Page 58 of Slayer

She smiled, cocking her head to the side. “Oh, you’re so much like your mother. Derek and I are totally fine financially. Thank you for thinking of us, but this is your money.”

I nodded, still dazed. Becoming a millionaire overnight felt surreal, like wearing someone else’s life. It seemed like it should belong to someone who cared about Louis Vuitton bags and Range Rovers. I thought they were flashy and overpriced. I had no idea what to do with this much money.

We stepped up to a woman seated at a sleek desk.

“Stella Sinclair for Steven,” Celia said.

The woman nodded. “He’s ready for you.” She gestured toward a set of closed double doors.

We moved that way, and Celia stopped. “I’ll be out here if you need me,” she said, taking a seat in the waiting room.

Oh. She wasn’t coming with? I almost asked her to stay with me, but I was an adult now. And there was one thing in my mother’s letter I needed to act on privately.

I nodded and opened the double doors, clutching the manila envelope in my hands that I’d brought, and a tall man in his mid-forties stood to greet me.

“Miss Sinclair, so nice to meet you.” He held out a hand.

I shook it.

“Please, call me Stella.”

He nodded. “Lost-born finding out she’s a Sinclair. You’re the talk of Veil Haven.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “No one is more surprised than me.”

He typed a few things on his computer and then turned the screen toward me. It glowed with charts, bars, and numbers that climbed into the tens of millions.

“We currently have your funds spread across a diverse set of assets including⁠—”

I held up a hand. “Okay, this is going to sound really bad, but I don’t really care. I just need ten grand cash and maybe a debit card?”

He paused, then smiled like he’d been expecting that. “I can do that, Stella. Is there anything else you need today?”

I hesitated. My mother’s letter had been paranoid and a little unhinged, but it had also felt urgent.

“Can you get me in touch with a real estate agent?”

He tilted his head. “In Veil Haven? My understanding is that you’ll live on campus for three years, but you can certainly add to your real estate portfolio now.”

I swallowed. “No. I need to buy something here…not in New York but in the…mortal world?”

He nodded slowly. “Gotcha. You know you can’t live here though, right? That it wouldn’t be safe.”

“Oh, I know. This is for a human friend. I want to bless her with a house,” I hedged.

He smiled. “That’s very kind of you. I have an agent at Sotheby’s who would be perfect.” He handed me a card. “Krista is the best, and she does international too.”

Perfect.

He handed me another card. “Here’s my cell and personal email. Anything you need paid here in the mortal realm, just forward it to me. Most hunters keep a dual phone and car in their posted city.”

“A dual phone?”

“A phone that works in Veil Haven but is also linked to here.” He walked over to his desk and pulled out a black smartphone with cord. “I got one set up for you this morning per Celia’s instructions.”

I nodded, taking the phone. “Thanks.”

He walked over to his computer and began to type out something. “I’m also setting up a ten thousand a month transfer to your new Veil Haven account so you can buy what you need for school.”