Page 60 of Mayhem and Ember

“Damn.” Ash grimaced at the menu. “I’ll just get a small salad.”

“You could use your mind trick to convince our server the food is complimentary.” I was surprised they didn’t do it all the time.

“Absolutely not.” Ember glared at me, making my pulse quicken. “Our world could end in a matter of days, and my credit card is paid off. Order whatever you want. I’ll worry about the cost if we make it through.”

Our server delivered the meal in courses, with baked cheese, a salad, and a small bowl of soup coming before the main meal. I didn’t dare order the same entrée as Ember, though her steak foie gras sounded delicious. My meal consisted of roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes that melted on my tongue. I could get used to the delicacies of this realm.

Ember’s phone buzzed on the table, Miles creating the connection for our investigation. A minute or two passed with nothing but muffled sounds before the clunk indicated he had set the phone down to begin the interrogation.

I pulled the curtain back slightly, giving myself a view of the pair. Miles wore a brown sports coat—I’d learned the names of modern attire through the television—and Wendy wore a black dress that sparkled in the chandelier light. She had dull brown hair, pulled back in a clip with a lock hanging loose across her forehead.

“I was wondering if you’d ever make good on your promise,” Wendy said. We could hear their words clearly through Ember’s phone.

“Yeah, sorry about that. With all the rifts forming, I’ve been busy. Are they bad in Boston too?” Miles got straight to the point. Good man.

“Obviously. Being this close to Salem, we get the aftershock of everything your coven does. How’d you do with the spells from our library? I hope the money one worked so you can pay for the lobster I’m about to order.” She lifted her napkin from her lap and wiped her nose, sticking the corner of the cloth into her nostril.

I cringed. “This is the type of woman Miles finds attractive?”

“Good goddess, no.” Ember laughed. “He used her to get into the Boston coven library.”

Miles cleared his throat, reminding us of his earpiece. He could hear our conversation as well as we heard his.

“Sorry.” Ember pressed the mute button, her finger hesitating over the device before she pressed it again. “Steer her back to the rifts and the fae.” She muted the call.

Our server cleared our plates and returned with four dishes of crème brûlée. As she set them on the table, we heard Miles and Wendy ordering their meals.

“He’s our friend,” Ash said quickly. “He knows we’re listening.”

“We’re giving him pointers on his date,” Ember added.

The server refilled our water goblets. “That’s none of my business. I’ll give you some privacy.” She smiled and walked away.

“So the rifts…” Miles said. “What do you know about them?”

She narrowed her eyes. “That they’re happening more and more, and they’re only going to get worse when Halloween rolls around. Why?”

“Just curious.” He took a giant gulp of water. “Those fae, though, right? The lesser ones are annoying, but the big guys… Man, they’re hard to kill.”

Her brow slammed down. “How big? What do they look like?”

“Like giant, venomous bugs with impenetrable exoskeletons.”

Her brows crept toward her hairline as she straightened her spine. “You’ve fought them?”

“My coven has killed three. We found a massive rift just north of Salem. Four or five more probably got through.”

Her complexion paled. “Are your fire witches burning them?”

He shook his head. “They’re fireproof.”

She laid her hands on the table, leaning forward. “How do you kill them?”

They paused their conversation as their food arrived. When their server left, Miles spoke, “You’ve got them here too, don’t you? The serial killer they’re talking about on the news? It’s the fae.”

She swallowed hard, though she had no food in her mouth. “How do you know?”

“They eat human livers so they can survive in this realm. We’ve done some research, and we think there’s going to be an invasion. You might want to warn your coven since they’re killing in your territory too.”

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