I'd never been outed as a witch and although it wasn't false information, it didn't sit well with me. To ask another Fae what they were, in terms of their species or specialties, was considered poor etiquette. It was especially rude when you didn't know the other being.

As much as I wanted to dislike Regan, he was at the forefront of my thoughts, and I was very distracted.

Opening the door to Grand Haven, I expected to have my bag taken from me and contents inspected by Denise, but she was oddly quiet. As I turned towards her, she was speaking in a hushed tone with a midnight blue raven. When she diverted her attention back to me, all she said was, "Emergency. I must depart. Stay or go, I'll find you later and we'll chat."

Unlike the portal from before, she was encompassed by a giant bubble and with a snap of her fingers the bubble broke and she and the raven were gone.

Standing on the porch, door wide open, I considered going back to my small apartment for a moment but decided against it. The library was where I needed to go. I wanted to know about the gems I'd acquired and besides asking Denise, my options were limited. I had work to do.

The first thing I needed was to get out of the club clothes that Denise had clad me in. I climbed the stairs on autopilot, making my way to the bedroom I'd been given when I had come here eight years prior.

Everything was the same as I'd left it and it was clear that the house brownies had dusted and kept up with any maintenance that was needed. Denise had always utilized the services of house brownies at each of her properties to ensure maintenance and tidiness.

Sucking in a deep breath, I went for the closet. Stripping as I rummaged through the built in drawers. Going for comfort, I slipped into an oversized shirt and drawstring pants. Leaving the shirt drawer open, I slipped my bag in, behind some of the vintage band tees and ensured that it was covered. Within the walls of the house, I was safe from everyone but Denise. I knew better than to really try to hide anything from her. She would find it.

I took one of the smaller stones and brought it with me through the house. The soft carpets felt delightful beneath my bare feet. Mindlessly, my fingers skated over the smooth surface of the gem in my hand as I wandered through the house to the inner library.

A silver key, the size of my own hairbrush, hung on an emerald green velvet ribbon. I took it and unlocked the ornately carved door. The figures on the door represented the different realms that existed, with specific ties to Faerie. I placed the key around my neck and pushed through. The smell of dust, paper, leather, and time filled my lungs. The library wasn't actually here in Darkvale, so the door remained locked when closed.

Stepping through the door frame, I marveled at the enormity of the place we dully called the library. Other words came to mind that were much more fitting: museum, magical archive of knowledge, or even vault. The items, manuscripts, logs, books, and journals stored within the magical stronghold of her library was incredible. If I had more patience to sit and read, I would spend days lost within its halls.

Not having a clue where to begin, I heeded to the Query. The large black basin, half filled with water, stood on the main level with pedestal stands, no higher than my hip, positioned around it. I slid my hand into the basin and allowed my fingertips to submerge in the cold water. I thought of the gemstone in my other hand. Closing my eyes, I mentally asked the library for books on magical stones.

Air whooshed around me and the sound of books dropping on top of each other surrounded me. Before I looked, I could tell the search was too broad. With a glance over my shoulder, almost every pedestal stand was piled high with books.

Refine your search.

Again, I shut my eyes and attempted to further filter the search from magical stones to glowing magical stones that are safe to touch. Another gush of air and pages of books flapping before shutting with a hollow snap.

Less?

When I looked again, only two pedestals had books. There were indeed less, but there were still more than I wanted to read through.

Levitating them to a neighboring table, I started my search to find more information on my stones.

The hum of magic created a comforting white noise as I read and reread the books that the library had provided. Time dragged with no promising results. The closest I had come to was something about blood magic, but there wasn't much information.

"If that is what I have, I may be safer giving them back to Octavion than asking Denise about them," I mused to myself. "Then again, if this is blood magic, I should destroy them and not let that ass get them back."

Hours had passed and my eyes begged to shut and allow my brain the rest it was screaming for. I placed the books back onto a pedestal and they vanished, returning to their homes amongst the shelves.

With one final attempt, I sat at the empty table and focused on the stone. Setting my hands to either side of the stone, I pushed and pulled my energy through it. I hoped to see a glimpse into where it came from, if it was magic or nature made, and whether or not there was value in its possession. It glowed a beautiful shade of green as my magic flowed through my hands and into it, but no answers.

With a deep and relaxing breath, I stopped.

Curiosity peaked at another idea. While I was still surrounded by the information, I wanted to look into one more thing.

Again, I placed my hand into the basin and allowed the water to cover my hand. This time, my search was specific.

Masculine features filled my mind as I thought his name, Regan Shade. Specifically seeking out: Shade, royal family.

A short plop sounded to my right, and I pulled away from the Query. On a pedestal were three books that looked like ledgers and two small journals. I sat back at the table with the new reading material and began to flip through the vellum pages. Birth, marriage, death, and important event data was all that filled the larger ledger booklets. The small journals seemed more interesting, but still didn't tell me much about Regan.

A shiver traveled up my arm and through my chest. Something was wrong.

With a weary glance at my surroundings, I could tell that the feeling didn't originate from the library. That meant something was wrong at Grand Haven.

Pocketing the gem, placing the books on a stand, I went back to the spiral staircase that led to the door I'd used to enter. I returned the key and was on my way to my room when I heard a child crying.

Following the sounds, it was unexpected and odd, children were not something I came across in any of Denise's residences.

In a spare room, I heard Denise's voice. She sang a soothing song, one with magical undertones to calm and ease. When she spoke, it was full of compassion and kindness. With the door open, a crack, I peered in.

Denise was toweling dry a fair skinned small girl, no older than three. She dressed the little one in a soft cotton nightgown and combed through the girl's damp hair. I watched my mentor put the toddler to bed, murmuring a Sandman lullaby that encouraged sleep, and turned out the light.

I stepped back as Denise came through the door, she stopped with her back towards me.

"You have questions, but it is safer if you do not ask them."

"'So many," I admitted.

"Come," she said as she headed for her room. She smelled awful with the stench of death hanging from her clothes.

In her room, she magically refreshed and changed. The toxic smoke and death smell was replaced by powder and roses.

"What happened?" I finally asked.

"There was a fire."

"And?" I pressed her.

She heaved a sigh, and I had a feeling I knew what she would say. "I shouldn't say anything, so choose one question and ask it."

It took me a minute to decide, but I finally asked, "There were casualties, what went wrong?"

The corners of her eyes wrinkled, and she lifted her head. "A good question. There was a human casualty, the girl's father. What went wrong was that the intended target wasn't home."

"Anything else I should know?"

Her head whipped up to look at me and said, "No."

"Okay. Good talk. Have a good night," I said. The sarcasm leaked out of me unintentionally. 

She said she shouldn't be talking about the events of her night, and I knew better than to pry. The problem was that being kept in the dark wasn't something I was good at.

She didn't stop me or make an attempt to. I left without her 3rd degree; I needed sleep. I'm not sure I would have been able to avoid Denise's questions if she had taken advantage of my depleted state at that moment.

I hid the stone away with the others and lay down.

Something about pure exhaustion and a comforting place to lay. Like there has never been anything more comfortable in all your life.

"Since when has this bed been this comfortable?" I asked the pillow as I rolled to my side.

As sleep wrapped herself around me, the deep timbre of Regan's voice rand through my slipping consciousness. "I look forward to playing with you again, little witch."

With a smile on my lips, I allowed sleep to drag me under. Willing and without any resistance, I welcomed rest.