Page 68 of Midnight Enchantment

Five minutes passed.

Ten.

“Mason, what do you know about the Knights of the Dark Wood?”

“Not much. I know they used to be hell-bent on destroying Hungarian vampires, but other than that … ” He shrugged. “Last I heard, a powerful witch had pulled their fangs, so to speak.”

“Indeed.”

“That witch wouldn’t have been you, would it?”

“Maybe,” she replied, although there was no maybe about it. “The Brotherhood is ancient,” she said, thinking out loud. “They go back to medieval times. I wonder … ”

“I’m not sure I like that look in your eyes,” Mason murmured. “It looks like trouble brewing.”

“Decades ago, before Lily and Dominic were born, there were rumors that the Elder Knight had a library of grimoires and spell books that dated back a thousand years or more.”

“Yeah?”

“Those books are passed from Elder Knight to Elder Knight.”

Mason grunted softly. “I don’t think I like where this is going.”

“The new Elder Knight is young. No doubt he could be easily manipulated.”

“Go on.”

“I could go to visit him, sort of a good-will tour. Take him a gift, perhaps some new protection from Transylvanian vampires. Or perhaps I could put an enchantment on their swords so that they would strike true every time. What do you think, Mason?”

“And in exchange for this generous gift, you wouldn’t want much. Just a tour of the Elder Knight’s library.”

Ava nodded.

“Don’t look so smug,” Mason chided good-naturedly. “What makes you think he’ll agree to meet with you?”

“Oh, he will,” she replied confidently. “Wait and see.”

Raedan woke abruptly, the transition from rest to consciousness happening within mere moments. He knew immediately where he was and that Lily was in the house. He sensed the couple swimming half a mile away and knew they posed no danger.

Rising to his feet, he went into the kitchen where he found Lily enjoying a spaghetti dinner with all the trimmings, including a bottle of chianti.

She looked up, her anxious gaze running over him from head to foot. “Are you all right?”

“Of course.” His eyes narrowed. “Have you been here all day?”

She nodded. “Do you mind?”

“No.” It was mostly true, but disconcerting to know she had been in his lair while he rested, something no one had ever done before.

“Would you like a glass of wine?” she asked.

“Yes, thank you.”

She conjured a second glass and splashed some wine into it, conjured a second chair and handed him the glass when he sat down.

“Does Ava know you’re here?”

“I called her this afternoon.”

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