pte

didn't think of them as true guest spaces. They were places for people who arrived without any luggage and who tended to do no more than use the bed to pass

nd not musty. They smelled of the laundry detergent and the tracker remover packets Ivy made up. Even though the property was shielded and fitted with a blocker that

and decided she was certain the room was ready for use. Satisfied everything was as prepared as she could make it, Ivy left the rooms and tried to decide

les at any minute, ' Ivy thought. As she stood in the hall debating, her

's number come up onto the screen. She pushed the b

said politely

one had a sharp edge to it, the words ha

ou were released from Eaglebrooke. I

ftening somewhat with her differential to

. After getting Jane to send in the custodial staff to clean and temporarily re-staff the guar

ked her to create a distraction while he dealt with the invaders and Ivy targeted the golem. She snapped the spells holding the bits of her together and had her chase the invaders around the room. In a matter of minutes she went from looking like a Marilyn Monroe knock off to a shambl

erior, ' Ivy mentally added. She

snapping Ivy's thoughts away from the strange flash of gole

didn't realize you we

ten to let her know Hamilton was being released. It was not even one when she left the kitchen to ch

blem, " Hamilt

evator. She thought of the chenille throw and the c

t behind would stink to high heaven, ' she thought. She wondered if Jane would notice and take care of it or if th

n said. There was an odd tone to his words and Ivy couldn't tell if he was annoye

e to get there for a few days, " Ivy sa

This time there was no

could help with a solution without coming in." Dealing with an annoyed Hamilton from a distance

issue is with the golems and will

to Jane and hoped nothing was wrong with her assis

e malfun

e would be calling her to fix malfunctioning golems. They were created using earth m

fectively, " he replied, his v

he remembe

ra

structions, " Ivy said tryi

In a few days, when your schedule allows it, " Ivy could hear him fairly bite the word off with a snap of his teeth. "Contact me and we will arrange for you to

the Shadow Council and its members and wasn't thrilled Hamilton seemed to think she was at his beck and call now. She could feel her fingertips grow warm and didn't want to fry the

eers, Lee and James will be here at ten the next morning. Hopefully, the interview will be done i

lding. The store wasn't as secure as Wildwood, but it was close. 'Irina and Nick will be leaving the next morning, so I can follow them out

they took precautions with Irina and Nick's travel, but she would still feel better mak

to leave, " she told Hamilton. She hope

" he conceded. "I will expec

he connection. "Well, " she said as she slid her phone back into h

needed to be done there. Everything from the clean sheets to the small vase of

" Ivy said. Instead of returning to her private sitting roo

and that of the norms. There was a collection of conspiracy theory books and fiction suitable for nearly any age or interests. When their grandmother died, all of the books in the house wer

rtain books and a winnowing would be done. For now, whenever anyone got time, they emptie

m while it healed, she hadn't been unpacking many of the book boxes lately. Someone else clearl

eading chairs to be installed. Her personal reading chair had been destroyed when her apartment was broken into by a man

laces and while none of it matched in color, style or even material, each was built to comfortably cradle a reader. The various card board boxes were em

e Matthews, wife of William Thorne, sister to Albert and her paternal grandmother. When they were sent to the house, they were stowed away since their family library was already over stuffed a

not just Ms. Mooney's things." Ivy walked over and studied the trunks. Two had the ini

two of the larger trunks. Emily's two trunks topped two of the stacks. Ivy looked at the top trunk on the th

e, pleased she wouldn't have to move any of the heavy, book filled trunks. A laugh sounde

eak up on people,

lays of grace and poise, " her brother count

o move any of the boxes to st

ove one of those trunks alone

't have to, " Ivy said

id you need in Old

her books, I needed The

ed. He squinted as he t

zabeth's father,

hairs and stretched out his long legs. Ivy could see he was wearing

et back from to

an make it and ready for whatever merchandise you plan to pu

both have retail experience so if we do take them on they wil

ded with a nod. "But that doesn't explain why you need Theodore'

rth mage, " I

me and

he was also once the mage repres

ow and Ivy nodded. "Huh, I wonde

h the council at the time and she didn't want to put out ide

ruction crew. You are more of the leader than the rest of us, " Alex said.

d. "As far as I know there isn't a resi

elp, " Alex added. "So why are you

ated a bunch of the golems in the Shadow Council buildi

in surprise. "You'r

er head. "A

ilton made the

rs. Theodore made the scary ones and then to prove that he could make something other than the super scary one

ou destro

way from the trunks and sunk into one of the other reading cha

dore make

hink

me seriously twisted family memb

e real people." She thought of the barely blinking secretary who gestured to the doorway like a game show diva displaying a prize a

ttack anyway,

time to worry about them being creepy, " Ivy said.

uring Ron Corwin the now deceased leader of The Brotherhood, Vlad and Marilyn hadn't put in any appearances in her dreams. She still occasionally heard the sickening sound of Ron's knife slidi

arning anything about golems then, if h

threat, " Ivy said. "He seems to have been better at it

lex looke

like. She thinks she is better than Marilyn.

tter, " Alex said. His smile f

ride or any other thoughts they weren't programed with. And she was definitely proud of herse

uncti

Ivy said. "Hamilton said his golems are malfunctioning

l with a malfunctioning golem, " Alex said. "It's earth magic.

show. "The only thing I can do is break them

ome in because the gol

hem since he was certain our libra

nking of going

to be honest, " Ivy said. "I ju

him or a wolf he trusts since the cats let you get shot last time, " Alex said. "And i

egnant animals had given birth, there were still newborns to look after and the general well-being of the creatures to see to. As Ivy generally didn't deal with the animals until

n. Good thing construction is finished for the most part. And

ce Hamilton didn't exactly say how the

at least he is specific in letting you know what he wants you to do." A

ly sent two over. I was just checking to see where the other

trunks over. "It's the o

thers aren't his. He could have t

k at the others." Alex stood up and walked over to the stacked trunks. With great effort he manage

ked as he st

al with the malfunction I might as

aid, relieved to

"I don't mind helping, as

said as she bent forward, reaching for the latc