Page 79

Iris

I’d spent the morning walking our property, searching for any other patches of earth that had been recently overturned. Thankfully, I’d found none, but my heart had been in my throat the entire time, terrified I’d find another body.

Now I was back at the council building. This time I was searching the public records. It was something Else had said one morning, right after Amy and Imogen were taken, that had brought me here.

She’d said that last time something like this happened, no one ever found those poor girls. It popped into my head when I woke. I’d forgotten about it, and I’d wanted to ask her more, but that would be asking for help.

Mom and Else had already called the mother a bitch, I didn’t think I should push it by asking Else anything that might remotely be related to my task. So now I was combing through old newspapers and written histories, looking for any crimes similar to what was happening here and now.

Honestly, I didn’t know what else to do at this point.

Amy and Marina could still be alive, I had to believe that. But it was hard to think and focus when time was running out for all of us. What if I was too late? What if I never found them? I wanted to tear the city apart, but until I had a motive or a concrete suspect, I didn’t know where to start.

I forced myself to focus on what was in front of me, then growled under my breath when Draven’s face popped into my head. What the hell did he have planned for me? I shivered from the memory of his touch, even as my temper shot higher at the way he’d taken advantage of my situation.

Stop. I had more important things to worry about right now than an overbearing alpha.

I pushed the book in front of me aside. Most of the information had been transferred to their computer system, and I’d been given a tablet to search and read documents. The rest that hadn’t yet been transferred had been collated into large books, much the same as the ones containing our private histories, only these were larger.

The grandfather clock on the other side of the large public space gonged nine times. It was getting late, and I’d been here for several hours. I’d usually be at the bar, but Warrick had given me some time off.

“I found another one!” Penny said, bustling into the room, Jasper scurrying along beside her.

No, I couldn’t ask Else, but Penny was another story. I hadn’t told her why I was doing all this research, but she knew this place and the secrets it held better than anyone, and she’d been more than enthusiastic about helping find what I was looking for. Nia jumped up and danced around Penny, then sniffed Jasper.

She plonked the book down in front of me and gave Nia a pat. “I’ve been slowly transferring all these documents to our council server, but I haven’t loaded this one yet. I’ve read through most of what we have here, and I think this one might have what you’re looking for.” She beamed.

“Awesome, thanks so much, Pen. You’re a lifesaver.”

“I love helping. It’s nice to be needed.”

I pushed the tablet aside and slid the large tome closer. “I owe you.”

The spine creaked as I opened it, the paper inside yellowed and brittle. This one went right back to Selene and Charity’s time. They would have been in Roxburgh by now—while Draven was trapped in Salem.

I still struggled to believe that Selene had done that to him, but she had left Draven and his warriors trapped there. Draven said he was given a love draft, and I believed him. But if Selene was as bad as he said, then why weren’t her bones resting at Shadow Falls as well? Or poisoning our cemetery?

Could Charity have used her twisted magic on her sister as well? Maybe she’d been controlling her in some way?

I didn’t know, but if not, I guess being selfish and manipulative was a lot different than being evil and using dark magic.

“So, I texted you the other night,” Penny said, startling me.

I’d momentarily forgotten she was standing there. “Did you?” I pulled out my phone and checked it. Crap, she had. “I’m sorry, Pen. This was the night we found Imogen, and my head was all over the place. I forgot to even check for messages.”

“Oh! I didn’t realize. It must’ve been so awful. Is that what this is all about? Are you looking for clues?” Pen was lovely, but her mother was a well-known busybody, and I wasn’t going to risk sharing anything important.

I didn’t want everyone to know about my task. We’d tried to keep that part quiet after Willow passed her task last year. “I was just curious, you know? This whole thing is so weird, and you’re right, finding Imogen like that was horrible.”

“I can only imagine.” She bit her lip. “I mean, do you have any idea who did it? It’s so scary they were at your house, Iris.”

I studied her expression. There was nothing but concern in her wide eyes. “No.” Though I wouldn’t be excluding Sapphire, the female wanted to hurt us in a bad way. “I wouldn’t like to accuse anyone of anything without evidence.”

“Of course. You’re right. I’m just worried for you all. You’ve always been so kind to me when others…weren’t.” She glanced away, looking embarrassed.

I took her hand. “There are a lot of assholes in this city, Pen. They’re not worth your time.”

She nodded, cheeks pink again. “You’re right. Just, please, be careful.”