Page 51 of Grimoires & Glamoury

The drive was quiet and much to my relief the males left me to my own thoughts. I took advantage of the silence by rolling down my window and allowing the breeze to wash over me, cleansing any unwanted energies from the coroner’s office. The cool, rain-washed breeze also helped ward off motion sickness. Mostly. I mean my stomach was already in a knot from what I’d recently seen. At this point nausea was the least of my problems.

Despite being upset, my magick did not call up any storms, but a light rain shower continued to fall as we drove.

In about half an hour, the rain had tapered off, and we drove down a long gravel drive and arrived at a pretty two-story stone house nestled into the forest. Homey and charming, there was a pair of dormer windows on the second floor, and a wide covered porch with stacked stone supports. Spring flowers were blooming around the house, and children’s bicycles were out front.

Damien parked beside the house, and before I had time to reach for the door handle, he had already exited and opened the door for me. He’d used his Vampire speed.

“Thank you,” I said.

With a small smile, he inclined his head respectfully. “Magistra.”

The screen door creaked open and a gorgeous female with long black hair stepped out on the porch. She was wearing jeans and a chambray shirt and had a baby on her hip. The dark-haired baby took one look at Damien and squealed happily.

I stayed right beside the car and waited for Charles to join me. Despite her casual mortal clothes, I knew exactly who the female on the porch was. I could literally feel her energy radiating out from across the yard.

“Problem?” Charles whispered, taking my hand in support.

“That female is Fae, and royal.”

“Well then, this ought to be interesting,” Charles said out of the side of his mouth. He gave my hand a bolstering squeeze. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” I said and together we walked over and made our way up the porch steps.

Damien smoothly introduced us. “Lorna, Charles, this is Oona Archer.”

“Archer?” Charles asked. “You are married to the sheriff?”

Oona smiled. “I am.”

“Your Highness,” I said, figuring that using a formal protocol might be my safest move.

She waved that away. “Please, here in the hollow I prefer to simply be addressed as Oona.”

I shook my head. “That’s not your full official title, though...is it?”

“Technically,” Damien said, “her title is Her Royal Highness, Princess Oona of the Dark Fae, and sovereign of the Sanctuary Lands of Hemlock Hollow.”

Charles’ whole posture changed. He gave the slightest bow to Oona. “We are honored to have received an invitation to your home.”

I said nothing. I was far too busy trying not to panic, or to let the royal Fae see how uneasy I was.

CHAPTER TEN

Fortunately for me, the baby promptly broke the tension by throwing herself at Damien.

He scooped her right up. “Hello beautiful, girl,” Damien crooned, taking her in his arms.

“This is my daughter, Isla,” Oona said, rolling her eyes at the baby who was babbling away at Damien. “And she is infatuated with Damien’s pretty face.”

Charles grinned at the excited baby. “I’d say that’s mutual.”

I did my best to adapt to the unexpected circumstances. The last thing I would have expected was to meet a member of the royal Fae and for them to act down to earth and normal. Although just because Oona Archer presented herself as a mundane wife and mother did not mean that she was.

In my experience that typically meant the glamoury around them was all the more complex. From behind Oona the door opened and two other males and a female stepped out. The first male had light blonde hair, was tall, very muscular and broad. He walked like a soldier and introduced himself to us as Valentin Lowell. The Hunter—a sort of Supernatural sheriff, judge, and if needs be executioner—of Hemlock Hollow.

The second male was slightly taller and moved with a fluid grace that made me think of either a martial artist or a dancer. He was obviously Fae and dazzlingly beautiful. Tucking his golden hair behind his pointed ears, he stepped forward with a hand extended in friendship.

“Hello,” he said. “I am Finnlagh O’Brien, ambassador to the light court here in the hollow.”