Free Entasy (Prophecies of The Nine) by Brynn Myers Page A

was surrounded by a swirling Celtic knot. It was stunning. I slipped the ring onto my finger and felt a slight tingle. Hmm…that's weird. I wondered if Syd dropped it by accident, but then I noticed the bag Frank sent home with us and assumed he must have put it in there for me to wear as part of my costume. A wide smile crept over my face as I made a mental note to thank Frank…again. I stared down at the ring, realizing it would make a perfect addition to my ensemble.
    I went to the closet and pulled out the other pieces of my costume, double-checking that everything was ready to go. The linen blouse hanging next to the heavy velvet bolero jacket seemed to be wrinkle free now; I guess the weight of the other pieces did the work for me. As I stood back to admire my work, I noticed a thread hanging from the inseam of the black pants and grabbed the scissors to snip it . If Mom could've seen this costume she, would've been so proud of the work I'd done. Now I can only hope that Ty and Dillion would feel the same way.
    Feeling a little run down, I looked at the clock and realized I had time to take a little nap before I needed to start getting ready. I walked over to my bed and laid down…just a quick nap, that’s all I needed. I closed my eyes and it wasn’t long before I drifted off.
     
    * * * * * * * * *
     
    The sound of Layne’s heels clicking on the marble floors was music to my ears. "Tell me you have good news, my pet." She dropped two overstuffed garment bags over the back of the couch before she walked towards the bar.
    "How much do you adore me, Liam?" She turned to give me a flirtatious grin.
    "More than my Renoir painting. Now, what news do you have for me, my dear?"
    "I found your treasure, Liam. I finished the job Gavin failed to do. However, I regret to inform you that Aerric ashed him and a few of your fledglings just as I faded into the alley."
    "Aerric?" I walked to the bar to stand next to Layne as she handed me a glass filled with Bushmill’s whiskey. "This is an interesting development."
    "What's so interesting about Aerric killing Gavin? He was a moron."
    "Because, my pet, if Aerric is here, then maybe we are closer than I thought to retrieving my Aednat. Did you happen to spot anyone else?"
    Her wicked grin matched the glint in her eyes. "Well, after Gavin became dust in the wind, I picked up the ring left in the alley and took it to her."
    "You encountered her?"
    Layne ran her hand down the front of my chest. "I did better than encounter her." She swayed her hips and walked over to the couch to pick up the two garment bags. "I got us an invite to the party she will be attending tonight." She shook the bags and then set them back down.
    "And pray tell, how did you manage that?" I grinned as I continued to sip my drink, trying to act as if this wasn’t the best news I had heard in two decades.
    Layne plopped down on the couch and put her feet up on my coffee table. Normally I would be punishing her for such insolence, but due to her discovery, I gave her a pass this time. "I met up with her in the park and we had a lovely chat. Her name is Kylah, her and her brothers own Keenan’s Irish Pub, and she was reading the book you have been seeking."
    Faster than the eye could perceive, I was in front of Layne. I pulled her face close to mine. "If you are lying to me, my sweet, I will flay your skin from your bones and feed you to the changelings. Are we clear?"
    She raised one eyebrow and spoke with venom in her voice. "I did as you asked. I succeeded where Gavin failed. Do not threaten me, Liam, or I will remind you why I am your most feared assassin." She maneuvered out of my grip and again grabbed the gold bags, unzipping them.
    "We will need to be dressed appropriately. It’s All Hallows Eve, and everyone attending will be dressed in their finest." She pulled out what looked like a Victorian Fop costume. "I took the liberty of picking out matching outfits because I told Kylah I would be bringing a