Page 54

Chapter 54

‘Stay quiet,’ I instructed Frogmatch. ‘Grimmy is a bit–’ bigoted? ‘–dated in his views.’

‘Not a fan of imps, huh?’

‘Nor any sort of creature,’ I admitted. ‘As I said … dated.’

I stroked a finger down Grimmy’s spine but nothing happened. With a reluctant grimace, I pricked my forefinger using the point of my athame until blood welled. When I stroked the spine with the fresh blood, the book came to life.

Grimmy floated upwards and glowed lightly. His pages fluttered, like he was stretching. ‘Why, Miss Amber! To what do I owe this pleasure?’

‘I need a potion to heal a temporal rift in someone’s mind. Do you know of such a thing?’

He fluttered, flustered. ‘Miss Amber, no such potion exists!’

‘As far as you know,’ I countered.

‘If it existed, I’d know,’ he said firmly. ‘If you want that potion, you need to make it for yourself.’

I didn’t have time for that. The irony wasn’t lost on me. ‘A healing base, a pewter cauldron. Milk of thistle, fennel, damson leaf. What else?’

Grimmy was still agitated. ‘There is nothing to be done,’ he said reluctantly. ‘There is no ingredient for time, Miss Amber.’ And that was where he was wrong.

I called Tom Smith, Emory’s right-hand man. ‘Crone,’ he answered, his tone respectful. As usual, there was nothing wrong with the dragons’ information network. My new position had barely been announced in Edinburgh yet Tom was already in the know.

‘Tom, Jinx took Gato with her on honeymoon. Did she take Indy?’ It was a long shot and I held my breath as I waited for his answer. Indy and Gato are hellhounds and they can manipulate the realms – including the Third realm that controls time. If there was any ingredient to represent time, it would come from a hellhound.

‘No.’ I could hear the grimace in Tom’s voice. ‘Jinx felt like she was a little untrained to take on honeymoon. She was worried Indy would destroy the hotel rooms.’ From what I’d seen of the pup, that was a valid concern.

‘Can I speak to her?’

‘Jinx?’

‘Indy.’

There was a beat of silence. ‘Sure,’ he said finally. ‘Why not? Though I don’t guarantee you’ll get much sense out of her.’

I didn’t need to understand the hellhound, I just needed her to understand me. I contemplated calling Lucy for help. As a piper she can talk to animals, which would come in handy, but I hesitated. She would do anything for a friend, even if it was to her detriment, but she had visiting werewolves to deal with. No, I couldn’t distract her now when she needed her wits about her. I cared about her too much to derail her career.

Indy would understand me just fine; hellhounds are very smart. ‘Where is Indy?’ I asked Tom.

‘At the castle.’ Caernarfon Castle is the dragons’ stronghold; there is a reason why the dragon appears on the Welsh flag .

‘I’m on my way.’ I hung up and stowed Grimmy back in the safe. When I left the bedroom, Bastion was pacing outside the bedroom door.

‘Hey,’ I greeted him, stepping into his arms. He smelled like sandalwood and something uniquely him. He’d just showered – he’d probably been splattered with Jeb’s blood, too. It wasn’t a pleasant thought.

‘Hey, Bambi,’ he murmured. ‘I’m sorry I killed him. I know you wanted to question him, but I couldn’t risk you.’ He was braced for a fight.

I sighed and rested my head against his chest. ‘I know. Jeb did it on purpose – he didn’t want to be captured, to be a liability to his foul Coven. I don’t think it was fanatical loyalty that made him do it but fear of the evil witches and what they’d do to him.’

‘Maybe. All the same, I’m sorry. I know you liked him.’

‘It looks like I didn’t even know him. The Jeb I thought I knew was a fabrication – something to make me fall in love with,’ I said bitterly.

‘Unsuccessfully,’ Bastion interjected.

‘Very unsuccessfully,’ I agreed. ‘No man has turned my head in years until you.’ I kissed him lightly. ‘So, we need to go to Caernarfon Castle.’

He blinked at the change of subject. ‘Why?’

‘I need to see a man about a dog.’