Never Again Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Got to know who you are first before you can embrace you .” She nodded. “I’m Ember. Come in and rest.”
    The simple but heartfelt invitation blindsided her. “Th-thank you.”
    “Oh, now. We need some TLC right here.” Ember took the duffel right out of Lucinda’s hand. “C’mon, chil’. I’ll get you fixed right on up.”
    “I . . . ” Lucinda froze. Her savior turned and marched toward the back, leaving her no choice but to follow. Yet, she hesitated. The tea shop was dimly lit, and there were swirls of fabric everywhere, but it offered coziness . . . no, more like tranquillity. The small foyer where she stood was a couple feet away from a long counter lined with black leather seats. It looked like a bar, but the bottles lining the glass shelves on the wall behind it had nothing to do with alcohol. It smelled earthy in here, no doubt due to the incense burning at regular intervals.
    Then she noticed she had the scrutiny of someone sitting at the bar. He was a big man, not an ounce of fat on him, either. He glared at her from underneath a worn black cowboy hat. His uniform was tan outlined in black, a gold five-point star glittering from the upper right side of his chest. He wore a big black belt with typical law enforcement tools: a gun, handcuffs, a baton, and a pouch, no doubt filled with justice gems or other approved magical items.
    She swallowed the knot in her throat.
    “New in town?” he said in a gravelly voice. “You check in with our visitors’ center yet?”
    “Visitors’ center” was the nice way of saying “magic checkpoint.” Big cities usually had embassies from all the Houses. However, many smaller towns like Nevermore allied themselves with a certain House, in order to receive funding and protection. Any town under the auspices of magicals had to live under the laws enacted by the appointed Guardian.
    Nevermore was a Dragon town, and the Calhouns had been its Guardians since day one. Gray didn’t care what happened to her; she seriously doubted he would intervene if the sheriff decided she needed quarantine.
    “I’m not staying,” she said. “Just passing through.” She shrugged. “Visiting an old friend, actually. Gray Calhoun.”
    His eyes were a bright shade of green, much lighter than her own, and filled with suspicion. He narrowed his gaze. “You know Gray?”
    She’d thought throwing Gray’s name out there might buy her a pass from the sheriff’s scrutiny, but she’d been wrong. She’d garnered even more of his attention.
    Her tongue felt glued to her mouth. Right. Like she would admit to anyone that she’d come to Texas to beg the protection of her ex-brother-in-law—you know, the man her sister had all but killed more than a decade ago. And she sure as hell wouldn’t admit that she was a Rackmore. It seemed like everyone she’d run into since the great reckoning had a Rackmore to thank for some kind of misery.
    “Shut it, Mooreland. You’re scarin’ me chickie to death,” said Ember as she returned. She wasn’t holding the duffel. Lucinda wanted to trust the woman, but her stomach squeezed at the idea that her worldly possessions were no longer within her view. She didn’t have much, and she didn’t want to lose what few things she had left.
    Mooreland looked unrepentant. “Just don’t want any trouble.”
    “Then quit makin’ some,” chastised Ember. “My place is neutral ground. You got no jurisdiction here. Drink your tea and meditate on improvin’ your people skills.”
    Mooreland’s gaze flicked down at the steaming mug in front of him. He looked at Lucinda as if to say, “I’m watching you, sunshine,” then promptly ignored her. She was surprised he hadn’t responded to Ember’s baiting. Then again, she could throw him out without consequence. Only the holder of the deed determined what happened on neutral ground.
    “C’mon.” Ember took Lucinda’s hand and tugged her through a series of small tables, past a stage with