the floor.
