Free Solatium (Emanations, an urban fantasy series Book 2) by Becca Mills Page A

it matter?” I asked. “Even if the thing in the sewer was weaker than me, it doesn’t mean Sturluson is.”
    “Actually, it might matter,” Theo said. “I got a little information about the Thirsting Ground from Kristin.”
    Kristin was one of the estate staff. I didn’t know much about her except that she had a scholarly bent. I’d tried talking to her a few times, but she hadn’t seemed friendly.
    “Sexing Kristin up for info?” Andy shook his head. “A new low, bro.”
    “What’s that?” Theo cupped his hand around his ear. “The forlorn call of the I’m-not-getting-any bird?”
    “I’m not getting any ’cause I’m not trying to get any right now.”
    Theo snorted. “Like I haven’t seen you checking out Koji’s ass, dude.”
    Andy shrugged. “Whatever. At least I’m not like, ‘Nice ass. Now let me rifle your library.’”
    “Guys, please, can we stay a tiny bit on topic, here?”
    Andy shrugged. “Man’s gotta defend his reputation in such matters. Some things cannot be let slid — that’s all I’m saying.”
    Theo arched an eyebrow. “‘Let slid’? Is that English?”
    “Guys!”
    Honestly, they were more like ping-pong balls than people, sometimes.
    “Yeah, yeah,” Theo said. “Kristin didn’t know much. She said the Thirsting Ground is a place in the S-Em where the dirt itself is alive — and isn’t, you know, all that nice. People don’t go near it. That’s all she knew.”
    “I could’ve guessed that much myself,” Andy grumbled. “The thing in the sewer looked like dirt.”
    “It matters,” Theo said. “Don’t you get it? She thought it was just one thing — one entity. “If that’s the case, then any two pieces of it are probably about the same, strengthwise.”
    Huh. That was helpful.
    Andy’s brows drew together in confusion. “So why are you objecting to visiting Sturluson? I know we don’t know it’s safe, but it seems like a reasonably good bet, so long as we have Beth with us.”
    Theo gave Andy a hard look. Andy looked from Theo to me and back, then seemed to catch on. “Oh, right. I forgot. I mean, I guess there probably are too many unknowns.”
    Frustration welled up. Having people literally exchanging silent wink-wink looks over my head was really a bit much.
    “Did Lord Cordus give you two special instructions about me?”
    “Well, sort of,” Andy said.
    “What? What did he say?”
    “That you’re not supposed to use your capacity.”
    “I know that already. He told me that himself.”
    Theo rubbed his forehead as though it ached. “Beth, for all we know, the capacity thing also applies to other people drawing on it, like Andy did this morning. The last thing we want to do is make your problem worse.”
    “Did Lord Cordus say that, specifically? That no one should draw on me?”
    “I guess not,” Theo admitted.
    “It’s not just about following his orders,” Andy said. “We don’t want to damage you.”
    “I’m his latest big prize. If drawing on my capacity would damage me, he would’ve warned you not to.”
    “I don’t know,” Andy said. “Maybe, maybe not. He had a lot going on at the time.”
    “What did he say, exactly?”
    Andy looked at his brother, brow furrowed. “Did he actually talk to us, or did he talk to Gwen, and Gwen talked to us?”
    “Um … I don’t really remember. We heard it somehow or other.”
    “Oh my god, this is like trying to carry a bag of squirrels. You guys don’t know who said what, what they said, or what they meant.”
    They looked sheepish.
    “Well, jeez, Beth. It was months ago,” Theo said.
    I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
    Sure, I thought we needed to hear what Sturluson had to say, but Andy and Theo were my friends. They were trying to do right by me. Furthermore, they were old hands, compared to me. Their opinions should count for more than my gut reactions. I settled deeper into the couch, prepared to listen.
    “Damn,” Andy said. “This conversation is a