Page 28 of Your Final Resting Place

I wasn’t the only one missing my heart. The hotel was hollow too.

I needed to get my power back.

It had to happen, right? Else what was the point of the prophecy? My heart was supposed to save the world . . . or doom it. Hm, that last option wasn’t great. If Gideon Cain found a way to tap into my power, he’d definitely doom us all.

But this wasn’t just about me.

Victor and Zee really were out there, trying to save my power and the world—like true heroes.

“Erm, Adam, darling?” Madame Matase poked her head around the bar door. “You should see this.”

What was it now? A rampaging werewolf in the yard, pixies in the pipes? Maybe Princess Daisy wanted a room? I chuckled to myself, meandered around the vacant tables, and pushed through the bar door, entering the lobby.

A line of Lost Ones stretched from the front desk and out the main doors. They waited patiently, bags at their sides. Trolls, fae, I even spotted Abe—the werewolf who had helped us dispatch Victor’s wife—and some demons from Razorsedge. Why were they all here?

“Uh . . . Madame Matase?” Scooting up to her side behind the desk, I rubbed the back of my neck and plastered a confident grin on my face. “What’s going on?”

“It seems our resident reporter ran a story on Gideon Cain, exposing some of his less savory dealings. Mrs Greene mentioned the SOS Hotel was the only safe sanctuary. Now, all these people want to stay,” she said, looking up with big dark eyes.

“All of them?” I squeaked. Noreen had acted fast.

She nodded, smiled tightly too. “Darling, do we have enough rooms?”

I had no idea, but we’d squeeze them in somewhere. “Oh, I’m sure we can work something out.” I was going to need Claymore’s help with the bags, and some of the kitchen staff, and maybe even Chef Étrange—he had multiple arms for multiple bags. We’d find a way. We could do this. We were ready. This was the night we’d been preparing for. The SOS Hotel was on the map!

“Everyone!” I clapped my hands together, getting the attention of our new guests. “Welcome to the SOS Hotel. Please be patient as we get you all checked in.”

“We’re safe here, right?” one of the fae near the front of the line asked.

“Oh yes, very safe. Our wards cover all the hotel grounds.” And a whole lot more.

Smiling faces stretched back through the line. Noreen’s article had them spooked, and rightly so. Gideon’s act was beginning to crumble, just like mine had. Now we’d see his true colors.

But in the meantime, I had one important job to do: make sure everyone under our roof felt safe.

CHAPTER 9

Time flew by as I got our guests settled in. It was typical that when the hotel was fully booked, Tom Collins was AWOL. I could have used his expertise in the bar. Instead, Chef Étrange had stepped in and had a crash course in mixing drinks—some of which were palatable.

I checked the clock on the wall—one a.m. How long did it take to break into a real estate mogul’s mansion, find his master suite, steal a precious bead, and get out again without anyone noticing?

I’d been busy with the influx and time had slipped by me, but Zee and Victor had been gone several hours.

What if they didn’t come back?

What if I had to go after them?

Leaving the bustling bar, I headed for the stairs, to avoid the small queue for our single elevator.

I could ask Abe to come along . . . maybe some of the Razorsedge demons too?

I shoved through the door, into the stairwell.

They were probably fine. When they worked together they were formidable, and Victor had promised me he’d call off the plan if there was trouble.

“Ah, the stupid little human.”

Seb’s sickly sweet drawl pulled me to a stop on the bottom step of the stairs. He’d followed me into the stairwell. He must have been lurking in the lobby, and I’d missed his distinctive presence among the bustling, colorful crowd.