A United Front (Chronicles of an Urban Druid Book 13) by Auburn Tempest & Michael Anderle

Author:Auburn Tempest & Michael Anderle [Tempest, Auburn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2022-01-23T16:00:00+00:00

While we sort through the aftermath of what’s happened, Da takes a moment with Shannon, Emmet snuggles Ciara, and Dillan gets close with Eva. I’m achingly aware that my plus-one is in the hands of a maniacal murderer and his traitorous bitch girlfriend.

“Da says kidnapping is an exchange of power,” I say to Calum and Aiden. “If not Tad’s and Sloan’s money, we have to assume it’s more personal.”

“Mingin is in Riordan’s body,” Calum says. “It could be personal to him that his son isn’t part of his crazy quest for evil.”

“Maybe,” Aiden says, “but from what Tad has always said, I get the feeling there’s no real ties between the two.”

“Maybe they’re telling us to back off, or they’ll take it out on our loved ones,” Calum says. “Anyone who knows us knows that’s an important factor in our lives.”

“True, but I think it’s something else,” I say.

“Something like what?” Calum asks.

“We know Mingin and Melanippe hooked up with Yvain. What if this is about the grimoire?”

Aiden frowns. “You think they’re going to ransom our loved ones for Morgan le Fey’s dark grimoire?”

“It makes sense. In fact, it makes the most sense. Melanippe and I were sorta friends. She helped us rescue Granda and the other Elders of the Druid Order. She knows my tie to my grandparents, she knows I’m in love with Sloan, and if Yvain’s in on this, she likely knows I have the grimoire.”

“We talked about this as a pinch point last week with Merlin.” Da joins us. “Ye removed the location from yer memory, didn’t ye, mo chroi?”

“I’d like to say we did, but life got busy, and Sloan wanted time to set more wards on the location first.”

“Did he do that?”

“He did, yes. He finished that right before we came here for the birthday party.”

“Do you think they’ll torture Sloan to find out where the grimoire is?” Emmet asks.

Calum and Dillan throw him a look.

The idea that Mingin and Melanippe have Sloan and might be handing him over to Yvain for torture and interrogation guts me. I was the one who brought that stupid grimoire into our lives. It shouldn’t be him that pays the price.

“He’ll be fine.” Da cups my jaw and swipes my cheek with his thumb. “Sloan’s as tough and smart as any man I’ve ever met, and he’ll figure out a way to keep himself and everyone else safe.”

I hear what he’s saying and believe him, still… “What about Gran and Granda? I should never have dragged them into this.”

Da scowls. “If ye remember, they were the ones who dragged us into this. I walked away from this life fer some very valid reasons—one of which was keepin’ my family out of harm’s way. They bypassed my wishes and pulled ye into the danger, not the other way around.”

“You can’t seriously blame them for this, can you?” Calum asks. “Granda was dying.”

Da chuffs. “Och, no. I’m not talking about blame, son. I’m talkin’ about responsibility. I’ll not let Fi take the lion’s share of the guilt.

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