“We have a problem.”
“What is it?”
“The Mage Council have officially named Danica Amana as the lead suspect in the murder of Merrill the goblin and the attempted murder of Gary the Gnome.”
Lilith sighed. “You have made your obsession with the woman too obvious, Samael. You know what happens to those we consider ours if we do not solidify our claim.”
“This is Albert’s doing,” I said, ignoring her. “And yet, if I strike now…”
“Our plans will be derailed,” Lilith said. “Give your little witch the freedom to make her own choices and she will reward you for it.”
I almost smiled at that. Lilith clearly didn’t know Danica at all. But in this, she was right. For now. Killing Albert would have repercussions which would threaten plans that had been centuries in the making.
“I want an investigation. I want to know every mage who had a hand in these decisions. I may not have the liberty of striking now, but when the time is right, they will learn why they shouldn’t have crossed me.”
Bael kept his face expressionless. “Very well, I will order it done.”
6
Danica
The sun was rising by the time I left the Mage Council. I got in my car and shoved the arrowhead into my glovebox. Then I headed straight to the paranormal hospital in Lakewood Park.
“I’m here to see Gary…”
The receptionist took pity on me. “The gnome?”
“Yeah.”
“Room 548.”
That was far too easy. I squinted at her, but she was already turning away to answer the phone.
I frowned. She hadn’t even asked me for ID. If this was the piss-poor security I could expect from this hospital, heads were going to roll.
I took the elevator to the fifth floor and strode down the linoleum floors, attempting not to breathe in the piercing scents. Every hospital I’d ever been in had smelled like antiseptic and death, and the Lakewood Park Paranormal Hospital was no different.
Two demons I didn’t recognize were stationed outside Gary’s hospital room. My stomach fluttered.
Samael knew. He knew Gary was important to me, and he’d made sure he was safe. I hadn’t been asked for my ID because Samael had already cleared the way for me. I didn’t know what to do with that.
The demons watched me approach and I nodded at them. “Is he conscious?”
“No. One of the healers is in there with him now.”
I took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open. The healer was a light fae woman, with a wealth of long hair so light it was almost white. She looked up from the notepad she was writing on as I walked in.
“Ms. Amana?”
“Yes.”
“You were the one who found him.”
“Yeah.”
“You saved his life. His heart had given out under the stress of his body’s attempts to heal his injuries. By keeping it beating, you gave him a solid chance.”
“How solid?”
