Page 39 of Grimoire Omens

I narrowed my gaze on Cedric. “How is it you’re only telling me this now?”

“It’s not as if we’ve had much time to discuss things. It’s been one disaster after another.”

“You’ve had weeks,” my dry reminder.

Cats could shrug, and this one did it with a feline insouciance that almost got him blasted. “I figured I’d tell you if and when it became an issue. Many people possess a magical reservoir. However, not all have the ability to use it. Had I known you’d be foolish enough to cast a spell opening a door to the demon world, I would have spoken sooner.”

Flo had a question. “What did the old hag do with Charlie’s magic?”

“Many things. Cursing those she disliked. Maintaining her garden. But a good portion of it went to scrying for someone’s location.”

I could only think of one person she might be that interested in. “She sucked me dry trying to find the husband who left her.”

“Oh, she wasn’t looking for Bertrand. Why would she when she knew where she’d buried him?”

Given what I knew of Grams, I shouldn’t have still had the capacity to be surprised. “Where is my granddad?”

“Six feet under the raspberry bushes that run the length of the backyard fence. He’s the reason the plant grew so big and the fruit is so large and juicy.”

My stomach roiled. I’d eaten berries from those branches.

Interestingly enough, Ulseere was the one to ask, “Who was Dame Miller seeking?”

“Charlotte’s father. She became obsessed after your puberty unlocked your magic.”

The response dropped my jaw.

“I take it she failed,” Ulseere stated.

Cedric nodded. “It’s strange, you know. You’d think the man with a blood tie to her granddaughter would be easy to find, but it’s like he disappeared from the face of the Earth.”

“Or he’s dead,” I muttered. Maybe he was the reason why Grams’ rhubarb grew to such a monstrous size.

“That’s what I said, but your grandmother insisted he lived.”

“Why did she want to find him?” Flo had stopped eating, her attention rapt on the revelations.

I couldn’t think of many reasons why she’d be interested. Grams didn’t seem altruistic enough to want to find him to pay child support to my mom, but I could see her wanting to take revenge on the man who’d impregnated and abandoned her only daughter. “Isn’t it obvious? She wanted to kill him.”

“I don’t know. I always got the impression there was more to it than that. But whatever the reason, she guarded it tight.” Cedric again rolled his feline shoulders.

I no longer had an appetite for my cold fries, and I rose from the couch. “Well, it’s been a long and eventful day, and I, for one, am tired. You coming, Flo?” I made the executive decision that she and I would share the single king bed. Let Ulseere bunk on the couch or floor.

Before my bestie could reply, the elf did. “I’ll be sharing the bedchamber with you to ensure your safety.”

I arched a brow. “Safety from what? You expecting a demon to swoop in through the window?” I said it, thought of the imp in my kitchen, and sighed. “I guess it’s not that farfetched. But what about Flo?”

“The couch is large enough to fit her frame.”

“I’m more worried about her being first in line if someone barges through the door.”

“As if I wouldn’t give warning before that happened,” an indignant Cedric claimed.

“It’s cool,” Flo quickly stated. “I’m probably going to watch a bit of television to help me fall asleep.”

Hard to argue when everyone seemed in agreement. “Whatever. Night.”

My disgruntled butt trudged to the bedroom and past it to the bathroom. Time for my long-awaited shower. I stripped my dusty clothes and stepped under the hot spray and sighed. You’d think I’d have been more excited about getting a chance to be alone with Ulseere. Problem being, nothing would happen because I wasn’t about to have a screaming orgasm within ear shot of my bestie.