Solatium (Emanations, an urban fantasy series Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

seconds, Yellin set his cup and saucer down with an awkward clatter and rose.
    “Miss Sturluson, I will discuss this matter with Lord Cordus as soon as possible. Goodbye.”
    He barely waited for a reply before hurrying out of the house, beating me to the car by a good ten seconds.
    When I reached the car, I glanced back. Sturluson was standing in the door of her cute little house, smiling and waving.
    A shiver went up my back.
    I got in the car and maneuvered out of the parking space. Yellin sat staring silently out the window as I drove. He must’ve been deep in thought — I had to ask several times if we should continue our scheduled visits.
    “No, no, of course not. We must speak to Lord Cordus immediately.”
    “But …” I paused, at a loss. “Has Lord Cordus come back?”
    Yellin turned to look at me, blinking and glassy-eyed. With an effort, he seemed to come back to himself, and I saw something like fear wash over his face. Then it was gone, replaced by his customary look of annoyance.
    “Never mind. I was speaking metaphorically.” He turned back to the dashboard.
    Okaaay .
    “We could go back to the estate and meet with the others.”
    “Absurd. This is not a matter to discuss with Nolanders. We will continue the day’s visits. I will deal with Miss Sturluson at a later time.”
    I nodded and focused on getting us into Manhattan in one piece. It was hard to concentrate, though. I was getting that “we’re screwed” feeling in a big way.

    Though Yellin seemed deeply shaken, he insisted on making the two visits he’d scheduled.
    The first was a corner grocery — one of those essential NYC establishments where a tiny box of cereal can be had for $8.99. There he spoke briefly to the people who ran the place. To humans, they would’ve looked like a middle-aged Southeast Asian couple, immigrants from India or Pakistan, maybe. But they were using half-workings, so I could see their real appearance, as well. They were human, but were much stockier than their disguises — barrel-chested and muscular — with paler skin and heavy features.
    I wondered if they were Neanderthals. Cordus had told me once that many hominid species persisted in the other world, so it seemed like a real possibility. I was fascinated and had to force myself not to stare.
    Then we went to Central Park. That was nice. The early October weather was lovely: still sunny but with a hint of chill in the air. Yellin settled us on the bleachers on the third-base side of an unused softball field. He started scanning the nearby trees.
    I got out my phone and went to the New York Post site. After a minute of searching, I was pretty sure I’d found the article Sturluson had shown Yellin. It was short and horrifying.
    BROOKLYN BOY’S DEATH REMAINS MYSTERY
By Claudia Kazzan
    The Police Department is releasing no information on the cause of death of a five-year-old boy, Thomas Kaits, whose remains were discovered last Wednesday in an abandoned building on the 500 block of New Lots Avenue.
    A source familiar with the coroner’s report stated the remains were highly unusual and cause of death had not been determined.
    The boy’s mother, Catherine Kaits, 27, of Brooklyn, has been pressing the department to release the coroner’s findings.
    “Why won’t they tell me how he died? I just want to know what happened to my baby,” Kaits said when reached for comment late yesterday.
    The source familiar with the coroner’s report described the remains as “an organic slurry” from which DNA could not be recovered. According to the source, Thomas Kaits was identified by personal belongings found with his remains.
    Two similar sets of remains were reported in Hell’s Kitchen last week. Both were identified by the coroner as animal in origin. The police asked local residents to be on the watch for possible illegal chemical dumping in connection with those findings.
    When asked about a potential connection, a police department spokesperson