Dead and Dusted by Lily Webb (most recommended books .TXT) 📗

I sighed into her chest. “I wish everyone would stop making a fuss about me. It’s been weeks and I haven’t had another fainting incident.”

Blair patted my back. “I know you haven’t, but that doesn’t mean you won’t — especially with so much going on for you right now. The last thing any of us need is for you to pass out while pouring another drink for Mr. Marth.”

“Thanks, but that’s not really making me feel any better.”

“Sorry. I thought some humor might help lighten things up. Anyway, we’d better get back to the reception room before Thorn worries,” Blair said and released me.

“Oh, I think he’s plenty worried about me already,” I said as I climbed down off the table and straightened my uniform of plain black robes.

“Only because he cares, just like the rest of us,” Blair said and tapped the tip of my nose with her finger before jumping to her feet. “Come on,” she said and strolled toward the door, so I followed her out of the office, feeling surprisingly lighter.

Aunt Blair always had a way of putting me at ease, even when I was at my worst. If I hadn’t been afraid of alarming her, I would’ve spoken to her about my dreams long before I’d spent a week lying drenched in own sweat — because the only nightmare I had to worry about was a CEO named Leland Marth.

Chapter 2

The next morning, Jadis, Thorn, and I watched in awe from the second-floor landing while a swarm of security agents in nondescript black robes invaded Kindred Spirits’ foyer like nesting hornets. Wordlessly, they fanned out through the property, searching every room in a methodical, swift fashion. I didn’t have a clue what they were looking for or what they thought they might find.

Jadis laughed and shook her head. “This is so crazy.”

“Seriously,” Thorn agreed. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Do they think we’re going to assassinate Mr. Marth or something?”

Jadis shot him a disapproving look. “Watch your mouth, Thorn,” she hissed as she stole a glance around us to make sure none of the agents had snuck up on us to overhear. “I know you’re kidding, but you wouldn’t want one of these guys to get the wrong idea.”

I shuddered at the thought and rubbed my arms. “I’m sure Mr. Marth has made plenty of enemies over the years, so his security probably can’t afford to take any chances.”

“Which makes me wonder why we’re hosting him at all,” Jadis said. She turned to Thorn before he could spring to his own defense. “I mean, I understand there’s no such thing as bad press and all that, Thorn, but don’t you think this is more than a little risky? Couldn’t we have booked someone a little less high profile?”

Thorn shrugged. “No risk, no reward. Besides, I couldn’t exactly tell the richest, most powerful guy in Starfall Valley no when his reps called to ask about booking the inn this weekend. I mean, how bad could he really be? I bet most of the stories floating around about him aren’t true, anyway.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” I said as a bald-headed and impossibly broad-shouldered warlock who seemed in charge of the raid leaned over and whispered something in Aunt Blair’s ear. She nodded and gestured for the three of us to come downstairs. I exchanged worried glances with Thorn and Jadis, but led the way.

Blair wrapped an arm around me as I approached and flashed a smile at the security guard. “Brady, these three are the backbone of Kindred Spirits’ operation,” she said, beaming — and overselling us a bit, not that I was complaining. She squeezed me. “This is Selena, my niece, and I trust her with everything,” she said, then waved her hand over at Thorn and Jadis. “This is Jadis, Selena’s right-hand woman, and Thorn, our PR rep. I believe you’ve already corresponded with him?”

Brady nodded once and offered a hulking, calloused hand to Thorn. “I have. Nice to meet you in person,” he said, his voice deep and commanding. Thorn gulped and shook the security guard’s hand, and I couldn’t help noticing the look of pure intimidation on Thorn’s face reflected at me from Brady’s shining bald head. The guy struck me as more of a Mr. Clean impersonator than a security guard, but what did I know?

“Likewise,” Thorn squeaked, and I had to bite back a laugh. Thorn usually overflowed with confidence, so to see him reduced to a scared little puppy in front of Brady, who towered over and around him, was amusing.

“Selena, Jadis, this is Brady Payne, Mr. Marth’s head of security,” Blair introduced him.

Brady’s steel-grey eyes raked over Jadis and me. “A pleasure, ladies.”

“Brady here tells me that Mr. Marth should arrive any second now that the security sweep is complete,” Blair said. “We’ve prepared a suite on the sixth floor exclusively for his use during his stay. Brady and his team would like to do one final comb through before Mr. Marth gets here. Would you escort him and his crew to the room, Selena?”

“Yeah, of course,” I mumbled, puzzled. As far as I knew, there was only one suite on the sixth floor of the inn, and that belonged to Aron, the grumpy dwarf and architect who originally built Kindred Spirits. If I knew Aron half as well as I thought, there wasn’t any chance he’d moved out. So, where had they found room for another suite? “This way, Brady,” I said despite my confusion, pointing at the vintage grated elevator behind us.

Thorn and Jadis moved to join us, but Brady held up a hand to stop them outside the elevator. “There won’t be enough room,” he said, and motioned to four other warlocks to follow him into the elevator.

I mouthed a silent sorry to Thorn and Jadis as Blair passed the iron room key to Brady. I didn’t really