Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
My mind was working overtime. There was a ton of sabotage that would work in the Under. They were uniquely vulnerable to someone poisoning the ventilation system. Fires could wipe out whole sections before people could evacuate. There were any number of horrors that could be brought down on the primals and all the knowledge stored here.
“We need to lock down the library.” I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I knew when you had something as precious as ancient knowledge, someone better protect it.
Casey nodded. “I agree. I’ll let the head of security know before I go to Texas. They keep the part of the library that houses the oldest books and artifacts locked during daylight hours, but I’ll put a guard on it, too. Hopefully I’ll have some answers for you in an hour or two. I can help Nate run the tests.”
Because he was a smarty pants when it came to anything technical. I was so lucky to have Casey with me. “You do that. I’m going to talk to that gnome. I’ll have Evan run down those reports. Fenrir, I need you to go and find Rose. I’d like to have Luna tell me if all the paintings hum for her. I want to know how many paintings we’re dealing with and how many I’ll need to destroy.”
After I figured out what was really going on.
“I want to help.” Jade stood in the hallway with Evan at her side. “I’ll stay with Evan. I promise. But I want to help you. You can even put some wards on me so I can’t hurt anyone. Relda crafted some for the security team. I’ll go right now and let them spell me.”
I wasn’t going to put her through that. I looked to Evan. “Can you handle her?”
Evan nodded. “I assure you I’m far better at physical combat, and I genuinely believe her. Kelsey, I’ve known Jade since we were kids. She didn’t do this, but she might be able to figure out what’s going on. It almost certainly involves witchcraft. She’s not the strongest caster because she’s never really been able to practice, but she knows the theories and academics behind witchcraft.”
“All right. Go to the town hall and get me any records you can surrounding how Elrin came to the Under. I need the list of students from Alvis’s class you got yesterday,” I ordered.
“Sure,” Evan agreed.
Jade wiped the tears from her eyes. “I know the woman who runs the records room. She’ll give us anything we need.”
Casey had collected all of his samples. “I’ll go by the security office and have them lock down the library, and then I’ll have Eddie take me to Dallas. I’ll be back as soon as I have the information we need.”
Then we had everything in place. I nodded Casey’s way and he left. Before I could send the kids on their way, though, there was the sound of wind and the world seemed to twist around a single spot in the living room.
“It’s Gray,” Fen said when I started to get into a defensive stance.
Suddenly my hot demon hubby was standing in the middle of the living room wearing a beautifully fitting suit and carrying a bouquet of gorgeous flowers in one hand. There was a big box at his feet.
Trent chuckled as he walked in from the bedroom. He was grinning as he crossed to me while his eyes were on Gray. “You do not usually look this good when you come home.”
Gray’s lips tugged up slightly. “You don’t usually care how I look. I was hoping she would.”
“I do care,” Trent corrected. “I care when you look tired and heartsick, neither of which you look today. I meant what I said. You look good.”
Now Gray smiled in a way I rarely saw. Bright. Open. Happy. “I took some time to get ready. How long have I been gone?”
“Two days,” I said, and yes there was accusation in those words because I wasn’t ready to forgive him simply because he looked like sex in a suit.
Gray sighed, a relieved sound. “Excellent. I was worried it had been longer. I brought presents.”
Now his eyes were on me, and I felt the pressure of everyone in my family staring my way. But I was still mad at him, and some flowers weren’t going to fix it. “And I had a delightful conversation with your butler yesterday. Do you know how he found me? He tracked our unborn child. He’s assured me he’ll always be able to find our son.”
“Yeah, she was pissed about that, Pops,” Fenrir said, but he was sniffing the air. “Is that what I think it is?”
Gray’s happy expression went right back to grim. “I’ll order him to not ever contact you again, and I can assure you I can get him to stay away from our son.”