Page 119 of Dragon Fires Everywhere
I think about the books he stole from Lillian that my father, in turn, stole from him. The fairy tale that Carol apparentlyknows about when she shouldn’t. I think about the archives, and the decided lack of any decent information on the Joywood.
And I am struck by a thought I maybe should have had sooner. Just maybe, the best and dirtiest secrets aren’thiddenin the archives by the Joywood or black magic or my own failures. Maybe they aren’t there at all.
Maybe Carol has a library in her house too. Like the Wildes, like my father. Maybe,just maybe, the Joywood’s evil history is tucked up in the home of its most powerful and most evil member.
And here Carol is. Away from her house and focused on Emerson, as usual.
Meaning it’s the perfect chance to find out.
I look back toward the stage. Jacob’s parents are up with Emerson and Jacob now. They are acting as the priest and priestesswho will lead the handfasting that witches use in place of human religious rituals.
Everyone is getting situated. Rebekah pulls me forward so I can take my place on the stage with everyone else.
But that idea of mine is poking at me. Even as Jacob’s mother, Maureen, welcomes the crowd to this happy occasion.
Emerson. I think I need to sneak into Carol’s house and try to raid her library.
Emerson’s gaze whips to mine. Then she looks out at the crowd for a moment before turning back to Jacob. I put it out on thecoven channel, so everyone heard me. They’re all sneaking looks at me, but we’re good at not reacting—though I can see thewheels turn in Emerson’s head.
Eventually she gives a little nod.
Do your reading, then sneak away. With Frost—
No, just me. Frost can stay here and keep an eye on Carol. If she disappears, he can warn me and come after me. But more thanone of us gone is too big a red flag.
The best friend being gone is, of course, in no way the same big red flag, Frost replies dryly.
I’m almost touched he’s noticed that we always-mortals havedifferent relationships. But there’s no time to study a man who’s lived forever.
So make a projection of me, I say instead. I’m the Historian. It has to be me.
I don’t think I’m being stupid or reckless. I’m warning everyone about what I need to do, not running off and doing it alonewithout letting anyone know, like some I could mention. The chances I’m the only one who can wield the books are too large.
But maybe I don’t have to go fully alone, I amend, as I canheareveryone’s reluctance. If Azrael was here... But he’s not.I’ll take my father.
There’s quiet in the coven channel. Jacob’s father is talking to the crowd about love and loyalty, devotion and steadfastness.
Trust me, I say to Emerson. Just Emerson.
She gives one last nod.
“Each of the friends of the bride and groom is going to do a reading. First is Georgina Pendell.”
We agreed that there was no need to remind everyone of our positions in the coven.That’s the power move, Rebekah said.Only weak people introduce themselves with a title.
Powerful people assume their title is self-evident, Ellowyn agreed.
I force myself to smile out at the crowd. I look down at the piece of paper where I’ve written my part of the book. Not thepart that I read to Azrael—that will be Jacob and Emerson’s vows to each other. This is something different.
Something that makes me ache all the same. Because somehow these words apply to my life,mylove.
“Real love blooms in trust. In yourself and in each other. Sometimes the world and its wars ask too much. Sometimes you losesight of each other along the path, but you must always find your way back. To love without limits. To joy beyond measure.Because to do otherwise is to let fear win.”
It brings tears to my eyes as I read, even knowing what Ineed to do next. Because Jacob and Emerson found their way back already, after ten years of Em not knowing who she was. I have no doubts about their happy-ever-after now. Not just because they love each other, but because they’ll fight for it. Fight for each other.Bothof them.
No matter what they give of themselves to others, they will always come back to their love, theirhome.
Theyfit.
