Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109329 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109329 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“Agnes?” Sebastian shook his head. “What does she have that Momar might want? Not magic. I’ve spoken to her a few times—had a look around her…store. It’s pretty generic stuff. Low level.”
“You can’t think of anything in there that Momar might want?” Austin asked him.
Sebastian shook his head slowly, thinking before answering. In the end, he shrugged. “No. She doesn’t even have anything on Ivy House. Maybe he thinks there’s something in there worth looking for, but he’ll come up empty. I’m sure of it.”
“This person that they sent in,” Aljoe said. “Are they expendable?”
“Not in the way you’re thinking,” Sebastian said. “They weren’t sent here to die. They’ll be good at their job and trained appropriately. No, they are after something specific here, and they sent in someone they thought could get the job done.”
“They would have to break in to an establishment to get that,” Austin said. “Right?”
They turned down the street to Ivy House. Something gave an inarticulate yell. A shape moved in the darkness.
Everyone stopped. Sebastian put up his hands and stepped in front of Austin like he was actually the resident alpha. Austin didn’t react other than to step back, out of the way.
Aljoe’s sisters widened their eyes at Aljoe, surprised Austin would so easily allow someone else to usurp his power. They didn’t understand this place. They couldn’t know that by allowing Sebastian to seamlessly do his job, Austin saved lives.
Visiting shifters wouldn’t understand, either. That sort of behavior would invite challenges at the conclave.
Jessie stepped forward too, the two mages side by side.
Something flailed in the middle of the street. A humanoid shape ran toward them, out of the darkness. Standing seven or so feet tall, it had two divots for eyes, a slit for a mouth, and no defining characteristics. It almost looked like gray matter, constructed from dirt or clay or something.
“What the hell is that?” Fred said, backing away.
The creature bellowed and waved its hands, each ending in three fingers and a thumb, before breaking left and running into the trees.
Jessie and Sebastian both exhaled, dropping their hands.
“It’s just the golem,” Jessie said, shrugging.
Lights blinked on down the street. They swung around, headlights now pointed their way. A car sped toward them.
Jessie stepped in its way, her hands out again.
The plain gray car slowed to a stop and an older lady stuck her head out the driver’s window.
“It went that way.” Jessie pointed into the trees.
“Ah, thanks, hon,” the woman said with a relieved smile. “He keeps breaking the lock on the basement door.”
“Honestly, Betty, we can’t have it running around downtown,” Jessie said evenly. “There are still a few Dicks and Janes living around here. I’m going to have to give you a warning. If it keeps getting out, we’re going to have to…retire it.”
How did you kill a big clay humanoid thing?
Betty clucked her tongue. “I know. I do. But I forgot which book I used to create it, and I’m afraid if I try to get rid of it, I’ll accidentally make another one. Then I’ll have two. Know anyone who wants a golem? Free to a good home.”
“Are ya jokin’?” Niamh asked incredulously. “I told ye ten years ago that I’d get rid of that thing for ya.”
“And I told you that I didn’t want to get rid of it ten years ago,” Betty snapped at her. “But now I do. Where’s that help when I need it?”
“In whatever book ye used to bring that noisy thing to life,” Niamh returned.
“Maybe put it in a bonfire?” Fred said. “Clay turns to pottery when fired, right? So, fire it and then go after it with a hammer. That should work.”
Aljoe spat out an unexpected laugh.
Betty narrowed her eyes at Fred. “What a horrible thing to say!” She shook her head, her gaze back to Jessie. “I should give you the warning, Jessie Evans. There’s too many odd magical folk around here.”
She peeled out and sped away.
“She’s the one that doesn’t want the thing, like,” Niamh said. “And now look, it’s running wild.”
“Did you hear what she called me?” Fred looked at everyone with wide eyes. “She thinks I’m magical.” She smiled. “That’s a compliment, right?”
“Sometimes,” Niamh said.
Aljoe started laughing again.
“We’ll need to ask Nessa about breaking in,” Sebastian told Austin, getting back to the conversation. “She was right there. I would assume so, though, unless businesses here leave their doors unlocked.”
“If there was a break-in, someone would’ve reported it,” Austin said.
“They took off quickly tonight.” Sebastian looked out toward the trees, something Aljoe had learned was him magically searching for something that might be out there. “They didn’t wait around until the gargoyles and shifters left, though they could have. I’m guessing, actually. Let’s hurry and talk to Nessa.”
She was in the sitting room sipping hot tea. The second they’d all filed in, she said, “Well, did you get something?”