Wicked Wings (Lizzie Grace #5) - Keri Arthur Page 0,83
the Empusae hit again, I’d like to be advised at the time, even if it is impractical for me to be present.”
“If I’m there, I’ll do so.”
“Better than nothing, I guess.” He got out his wallet. “How much do I owe?”
“Nothing. You may be distant family, but you’re all I’ve got.” Or wanted. In the odd low and emotional moment, I might want to see my mother again, but that came with all sorts of dangers—especially when I had absolutely no idea whether or not she’d agreed to either the use of the spell that had made me sign the marriage certificate, or the subsequent drugging that had forced submission to Clayton. Better by far to avoid them all. “And I’m surprised you let Ashworth’s poking get under your skin.”
“The one thing I don’t like being accused of is being a freeloader, so—”
“Do you really think Belle would let you get away with freeloading?”
A reluctant grin touched his lips. “Well, no—”
“So just put the wallet away—at least when the café is doing well. If that changes, you’ll soon be asked to ante up payment.”
“Okay, then.” He shoved his wallet away and rose. “I’ll talk to you later.”
I nodded and collected his plate and coffee mug, taking them into the kitchen as he left. Once the café was closed, Belle headed out to smudge Jeni’s memories, while I cleaned up and did a bit of prep for tomorrow.
Belle returned around five. I made us both a coffee and then sat down opposite her at a table bathed in sunshine.
“How did it go?”
She scrubbed a hand across her face. “About as well as could be expected. She’ll always remember the horror—it simply went too deep to risk hazing it—but I did at least manage to put some distance between her and it.”
Meaning she would view it as something that had happened some time ago rather than just yesterday. “And you?”
“Okay.” She paused and shuddered. “But dealing with memories that heartbreaking and foul is not something I ever want to do again.”
“Hopefully, we won’t have to.” I drank some coffee. “How are Jeni’s parents holding up?”
“Okay. They’re going to go away for a few weeks.”
“A good move.” Especially given the Empusae might just decide to go after our one and only witness. “What do you think about Monty’s suggestion we contact Vita again?”
“If she’d known a way to easily find the Empusae, she would have mentioned it. She wants them dead as badly as we do, remember.”
“Any idea as to why she’s not been sighted, then?”
“No.” She paused to sip her latte. “The spirits do say your guess about her strength is right. They also state there’s a stirring to the south of Castle Rock.”
“I don’t suppose they’d care to define stirring.” My voice was dry. “Or perhaps give a more definite location? To the south isn’t exactly helpful.”
She grinned. “They suggest we start looking in the area around the old Garfield Water Wheel. The stirring will become evident.”
“As much as I’d like to grumble about the continuing lack of information, I guess that is far more than they’ve given us previously.”
“And they appreciate your acknowledgement of this fact.”
“While they’re in such a good mood, I don’t suppose they want to track down the Empusae for us?”
“That would be going against the rules.”
I raised my eyebrows. “There’s rules for spirit guides?”
She hesitated, obviously listening to her guides. “It’s more things they can and can’t do. Their main purpose is to guide and provide advice. They cannot directly intervene, which is what providing such direct information would be.”
“Suggesting they do know where the Empusae are.”
“They can neither confirm nor deny that.”
“Then they remain in my ‘annoying’ category.”
Belle’s expression was momentarily intent. “They say this pleases them, as they wouldn’t know how to cope with you actually being friendly toward them.”
I chuckled and drank some coffee. “Have they at least got a suggestion as to when we should check?”
“They suggest you put your coffee in a travel mug and depart straight away.”
“Then I shall do so.” I pushed to my feet. “Can you call Ashworth and tell him what’s going on? I might pick him up on the way through if he’s not busy.”
“Wise plan.”
“Is that your thought or the guides’?”
“Both. Going anywhere by one’s self is not something they suggest doing right now.”
“Great. Even the spirits are spooked by the Empusae.”
“They’re not spooked. They’re just not liking the current trajectory of kills.”
“No one does.” I paused. “You’d better ring Monty, too, and let him