Page 12 of Seduce Me in Shadow

“I was hoping you could shed some light.”

“No idea. Ask her. Maybe she’ll know how to locate the minx who answered my Call, then skipped out.” Frustration oozes from Bram’s every syllable. “After you recover the diary. That’s our first—and most important—priority.”

“If we don’t, Sydney is a smart, tenacious reporter. And she’s determined to write ‘fresh paranormal stories.’ Her words.”

“You think she’ll write about the diary?”

“I don’t merely think. She will.”

Bram groans. “Dear god, she has no idea?—”

“None. That’s the only good news. But once she figures out the actual purpose of the Doomsday Diary…”

“If that bloody story hits the internet, she’ll be dead.”

The thought sends me into a cold panic I don’t understand. I barely know the woman. I’m here to save my brother. But I’m consumed by thoughts of Sydney and her safety. I’ll protect her—or die trying. “She’s been told the book will grant her sexual fantasies. She seems skeptical. Let’s hope it stays that way.”

“At least until you wrest that book from her.”

“I’ll work on thatandthe name of her source. You’re coming to help, right? Use a bit of magic and?—”

“Can’t. There was another Anarki attack two hours ago. I’ve just returned from the Pullmans’ estate. Well, what’s left of it. Burned to the ground. Their newly transitioned daughter is missing. Everyone else is dead. I have to report to the Council.”

That’s grave news. If the Anarki are attacking again, that means Mathias is on the mend and his power is rising once more. I don’t want to care, but… I rub at my tired eyes. After seeing so much war and death in my life, attacks on families, especially on women, trouble me.

What if he finds Sydney?

“What can you do?”

“Only what we have been: search for Mathias while trying to locate Shock, whose loyalties are annoyingly questionable.”

Not as far as I’m concerned. He’s as dodgy as the rest of the House of Denzell.

“And his brother, Zain,” Bram continues. “The little prick appears to be Mathias’s right-hand lackey.”

“Have you considered telling other magical families about these attacks so they can protect themselves.”

“Are you going to pretend you care about magickind now?”

I restrain a growl. “I wouldn’t wish what’s happened to my family on another.”

Bram sighs. “Rumors are beginning to spread about Mathias’s return, but the decision to officially tell magickind falls with the Council. They issue edicts and approve transcasts.”

“Certainly a few words on how best to defend yourself?—”

“Which is why no such edict will be allowed any time soon. No one knows how to defend against Mathias, and the Council would rather err on the side of silence than inaccuracy. Bloody stupid bastards.”

“You’re one of them,” I point out.

“The lone voice of reason, I assure you. I’ve long argued that we should communicate magical news via transcasts or the like frequently. But by the time the Council agrees to the verbiage…” Bram scoffs. “It’s old news.”

That doesn’t surprise me. Dawdling old fools, Lucan has long called them, even our Uncle Sterling at times.

I’m curious why Bram stays on the Council, likely enduring one frustration after another. But it’s none of my affair. I don’t want to become more entangled in the magical world. I’m already in too deep.

“Will you come once you’ve helped the victims of the latest attack?”

“If I’m able,” Bram vows. “Keep working on Sydney Blair.”

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