Page 120 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

“I don’t know,” said Drest. “But I intend to find out. There is no longer a rule against becoming romantically involved with your charge. Yes, it’s frowned upon, but not if that charge happens to be your mate. They can’t stop me now. The higher-ups took too many years as it is from Rachael and me. And they’re why I don’t know my own daughter. I’ll burn that damn establishment to the ground if they don’t hand me some information.”

“Can I help?” I asked, totally onboard with his plan. “Torid will be all in too. He kind of hates the Nightshade Clan. He’d love to burn it down.”

Stratton laughed as Torid nodded enthusiastically. “I noticed.”

Drest took a deep breath. “Thank you, but this is something I need to do on my own.”

“I want to find them too,” I said. “I miss them. Rachael was like a mom to me. And Demi is like a sister. I thought I was keeping them safe by staying away. That Henry’s monster would just focus on me. Now I’m not so sure that was true.”

Drest stiffened. “I rushed over to find Stratton to tell him what I found out about Henry, then I found him in bed with you and pretty much just wanted to rip him into tiny pieces.” He slid a stern look at Stratton. “I’m still feeling that way.”

Stratton flashed a wide smile. “Hey, I was as shocked as you were to find out Astria is my mate. But I’m happy, Drest. Really happy.”

“Good,” said Drest with a nod. He then glanced at us both. “I put some calls in to people who owe me some favors, wanting to know what, if anything, anyone knew of this new monster surge. It turns out Henry and Nile were released early nearly six months ago.”

My stomach dropped. “Wh-hat? Marcy was right? He’s not locked away anymore?”

“Marcy?” questioned Drest.

“She’s a nutter, but you’ll get a kick out of her,” said Stratton. “Her mother was Fiona.”

“Yikes,” said Drest. “Is this Marcy bent on world domination?”

I laughed at that thought. “Only if an army of squirrels is her attack force.”

He lifted a brow.

Stratton shrugged. “Long story. But it’s safe to say she’s a friend. Did anyone have any insight as to why Henry and Nile were released? They’re dangers to society.”

Drest’s jaw set. “My guess is someone is planning to use them for their own nefarious purposes. You know how the Nightshade Clan can be. We should call Victor and Adam. They’ll want in on this.”

“Are they here?” I asked, worried for everyone in the town.

“No. I don’t think so. At least not anymore,” said Drest. “But it’s evident they made more monsters and sent them here. I ran into some on the drive in. I handled them. They’re extra dead now.”

I tensed. “We have to find Henry and Nile. We can’t let them keep making these things.”

“We will,” said Stratton. “But it’s a problem for another day, sweetheart. And the monsters in Grimm Cove are no longer a threat. Let that be a win for our side, at least for now.”

Drest growled. “I want Henry. When I find him, I’m going to rip his heart out.”

Stratton gave him a hard look.

I shrugged. “I’m oddly fine with this. It helps that I learned he’s not really my dad.”

Drest lifted a brow.

Stratton glanced at me and then his cousin. “Did you know Adam was Astria’s father?”

Drest gasped. “What?”

“A Jersey Devil here in Grimm Cove, who was close to Amice, told us the whole story,” said Stratton.

“Dave is in Grimm Cove?” asked Drest.

“You know Dave?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I know of him. Amice talked about him a lot. She missed him.”

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