“What is the worst thing?” Aunt Liz asked.
I could hear shuffling and Aunt Sophia shouting at some poor person. I think I caught the word stew and customs.
“The worst thing by far in that book is the location of another book.” Yup, utterly lost it.
“What book would that be?” I asked.
“The Grand Grimoire, of course. The Red Dragon.”
Well fuck. That was so much worse.
Chapter Eighteen
Don’t trust the unicorn or the mushrooms.
The Red Dragon, or The Grand Grimoire, is essentially a black magic bible. It’s widely believed that the grimoire derives from the Key of Solomon and the Lesser Key of Solomon. There are numerous editions, copies, and translations, but the original—supposedly written by a man possessed by the Devil—is said to be stored in the Vatican vaults.
I knew better. My uncle didn’t sully himself with possession, and there was no spell powerful enough to summon him to earth. If he came, it was because he wanted to, not because some power-hungry human decided to try and harness his power. And if Lucifer appeared before you—you should run. Run far and run fast because if the Devil was on your tail, you were fucked.
“Apparently, you can buy The Red Dragon on Amazon for $18,” Hudson said, glancing from his phone to me. Aunt Liz had been summoned upstairs by Dave, while Hudson and I had remained in my office while we researched the seriousness of what my grandmother was planning. There were a hundred things in the original book that would be a disaster.
“It’s a poor imitation of the original, and it’s purposefully missing essential elements, meaning whoever uses it will be unsuccessful in their endeavors. The original, however, is a masterpiece in the underworld. It can be used to summon demons.”
“Lucifer?”
I shook my head. “No. Lucifer isn’t a demon, he’s an archangel. Just because he fell, doesn’t alter his chemistry.”
Hudson rubbed his chin as he thought that through. “There are too many links to the underworld.”
That hadn’t escaped my notice either. Even though Peach Tree was staged, it was an odd decision to attribute it to Satanic worship, and now with the possibility that my grandmother was searching for the ultimate black magic book, we couldn’t ignore it. Perhaps that’s not what she wanted. Ugh, who was I trying to kid? Lying to myself got us nowhere.
Footsteps pattered down the steps, and Hudson tensed as Sebastian appeared. The wards clanged in my head, signaling a visitor, someone I didn’t recognize. Perhaps we had new guests?
“You are required in the kitchen,” Sebastian said with a grimace. “Maggie has been cooking.”
My stomach flipped. I’m not sure I could take an assault on my senses right now. Sebastian tensed, spun on his heel, and sped up the stairs. My gaze collided with Hudson.
“Why is everyone acting weird?” I asked.
Hudson shrugged. “This is the company you keep, I cannot be held responsible.”
With a sigh, I stood and Hudson followed me to the stairs. I cast a glance over my shoulder, finding him ogling my ass.
The front door was open and Sebastian stood on the porch with his arms folded. I joined him on his left. Hudson stood next to me, sandwiching me between them.
A limousine inched up the driveway. I recognized the car and brushed my arm against Sebastian’s in a show of support. The car stopped at the steps and the driver exited, rounded the car, and opened the rear door. Aira climbed out, looking as royal as ever. The driver closed the door, and I relaxed a little. Sebastian’s mother I could deal with. She climbed the stairs and offered me a bundle of letters.
“The postman was just delivering these as we passed, I thought I would bring them to you.”
I took the bundle. “Thank you.”
“Principal,” she greeted Hudson.
“Aira,” his voice was cold, making me blink. Could I love this man anymore? He detested Sebastian, but was icing Aira out because she had hurt my best friend, who he loathed.
Sebastian’s throat bobbed as he stared at his mother. “Can we go inside?” she asked. I nudged him with my arm. He relented and led the way through the front door and into the parlor. Hudson caught my gaze, and I shook my head. He dropped a kiss on my head. “I’ll be in the kitchen,” he said before leaving us.
Aira sat in an armchair, while I took a position on the sofa next to Sebastian.
