“Shit!”Kieran slapped a hand toward the bug, but it buzzed,darting out of the way.He hopped out of bed, trying to clap his hands around it as Verbena chanted for him to kill it over and over.“Shit, shit, shit!”
Kieran stumbled over the mossy floor as he chased the bug across the burrow, jumping to try to smash it between his hands.Before he could, it flew into the fire in the woodstove.Kieran watched in horror as it shot up the chimney.
As Kieran cursed under his breath, he suddenly remembered earlier when Elias had clapped him on the back.“That asshole’s trying to spy on me and Klaus!”
“You see why I do not trust easily,” Verbena said, wagging a finger at no one in particular.“This kind of power leads men to do terrible things, my young friend.It seems your quest just got a bit more complicated.”
Kieran cursed again under his breath.“I should find Klaus—maybe he can help.”
“Perhaps it is best to get going,” Verbena said, pointing to the trapdoor.“But please: I implore you not to let that man find my scepter.I suspect that his intentions are anything but pure.”
“You can say that again.”Kieran nodded to Verbena.“Anyway, thank you for saving me, Verbena.I promise I won’t let you down.”
With that, Kieran made his way to the ladder, said his goodbyes, and headed back up to the surface.
Chapter Five
When Klaus and Kieran finally got back to Gellingham that night, Briar and Delilah were waiting for them in the living room.
“Kieran!”Delilah cried as she leapt up from the couch, Briar close behind her.She crossed the room and threw her arms around Kieran before he could so much as shrug off his coat.As she squeezed him, she felt the tears in his coat.She pulled back, gently touching one ripped, copper-stained spot.“What in the world happened?Are you okay?”
“I’m fine—I promise.The coat is the only casualty.”Kieran glanced down at it again, frowning.“Shame, really.I quite liked it.”
“I’m also uninjured,” Klaus volunteered, despite the fact that no one had asked him, “for the record.The monster failed to touch me.”
“Monster?”Delilah’s gaze flicked to her father.“What in the world are you talking about?”
“Long story,” Kieran said, gesturing to the couches.“We should sit.”
The girls exchanged a look before nodding and heading back to the seating area.Klaus and Kieran joined them, and for the next while, Kieran broke down the entire afternoon for Delilah and Briar: meeting Elias, risking himself to save Sebastian, and, ultimately, Verbena’s quest.The entire time, Delilah stared at him, gaping, and Briar’s eyes got wider and wider.When he finished, Briar and Delilah looked gobsmacked.
“So if Elias heard all that with his listening bug,” Kieran added, rubbing his chin in thought, “then I suspect I’m not going to be the only one searching for the scepter parts.And Elias is a powerful man with alotof money at his disposal.I…can’t exactly say the same.”
“Then we need to get going as soon as possible,” Delilah said.
Kieran’s eyebrow shot up.“We?”
“Obviously,” Briar echoed, nodding.“You think we’d let you go on some huge, dangerous journey alone?Come on, Kieran, you know us.Where you go, we go.We’re like those bonded kittens at the shelter who can’t be adopted separately.”
“Well, you’ll need funding for that much travel,” Klaus quickly cut in.He met Kieran’s gaze.“I’ve spent nearly six months competing against Elias.He’s a horrid little rat man with horrid little rat schemes.And I’ll be damned if I don’t at least give you a leg up in beating him to the punch.”
“That’s all fine and good,” Delilah shot back, “but I doubt it’s just professional rivalry motivating you.You want a panacea too.”
“Of course,” Klaus said, shrugging.“But that can be discussed once Kieran has the scepter.I may be ambitious, but I also know when to pivot.Right now, you’re my best bet, Kieran Pelumbra.”
Kieran quickly held up his hands, eyes flicking around theroom at the three of them.“L-listen, this is all great but—this is amassiveundertaking.We have no idea what to expect from any of these places, much less what it’ll take to get the pieces of the scepter once we’re there.It could be really dangerous, especially considering I’m…not exactly great at magic.”
“All the more reason to bring us,” Briar pointed out.
“She has a point,” Klaus agreed.
Delilah nodded.“I’m with Briar on this one.”
Kieran let out a breath.He loved Briar and Delilah very much, but they were two of the stubbornest people alive.He suspected that even if he did want to go alone, it was unlikely he could persuade them to stay behind.Plus, with Klaus’s funding…
“Well,” Kieran said, rubbing his sweaty palms on his pants, “looks like I need to make a few phone calls, but other than that…I guess we’d better start packing.”
And as Delilah and Briar whooped and cheered, a small smile crossed Kieran’s face.
