on the screen. “I don’t know, but we’d better find out.”
“Angel thinks we’re in for something big.”
As we watched the report spinning out, I could feel the hair standing up on my arms. Angel was right. Typhon was sending something new at us and, whatever it was, we weren’t going up against a mere batch of skeletal warriors.
I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. All the joy that I had felt over Viktor’s announcement had drained away. We were truly entering the war against the Father of Dragons, and life wasn’t going to let us forget what we were facing. After a moment, I turned and headed down the hall, poking my head into Yutani and Talia’s office. Yutani glanced up and I saw that he was watching the news on his tablet.
“You saw?”
He nodded. “Yeah. But it’s worse than that. The local channel just came out with a report. Something similar is happening in the Worchester District. We’d better get ready to rumble.”
As he stood, I cursed under my breath. Just what we needed right now. Angry that we couldn’t have one day to celebrate—just one day to breathe—I gave him an abrupt nod and headed for my office. It was time to get suited up and ready to go.
Chapter Two
So I guess here’s a good place to introduce myself. My name in Ember Kearney, and I’m what’s known as a tralaeth. I’m half Dark Fae, half Light Fae, and according to my respective heritages, I shouldn’t exist. I live in Seattle, where I spent most of my adult life working by myself as a private investigator and troubleshooter. Goblin problem? I put an end to them. Someone rifling your chicken coop? Call me and you’d be back in eggs in no time.
But then a little over a year ago, my best friend—Angel Jackson—and I ran into a situation and we almost lost her little brother. With that, Herne appeared in our lives. The Lord of the Hunt, Herne is the son of Cernunnos—the Lord of the Forest—and Morgana, a goddess of Fae and of the Sea.
Herne swept us up in his net, recruiting us to work for the Wild Hunt Agency. The Wild Hunt’s primary focus is to prevent the collateral damage that happens due to the frequent and petty wars between the Courts of Light and Dark Fae. But unfortunately, we’ve had to evolve over the past few months. Now, we’re facing a far greater danger, one that threatens the entire world. Typhon, the Father of Dragons, has returned. And with his rise out of stasis, the monstrous son of Tartarus and Gaia is bringing with him hordes of the undead, thanks to his paternal lineage. He’s also managed to open the portal for his children to return to this world. The dragons are coming home, so to speak.
Meanwhile, Herne and I clicked, and now he’s proposed. I love him, more than I could ever imagine loving anybody. But there’s one problem. If I accept, I must become a goddess like his mother did. And that means my entire life will change.
I put the proposal on hold for a while in order to think things through. But I can’t wait much longer, and meanwhile, our enemies keep lining up at the door. Sometimes, it feels like there’s no place left to hide.
“Hell and high water,” Herne said, coming out of his office as I was sitting by Angel’s desk. He looked downright dour. “Everybody back in the break room.”
Angel and I immediately followed him. He poked his head around the corner and shouted for Viktor and Yutani before opening the break room door. Angel and I seated ourselves at the table. When Yutani and Viktor came in, Herne motioned for them to sit down.
After they were settled, he said, “I just talked to the mayor. There’s trouble at several cemeteries in the Worchester District. Whatever those creatures are we saw on TV, they’re here, too. The cops tried to stop them, but bullets are useless. Three officers have been hurt, along with several people who were visiting their loved ones’ graves. They’re in the hospital right now.”
“Are these creatures trying to exit the graveyards?” I asked.
Herne nodded. “Yes, they’re definitely trying to break though the barricades. The cops are doing their best to pen them in, but at least a few of the creatures have made it past them. The police are trying to keep them at arm’s length while doing their best to avoid