Free Realm of Mirrors (The DeathSpeaker Codex Book 3) by Sonya Bateman Page A

get up early. What’s wrong? Call me.
    Guess he wasn’t asleep after all.
    I had to close my eyes for a minute before I dialed him. Of all the “fathers” I had, Abraham Strauss was the closest one to a dad. He’d brought me to the fosters I stayed with after I escaped the Valentines, kept me in school and out of trouble, supported me while I went to community college. After graduation, when I failed at being a paramedic and decided body moving was the career for me, he’d helped me get gigs with the NYPD. He’d been there for everything that mattered in my life.
    And I had no idea how to tell him that I wasn’t entirely human, or that I was going to a magical realm he couldn’t get to, where I might die.
    Abe answered on the first ring. “Where are you?”
    “Hey, Captain,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “I’m fine. How are you?”
    “Gideon, it’s one in the morning. You’re not fine.”
    Damn. Always the detective, even though he’d been promoted. “I am fine, though,” I said. At this very moment, I was not in any physical danger. But I wouldn’t explain the technicalities that way. “I just…need to talk to you. In person.”
    “Are you going to fight another pack of werewolves?” he said. “Thanks for the heads-up on that, by the way. It was great finding out from the local sheriff of East Nowhere.”
    “Yeah, sorry about that. And no, not fighting werewolves.” I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. “I don’t want to talk about this on the phone,” I said. I owed him more than that. “So, how about we have coffee? Say six, at that diner by the precinct?”
    “How about we talk now? I’m already awake. Where are you?”
    Great. I really hadn’t wanted to tell him this before I saw him. “You know that suspicious tattoo shop you said I should probably stay away from?”
    He groaned. “Let me guess. You’re there.”
    “Gold star, Detective. I mean Captain.”
    “Fine. I’ll be there in fifteen.”
    “Abe—”
    “Too late. I’m already worried.” His smirk translated loud and clear through the phone. “See you soon. I’ll even bring coffee, but it’s gonna be that crappy gas station stuff.”
    “That works,” I said. “Thanks, Abe.”
    I ended the call and hesitated before I left the room. Cobalt had probably gone to bed, and I didn’t want to disturb him. But I also didn’t want to screw with the entrance to the place and make him think there was a break-in or something.
    Fortunately, it turned out I didn’t have to worry. Cobalt and Will were sitting on the loveseat, talking in hushed tones when I came out.
    “Er. Sorry,” I said when they both looked up. “A friend of mine is on the way here. I needed to talk to him before…you know, and he insisted on doing it now. I was just going to wait outside for him.”
    Cobalt frowned. “It’s freezing outside,” he said. “You can talk in the studio, if you’d like some privacy. Is your friend Unseelie?”
    “Nah, he’s human.”
    “Then I’ll not have to invite him inside. If you’ll just lock up when you’re through, I’d appreciate it.”
    “No problem. Uh, thanks,” I said. “Hey, Will. Sorry about crashing the place.”
    “It’s fine,” Will said with a smile. “Cobalt did the same thing for me when I needed it.”
    I couldn’t help a wry laugh. Somehow I doubted Will had needed to rescue his family from evil fairies—but I appreciated the sentiment. “Listen, about your brother…”
    Cobalt waved me off. “Once Uriskel’s decided on a course of action, there’s no force in any realm to stop him,” he said. “I don’t like him risking his life, but I don’t blame you at all. This was his decision.” One corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “And he may actually have a way for all of you to come through this intact, though he’ll have to be the one to tell you. If he so chooses.”
    “Great.” He must’ve meant whatever Uriskel said in Fae that made him change his