Page 11 of Wicked Love
I nodded. “Yes. It’s done.”
She sighed and spoke in a voice meant only for me. “Well, I don’t think we’re all going to die, although I’m not going to say that with any surety. Why don’t you go home? I’ll see you tomorrow. This is going to mean late hours for a while. Damn that Thea.”
A shout from inside the house grabbed everyone’s attention. Delphine came out toward where we stood. As she stopped in front of us, I could see that her mouth was pinched, and she was angry.
But Delphine was a good leader, and she didn’t explode, or make a scene.
“What is going on?” Lavinia asked.
“The crypt has been broken into,” Delphine said quietly, the worry coming through her words.
“Was anything taken?” I asked.
“I’ll need records of the inventory of anything stored there,” Delphine said. “At the moment, there’s only one thing that I can say is missing for sure.”
“Which is?” Lavinia asked.
“The reliquary,” Delphine whispered.
“Oh, shit,” I exclaimed before I remembered where I was.
Delphine glanced at me and nodded. “Exactly. That’s why Thea was able to get in here. With the reliquary gone, the wards around the house were broken.”
“Then let us help set the wards again,” Lavinia said briskly. “They won’t be as strong without the Founder’s reliquary, but they’ll keep Thea out.”
“I think she’s done her damage,” I said.
That earned me side eye from both my boss and my coven leader. I shut up, and followed them into the house to help reset the wards. Once we’d finished, Lavinia sent me home.
But I wasn’t headed home. I felt the necklace in my pocket. I was going to return this to Melasina, and… and what?
Try and finish the conversation that I’d started. It wasn’t that late. I found it odd that she’d left. As I pulled up in front of her cottage, I could see the lights on in the front room.
Good.
I knocked on the door, and I could hear her moving around. After a moment, the door was yanked open.
“Oh, it’s you,” Melasina said. Her tone indicated she wasn’t overjoyed to see me.
Which gave me a pang, but I brushed it aside.
“Yes, I wanted to return this to you,” I held out the small gold necklace.
One hand went to her neck, and Melasina’s expression relaxed. “I didn’t even realize it had fallen off. Thank you,” she reached for it.
“May I come in?” I asked.
Her hand stopped midair, and she looked at me for what seemed like a long moment. Then she sighed. “All right.” She took the necklace from me and turned from the door.
I followed her in.
Melasina went to a small chair next to the fireplace. “What do you want, Jasper?” She sounded tired.
“I keep trying to talk with you about your mother, and we keep being interrupted,” I smiled. I was inordinately pleased she’d let me come in, that I got to be around her again. “And you rushed me out of here this morning,” I added, wanting to see her reaction.
She flushed.
I was right. She’d used magic. Which should worry me, but I pushed that aside as well.
