Page 17 of Secrets of the Eternal Flame

I nodded carefully. There was more to her reaction than she was telling me but I’d let it go – for now. ‘Let’s shower before Fraser comes back with food,’ I suggested. We’d left the hotel so quickly that morning that I still felt grimy.

‘Good idea.’ Maddie seemed relieved that I’d let her reaction go.

I let her shower first whilst I put some clothes into the washing machine and then went back into the lounge. I stared at the cold, empty fireplace and sighed. Adele had said an ember of the Eternal Flame would still be there, but if it was it was so microscopic that I couldn’t see it.

Eva padded in and rested her head on my lap. She looked up at me with beautiful doleful eyes and I let her presencesettle me. I stroked her head. ‘I can’t see a Flame.’ I sighed softly. ‘Can you?’

Eva went to the fireplace, snuffled around it and turned back to me, her tail between her legs. She couldn’t see it either. My heart sank. If I couldn’t revive the Eternal Flame, what would I do about Maddie? If Nour’s suspicions were correct, she’d have to go back to Hallowburn.

‘Come on,’ I said to Eva. ‘Let’s feed you and then I can shower.’

I did both of those things in short order and I was dressing in some clean pyjamas when I heard a knock at the door. ‘I’ll get it!’ I hollered to Maddie as I jogged down the stairs to open the door to Fraser. ‘Hey,’ I greeted him.

He grinned broadly; that was when I realised my clean PJs weren’t necessarily the most appropriate. The top read:I’m great in bed. I can sleep for days.

‘Bold claim,’ he laughed. I blushed fuchsia. ‘Have things calmed down here?’ he asked.

‘A little. Ernie and Yanni are gone, but Maddie’s still rather volatile. She’s always been highly strung but her reaction was a little extreme.’

‘Just shock?’ he suggested.

‘Maybe.’

He followed me into the living room,set down the food and stared at the empty fireplace. ‘Nothing?’ he asked.

I sighed. ‘Not so much as a flicker.’

‘That doesn’t mean Adele is wrong.’

He knew me so well because that was exactly what I’d been thinking – that Adele might have been wrong. She’d been so convincing when we were with her, but now we were home with no ember in sight, my faith in her advice was faltering. ‘No, you’re right. But I hoped the ember would be obvious.’

‘If it had been obvious, we wouldn’t have had to go all the way to Scotland to find out about it,’ Fraser said drily.

‘True.’ I sat on the floor, opened the pizza box and snagged a slice. I felt a little better with every mouthful; whoever had said it was unhealthy to eat your feelings away?

After eyeing the sofa, Fraser choose to sit on the single armchair. ‘Let’s talk about giving the Flame a piece of your soul,’ he said after a few minutes’ silence.

I balked. ‘Really? We’re diving straight into that?’

‘We might as well while we have a few moments privacy.’

‘Okay – but Maddie will be down soon.’ I licked my greasy lips and started with the big guns. ‘Candice, the head of the Order of the Nightshades, said that my grandmother is still alive. If that istrue, sooner or later I’m going to need the Eternal Flame to protect myself.’

Fraser rubbed his forehead. ‘You’ve been sitting on that information,’ he said tightly.

‘I couldn’t find the right time to bring it up,’ I offered lamely.

‘How about, “Fraser, my evil sorceress grandmother might still be out there plotting to kill or kidnap me”?’ he growled.

I shrugged. ‘I didn’t want to worry you.’

‘No, you were holding me at arm’s length,’ he snapped back.

I blew out a breath. Was he right? ‘Maybe,’ I conceded. ‘But I’ve spent a decade not letting anyone in and it will take time to work on that. I’m doing my best, so cut me some slack.’

Fraser leaned back into the chair. ‘I know, Beatrix. But that omission was an important one. How can I keep you safe if you won’t be honest with me?’

‘You don’t keep me safe.Ikeep me safe,’ I protested.

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