Page 28 of Ravenous Prophecy
Instead, he shook his head, and I felt something loosen in my chest. He looked at me, and in his dark eyes, I saw belief. Something else, too, a shadowy emotion. Guilt? For what? For not being able to protect me or the oracles?
“It’s real, Julian.” He blew out a breath. “If you do this, I’ll forgive you for the banshee.”
Julian narrowed his eyes, looking between us. “Are you sleeping with him? I’m not?—”
Griffin and I overlapped, both of us speaking at the same time.
“It’s not like that, Julian?—”
“We’re merely trying to stop anapocalypsehere?—”
We both stopped, and Julian’s brow was furrowed. “If you say so, Gallows. So, what’s the play here?”
“The play is we need a thief.” Griffin looked between us. “And unfortunately, my best thief is in Turkey, trying to steal a set of tsar’s diamonds.”
“There’s Rebecca,” Julian suggested. “I know you have history with her?—”
“Shestole my shoes.” Griffin threw up his hands. “While I was trying to run from some very angry Italians who were shooting at me.”
“She gave you another pair,” Julian said.
“I didn’t want Manolo Blahniks! I wantedmy boots!” Griffin narrowed his eyes. “What about Trader?”
“In prison,” Julian said. “Isis?”
“She’s in India, something about gold and a statuette of Shiva.” Griffin blew out a breath. “We could probably do it with a window man. Doesn’t have to be someone who’s good at everything.”
“I might know someone,” I said. “Perhaps.”
Both men turned to look at me, Julian curious, Griffin incredulous. I blushed.
“I work inantiquities. You meet people.” I stood. “Shall we?”
The library was silent. It was evening, and librarians moved between stacks, each focused on their work, studiously ignoring the patrons. It was one reason I preferred this branch. Fewer people likely to ask questions like, “Are you seriously interested in theHive?”
The third-floor circulation desk was occupied by one woman, her white hair pulled back into a severe bun. When she looked up at me, eyes narrowed, she said only, “Historicalfiction is two floors down.”
“Brigette. I know we’ve had our differences of opinion, but I’m here for a very serious reason.” When she looked back down at her book, ignoring me and the two men behind me, I said, “Please. I have the money. And, if things go well, I’m happy to verify that any original Morgan le Fay grimoires in the library’s collection arefakes, meaning any attempt by the MEA or non-governmental organizations to seize them would be pointless.”
Brigette looked up, eyes sharp. “The Merlin grimoire, too?”
“I will declare as many grimoires as you have…acquiredfor the magical studies collection are reprints or fakes.” I raised an eyebrow. “Ifyou’re willing to do some work with me and my… er… team.”
Brigette stood. She put up a small sign declaring that the desk was closed. “Tell me about the job.”
“Not here.” I looked between her and Julian, then helplessly at Griffin.
“Come on. Let’s go back to his place. We’ll explain there.” Griffin led the way, and I was grateful to let him, up until we unlocked my front door and saw Elaine sitting on my couch, examining the text we’d stolen from Williams.
“My god, Bradley,” my sister said, her gaze sweeping over the two new members of our merry band. “Whathaveyou gotten yourself into?”
CHAPTER 11
GRIFFIN
“But it can’t be,”Elaine breathed, sitting between us in the back seat of Julian’s car. “It just can’t be. Oh, Bradley—if it’s true that the Hive exist, then I should be so happy for you. Mother and Father and me, but—it feels wrong. This means that the threat is real, too.”
From the passenger seat, Brigette coughed quietly into her fist, too polite or too rigid to interject with an insult. Sitting behind her, Bradley stared daggers through the headrest. He could have bored a pair of holes right into the back of her skull.
