Catching Echoes by Meghan Ciana Doidge

Author:Meghan Ciana Doidge [Doidge, Meghan Ciana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Vampires
Goodreads: 33242759
Publisher: Old Man in the CrossWalk Productions
Published: 2016-12-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

“I expect you to stay attached to the executioner of the Conclave like an overzealous binding spell, Wisteria Fairchild.” Pearl Godfrey’s tone was crisp over the speaker on my cellphone. “You and Jasmine represent the Convocation in this matter. You will not give him any grounds to supersede us.”

I stood in my pristinely clean kitchen, my bare feet neatly situated within the grout lines of the white porcelain two-by-three tile. A sliver of sunlight broke through the clouds that obscured my view of Elliott Bay and the inner harbor through the window over the stainless steel double sink. The errant rays warmed my peach-pedicured toes while I listened to Pearl’s instructions.

Since it was only just after sunrise, Jasmine was still asleep on the Murphy bed in my second bedroom, on the opposite side of the penthouse apartment. The bedroom functioned as a guest room when my cousin was in town, but normally the only piece of actual furniture in it — that didn’t fold up into the wall — was my Pilates reformer.

Even though I was as far away as I could be in the twelve-hundred-square-foot apartment, I’d closed her door before I’d made the call to Pearl.

The freshly squeezed orange juice I’d left in the behemoth stainless steel refrigerator before going to Vancouver hadn’t gone bad yet. But the fruit I’d left out on the counter was wrinkled. I also needed to compost the remains of all the take-out containers in the fridge before I left the city again.

“Are you still there?” Pearl asked, her voice just as commanding over the phone as it was in person. Though I did find her easier to talk to when I wasn’t being constantly exposed to her intense magic.

I briefly contemplated pretending that my phone had died, which it did every three or four months. But this one was brand new, and I had a strong suspicion that the chair of the Convocation would know the instant I lied.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Don’t bother with the ma’ams, Wisteria Fairchild,” Pearl snapped.

By calling this early in the morning, I’d really been hoping to simply leave a voice message. Unfortunately, Pearl was apparently an early riser with call display.

“I could send Jade,” she said.

“No,” I said, too quickly. Then I attempted to cover my bluntness. “I’d be concerned that my reconstructions might fail around her magic.”

“She could clear the area while you were casting,” Pearl said sourly.

“Yes, ma’am. But not really the point.”

“Never mind.” Pearl sighed. “It was a stray thought. Jade is … overkill. By your own admission, Jasmine doesn’t need any help charming the vampire. Otherwise, I’d send Scarlett. You’re not afraid of him, are you?”

I opened my mouth, ready to declare myself utterly terrified of the ancient being who’d been chauffeuring me from site to site. But then I hesitated. A Fairchild didn’t admit fear or lack of ability to a Godfrey. Pearl wasn’t going to be the head of the Convocation forever, though witches were long-lived, and any elders who hadn’t gone dark were particularly powerful.

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