Wolves and the River of Stone Read Online Free PDF

pushed a pair of braids behind her neck. “Ah learned the names of two more of his cult while Ah was with them. One is Zachariah, a sadist and assassin of great skill. The other is Ezekiel.” She paused and watched Foster as he stumbled back to his spot by the ketchup bottle. “Ezekiel is a monster. He is a practitioner of the Black Arts. Ah knew him before he was completely taken by the darkness. Ah watched him summon a demon to save a little boy, drowning in a flash flood. When the demon complained about his task after rescuing the boy, Ezekiel killed him. A minor demon, but a demon still. He is powerful, and ruthless, and I have no idea how Philip controls him.”
    “Fantastic,” I muttered.
    “If Philip has the power to control him, then he has become stronger than Ah ever imagined he could.”
    “Oh god, I’m dying,” Foster groaned. He took a shallow breath and blew out a puff of air.
    I laughed despite myself. Zola smiled and said, “Let’s go home.”

CHAPTER 5
     
     
    F oster had a massive sugar crash on the way back to Saint Charles. His upper body was hanging out of Zola’s jacket pocket, with arms limp beside his wings while he snored like a chainsaw the rest of the way home. I unlocked the front door to the shop and let Zola carry him inside. A small but sharp intake of breath drew my eyes to Aideen as she landed on Zola’s shoulder. I offered up a lopsided grin to Foster’s wife.
    “Is he ...” she started to say.
    “Asleep,” I said.
    “Oh, thank the bloody stars. Carter told us you went to rescue Zola. We didn’t know what happened. We were going to come after you.” It was then I realized Aideen was fully armored. A long and infinitely fine chain mail vest fell from her shoulders and was cinched with a belt to give her legs a full range of movement. Peeking out above her shoulders were the plain golden hilts of two Fae blades. Clad in a matching coif, greaves, and vambraces, she looked ready to kill.
    Zola laid Foster on the counter. He grunted once and started snoring again.
    “Was it really Philip?” Aideen said.
    Zola only nodded.
    Aideen exploded in a cloud of fairy dust and threw her arms around the old Cajun. “I’m so sorry.” She squeezed Zola for a moment before she said, “I’m so glad you’re back.”
    Zola laughed quietly and patted the coif around Aideen’s head. “Ah’m glad to be back.”
    Aideen’s eyes wandered back down to Foster as she reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “What happened?” she said as she took in Foster’s condition.
    “Ah, well,” I said as I scratched the back of my head. “Pancakes.”
    “Damian Valdis Vesik, I thought you had more respect for my son than to get him blasted on sugar.”
    I turned to find a Cara hovering a few feet away. She too was draped in golden armor, but void of any swords, which made me very happy. “Sorry, Mom. We had a rough night, and he really wanted pancakes. They were ... celebratory pancakes.”
    Cara smiled and shook her head. “I’ll let it slide this time, boy. It’s good to see you safe, Zola.”
    Zola chuckled and I had a feeling it was because Cara called me ‘boy.’ It was one of Zola’s favorite terms of endearment, or harassment, depending on your point of view.
    “If you wish to talk, I’m always here.”
    Zola gave a brief shake of her head. “Thank you, but Ah just need to think.”
    Aideen looked at Foster again and then gestured to the back room. “Could you just put him in the clock for me?”
    “You’ll notice there’s no syrup in his armor this time,” I said.
    “Don’t you dare tell him I said this, but I’m just glad he’s safe.” Aideen glared at me in warning while Zola carried Foster through the saloon-style doors, into the back room, and to the large grandfather clock the fairies called home.
    “Sorry about Foster, Aideen,” I said as I almost bowed to her.
    Cara laughed as Zola started back into the front of the shop. “Damian, Frank purchased a book