The Karen Wilson Chronicles by Brozek Jennifer

Author:Brozek, Jennifer [Brozek, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unknown
Published: 2016-03-21T16:00:00+00:00

Absorption

“Mold infestation, my ass!” Juliet said, handing the official notice of a failed health inspection back to Lamiel. “This is a total set up.”

Lamiel, looking tired and more than a little worried, nodded. “Of course it is. Did you see the list of clubs closed until the ‘hazard’ could be cleaned up? There’s not a mundane club among them. We’re being targeted.”

“By whom?”

“Who do you think?”

Juliet paused then said, “The Children? Why? Was it because of the Beltane ritual?”

She shrugged. “Because we’re next on the hit list. First, the Grey Lady and hers were attacked. Then the nature pagans and Druids. Then the gargoyles. Now us. Those of us in the city.” Lamiel tossed the official notice to the table. “Every one of the clubs closed is a place of power. We’re the strongest of the bunch. We’ll have to post sentinels to try and stop the impending attack.”

Juliet frowned. “This order came from the city. You don’t think the Children of Anu have a hold on the city council, do you?”

“Maybe. Or they have a hold on a couple of important people.” Lamiel waved a dismissive hand. “It doesn’t matter. We’ve been shut down, and we’ll have to let the ‘inspectors’ and such in.”

“What do we do?”

“What we always do—hunker down and prepare for the worst. In this case, it means you need to scout out a new ritual space. Some place we can worship and work our magic in safety and privacy. Take whomever you need with you, but do it fast. I don’t think we have much time to set our defenses.”

Juliet nodded. “I won’t fail us.”

“I know. I’d help, but I’ve got to set things here as best I can.”

***

Aaron was waiting for her at the Kahili Coffee House when Karen arrived to get coffee on her way to see John before collapsing into bed. It had been a long night at Emergency Services. Ever since the news of the outbreak of the harmful, and possibly hallucinogenic, mold growth the phones had been ringing off the hook and most of them were false alarms. At this point, she could rattle off the phone numbers for the Board of Health, Public Safety, and the new Mold Inspection Team without thinking about it.

She saw Aaron as soon as she walked in and sighed. He had the look of a person waiting for someone and when their eyes met, she knew he’d been waiting for her. As she stood in line, she wondered how many mornings he’d waited for her here. Then, she decided she didn’t want to know. She was not ready for this conversation. Not yet.

After she got her coffee and walked over to the small stand to doctor it with some sugar, Karen heard him call her name. Steeling herself as she finished making her coffee, she turned around. Aaron waved her over to his table. She obliged.

“Good morning.” He gestured to the seat across from him in clear invitation to sit with him. “Long night?”

She nodded but continued to stand.

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