Page 50 of Forgotten Monsters
Lydia raises her index finger to the mermaid. “We’re not setting fire to the forest again.”
Barron finally joins in the conversation, his voice full of barely-contained power. “I have something below deck that could help.” His gaze latches on to Allie. “A dress that will ensure everyone at the party looks only at you, little storm. What do you say?”
Allie bites her bottom lip. “Alright.”
“I’m invited, so I can bring a plus one. Allie can come with me,” Flynn says.
“And we’re invited, too,” Brie announces, theweshe’s referring to making me want to punch her smug face. “Though I think no one expects Cole to show up.”
Deveraux leafs through the big grimoire. “The soirée is a masquerade ball. Julia and Lydia will mix in with the staff, unnoticed. Robert, Cole, Brie, Flynn, Trent, Allie, and I can attend as guests.”
Lydia bites her thumb. “But how are we going to get in with the staff?”
Trent rises to his feet. “Leave that to me.”
That puts everyone besides Barron in the ballroom, and as happy as I’d be to bring Theodore Darkwood’s reign to an end, I fear we’re all forgetting something.
“Let’s not forget about Oz. He needs to be dealt with, too.”
Blood drains from Allie’s face.
“Osbourne mostly did Darkwood’s bidding. He’s only liable if he knew the orders he received were unsanctioned by the Senate or High Council.”
Allie’s jaw ticks. “He knew.”
Dad pats her shoulder. “I know, Peanut, but proving it will be hard, if not impossible.”
Deveraux’s quill scratches along a blank piece of parchment. “Let’s cut off the roots at the rot. We can worry about the weeds later. I need all these ingredients for this spell,” her eyes flick in my direction, “and Julia’s help.”
Dad clears his throat. “Infernal magic can’t be the answer here.”
Deveraux hands the list to Lydia. “We needallthe magic, Robert. Julia, wait for me here. I have to get a grimoire from my bedroom.”
I tilt my head in agreement.
Dad follows after her with Allie in tow, his footsteps a bit hurried like he still hopes to change Deveraux’s mind about using infernal magic.
Barron flanks Lydia. “Let me help with some of these ingredients.”
My best friend throws her black coat over her shoulders and motions him along.
Brie hangs back, her arms crossed tightly around her chest, hovering. She clearly wants to talk to Cole one-on-one.
He tucks his chin and releases me from his embrace. “Give me a minute.”
I watch them head outside, my heart in knots. I suppose it’s okay for Cole to have feelings for her, just as I love Flynn. My husband has his own history with the blond Fae, and it never bothered me before, but selfishly, I need him to love memore.
Flynn jumps out of his seat, a dark shroud obscuring his features. “The bastard couldn’t even say hello.” He barrels toward the stairs leading to the restricted section, mumbling unintelligible curses below his breath. “Do not follow me. I need a minute.”
The thundercloud of power in his wake tells me this is not merely a suggestion. What the fuck happened between them while I was gone?I sent him awaydoesn’t seem to cover the depth of Flynn’s reaction.
That leaves Trent in the library with me, so I take Lydia’s seat by him.
We exchange nervous glances.
“Why do you want to help us?” I ask the vampire, our history weighing on my mind.
“I ended up in Faerie because Kirkan demanded reparations for your death, in typical Fae style. He was entitled to it by some serpentine law, since you—a Fae princess—had died on my father’s watch. Well, my father could have found a way around that law, or offered anything else, but he sold me out to his enemy.”
