Page 16 of After Midnight (Skye Druids #7)
Chapter Thirteen
Edinburgh
“ It’s done.”
The words over the line made Georgina Miller smile. She leaned back in her office chair and soaked in the delight. “ You came through.”
“ I always do,” Mara stated.
George twirled a pen in her fingers. “ How did you do it?”
“ The usual way. Men always think with their dicks. Parker Barclay is no different. A few tight shirts, a pushup bra, some flirting, and he was all mine. Men are weak like that.”
“ Well done. You continue to impress me.”
“ I told you my devotion is to Edinburgh . Do you still doubt me?” Mara asked, her voice hardening with impatience.
George set down the pen, recalling her vision of being betrayed. “ My hesitation is borne of being in a position of power. Trust must be earned, not freely given.”
“ I want our group to thrive and will do whatever is necessary to prove my loyalty.”
“ And how do you feel about London ?”
There was a beat of silence before Mara said, “ They’re powerful. We need to tread carefully. As long as they think they control us, they’ll never see us coming.”
“ My thoughts exactly. We’ve kept up our end of the bargain. It’s time London delivers on theirs.”
“ I have my eye on Elias as we speak.”
George clenched her hand. “ Don’t underestimate any of the Skye Druids , particularly Elias . He has evaded facing judgment, but his time has run out.”
“ I’ll deliver him to you,” Mara promised.
“ Where’s Parker ?”
Mara laughed under her breath. “ He’s calling the hospitals to see if Kurt survived.”
“ And did he?”
“ Based on Parker’s continued smile, I would say no.”
George forced open her hand. “ Keep me updated.”
She ended the call and gently set the mobile on her desk.
Mara said all the right things and could very well mean them, but George wasn’t entirely sure about Mara —or anyone for that matter.
Her vision hadn’t shown her the face of her betrayer.
She didn’t even know if it was a man or a woman. Which meant everyone was a suspect.
Uniting with London had been risky, and they had already lost several members thanks to Parker’s incompetence.
But if it brought her Elias , George would sacrifice a hundred—even a thousand— Edinburgh Druids .
She would have her revenge if it was the last thing she did.
Elias had gone unpunished for killing her brother for far too long.
She had given the justice system time. When they hadn’t made a move, she’d delivered evidence.
And still, they did nothing. They called it self-defense.
She knew better. If the police wouldn’t provide the justice she required, then she would find it herself.
Elias went on living his life while her brother rotted in the ground.
It wasn’t just Elias she wanted to punish. Scott , Filip , and Jasper had betrayed her by joining the Skye Druids once they reached the isle. She never forgave or forgot. George intended to look each in the eyes as they died. She wanted them to know who had sentenced them.
She stood and walked around her desk. Her office was secluded from other sections of the warehouse she repurposed for meetings and other Druid gatherings.
It was large enough for their growing ranks but also set away from any areas that might draw attention.
Not that those without magic knew about Druids , the Fae , or the Dragon Kings .
Most humans were sheep being led by wolves and didn’t even know it.
She was nearly to the door when she heard a knock, and one of the Druid guards poked her head inside. George’s gaze landed on her as she stepped into the office. “ Ma’am . You have a visitor.”
“ And who might that be?”
“ She refused to give a name.”
George gave her a flat look. “ Then send her away.”
“ I think you need to see her.”
“ And why is that?”
The guard moved closer and lowered her voice. “ Her clothes say very old money, and her accent is posh British .”
“ If she’s a London Druid , why wouldn’t she give her name?”
“ Perhaps she doesn’t want me to know it. Or she could be hiding.”
George glanced toward the door. “ Let’s find out, shall we?”
The guard dipped her chin and turned on her heel. George returned to her desk to await the new arrival. She had barely taken a seat when another knock sounded.
“ Come ,” George called.
The door opened, and the guard stepped aside to reveal the visitor. The woman was tall and slender with blond hair that brushed her shoulders. Blue eyes looked around George’s office before turning to George herself.
“ A very basic operation,” the woman stated.
George nodded for the guard to leave. Once the door had shut behind her, George eyed the newcomer. She wore a brown, cream, and black plaid silk shirt tucked into slim black trousers, a belt with Gucci’s gold, double- G logo, and black heels. Her hand gripped the strap of a designer purse.
“ It gets the job done. Who are you?” George demanded.
The woman walked toward the desk and eyed the chairs. “ This is when you’re supposed to ask me to sit.”
“ I’ve not decided if I want you to stay that long.”
An amused smile curved the visitor’s lips. “ I heard you were a woman who went after what she wanted.”
“ I am.”
“ Well , Georgina , I think we should be friends.”
“ It’s George . And I still don’t know your name.”
She shifted her purse into her other hand and held out her right. “ I’m Diana Barclay .”
George slowly got to her feet, not because Diana was nobility but because she wanted to be at eye level when she asked, “ Why are you here if you sent Parker ?”
“ I’m here on official business from London .” Diana dropped her hand to her side.
George narrowed her eyes. If Diana knew what George had just plotted with one of her members, she would likely send the full power of London at the city. “ Are you saying Parker isn’t on Skye on official business?”
“ Not at all. I meant my visit is unrelated to what Parker is handling.” Diana held out her hand again and waited.
George shook it but released Diana quickly. When George had planned to betray Parker , she hadn’t expected his mother to show up. Could Diana be the one who ended her life?
Diana arched an eyebrow, her smile tight. George motioned to the chairs as she resumed her seat.
“ Now , then,” Diana said as she crossed her legs. “ London wants an accounting of the Druids and the money we’ve sent.”
George opened a drawer and pulled out a ledger.