Page 111 of The Demon's Discovery
“Thank you, Colman.” I dragged Lara to the front stoop. Clem stood post at the door of the carriage and rushed forward to accept her when I gestured. I returned for Henrik, and as I got him settled, Bea and Ellis walked out the front door with a smallcase of luggage. They joined her parents, and I set Clem toward the collegium, taking flight so I could follow.
Rylan burstthrough the main doors shortly after I’d gotten the very vocal Henrik and Lara installed in the primitive, secure accommodations in the depths below d’Arcan.
Grace showed Bea and Ellis to Greta’s apartment for the time being, and Calla trailed her husband with an apologetic but worried expression.
“What’s happening?” he asked, stalking down the hall toward me. “Your message came through urgent but unclear. We came as fast as we could.”
“Greta has been taken to the fae realm. My trickster was her betrothed in disguise.”
“What?” Red flashed in his widened eyes. Calla gasped.
I felt my failure as a sharp stab beneath my ribs. “It’s a long, convoluted story. I’m not even sure I understand it all myself. You made record time. And I appreciate that mind link working more than you know.” He clapped me on the shoulder as we headed down the hall. “I don’t even know where to start,” I admitted. We went into the classroom, and I retrieved the few elixirs left, unsure what we’d need but ready to employ any and all tools we had.
“We should reach out to Tap,” Rylan said. “Where is Greta’s raven?” he asked, glancing around.
“The bird? He never comes inside, but he’s been absent for several days.”
Rylan shook his head. “They do choose the most inopportune moments to go on a journey. Archimedes has been off since we visited the conclave.”
“Morticia has been away more than she’s been with us as well,” Calla frowned.
We stared at one another for a long moment.
“Perhaps the things are related?” I suggested.
He nodded, thoughtful. “Maybe. What’s all this?”
“Everything alchemical she’s made so far. At least, the scraps she’s not already carrying. I don’t have any idea what we’re truly facing. The man who took her right out from under my nose has evaded me for decades. Stolen from me. Cursed me. He has done so for the last time. His death will be mine, I swear it.”
“I’ll help you,” he assured me. “As will Magnus, I’d wager. But we must think this through.”
Rylan examined labels, his calm settling me the slightest bit. His determination had not wavered when Calla had been taken, and neither had mine. Lucky for us all, hers had been the strongest of all. We had known we would get her back, and I felt the same now, we just had to figure out the right tactic.
Magnus stalked through the door, Grace on his heels. “Where is my niece?”
“We’re working on that,” Rylan said, still looking at labels.
Magnus swallowed, jaw twitching. “Who?”
“The mysterious Lord Feiser,” I said, words coated in venom. “Turns out he was my trickster in a glamour.”
Magnus swore. “How will we get to them?”
I shook my head and approached the largest of my mirrors. “Here’s hoping our brother can help with that part.” I began the process of connecting with Tap. He existed at the crossroads, and that complicated things. Still, I was hopeful I could get through to him. “How did you reach him for the wedding?”
“Archimedes,” Rylan sighed.
“Damn. Where are those birds when we need them?” I jammed as many vials as I could safely carry in my pockets while I stepped to my mirror, the image clouding up and then clearingagain, but never quite finding the target I’d tasked it with. “How quickly can we get to him?”
Rylan shook his head. “A day, at least, hard flying.”
“We don’t have that time to waste. I’ll keep trying.”
“Calla and I could talk to that nice couple some more,” Grace offered. “I was going to take them a few things anyway. The young woman seems concerned for Greta.”
I nodded. “Beatrice may have overheard something important and not realized it.”
“Shall we go to the cellar then?” Rylan’s eyebrow raised and Magnus cracked a smile.
