Free The Hour of Dust and Ashes by Kelly Gay Page B

the small countertop. “What about the sidhé and that creature? Did you find out anything based on my description and that name, Sachâth?”
    She shook her head. “Not yet. I tried every variation and spelling of the word. I’ll keep trying, though. As for the fae, I found a few warrior sects that might match. I’m going to work on getting that together for you now,” she said, sliding off the desk and making for her own.
    “You want a bagel?”
    She gave a careless wave, her back to me. “Nope. They’re all yours.”
    Smiling, I returned to my chair, stuck a fourth bagel in my mouth, and grabbed a sheet of paper to write the chief a Request for Salary Increase for our researcher/secretary/spy/bagel-bringing angel.
    The boost did me good for the next hour as I worked on transferring my notes from earlier into my computer and then compiling my report on the suicides, which would then be encrypted via our new protocol, sent to the chief, and then passed on to Washington.
    My cell rang, making me jump. Alessandra’s number flashed on my caller ID. “Madigan,” I said.
    “You should try those Starbucks energy drinks or a SoBe Adrenaline Rush with an Aeva bun and that should kick your ass into high gear.”
    “Thanks,” I said dryly. “You get the intro?”
    “I did. Your first meeting will take place now at the covered bridge in Stone Mountain.”
    “Wait, what do you mean, first meeting?”
    “You’ll meet four sylphs. Ryssa, Nivian, Melki, and Emain. Each element is needed to see inside. That’s how it works. Have fun. Oh, and don’t bother holding your breath.”
    She hung up, but still I said, “Ha, ha,” into the speaker.
    I used the restroom, washed my hands and face, tucked my hair behind each ear, and then went back into the office, where I rechecked all three of my firearms.My 9mm firearm, my Hefty, and my Nitro-gun. Since sylphs were originally from Elysia, I was hoping the Hefty would perform as it should and the high frequency sound wave tag would do to them what it did to most Elysian races: drop them like a stone.
    Not that I was going to battle. I was going to ask a big favor, to beg for help if necessary. If I succeeded, we could know in a few hours if Bryn was in the clear. That thought gave me all the energy I needed.

6

     
    Stone Mountain was less than twenty miles from the city. Unfortunately, it fell within the forty-mile-wide mass of Charbydon darkness roiling overhead. But despite the drop in tourism, Stone Mountain wasn’t the ghost town you’d think it’d be. Fireworks were planned for New Year’s Eve. The granite rock would be lit up like always, and a concert on the lawn would go on as scheduled.
    As I drove through the main gate and down Jefferson, lights blinked through the trees and across the water. Still some die-hard campers around and a ton of employees to maintain all of the features in the park—the animals, the country club, the marina, all the stores, inns, and attractions …
    I navigated around Robert E. Lee Boulevard, passing one car before turning onto the road that wouldlead me to the covered bridge and across the water to Indian Island.
    The headlights illuminated the long structure as I slowed my Tahoe to a crawl. There was no one waiting on this side of the bridge, so I drove inside. The lights from the vehicle beamed off the lattice sides, creating odd shadows as I went. The effect only heightened the apprehension already pricking my skin.
    After parking, I took a moment to steady myself, turned off the engine, and got out. A mild breeze rustled the leaves and branches. My boots crunched the gravel. Spooky bridge, wooded island, darkness overhead … Christ. It felt like I’d just stepped into a damn horror film.
    Ripples in the water caught my attention. I found the source standing at the edge of the lake near the embankment only a couple yards from the bridge.
    Sylph at eleven o’clock.
    She looked human, so that was promising. But I didn’t see