Love Spell: Book 2 of The Grimm Laws Read Free

There was a “closed” sign on the door. Good , she could talk to Adele without interruptions from customers. The door was locked, so she used her key to let herself in. She made sure to lock the door behind her. Only when she heard the lock click did she relax. She pushed aside the lace curtain on the door and looked out, scouring the front yard and street. A large blackbird, flying overhead, caught her attention, but there was no sign of a person.
    “Good, you’re here.”
    Elle about jumped out of her skin. She whirled around and put a hand over her chest, giving Adele a shaky smile. “You scared me.”
    Adele peered over her seafoam blue spectacles. “Are you okay, dear? You look a smidgen pale.”
    “I’m fine,” she answered a little too quickly.
    It was obvious from the skeptical look on Adele’s face that she wasn’t buying it. “Let’s go upstairs to the study. I made your favorite—salted caramel hot chocolate.”
    Elle realized then that Adele was holding two steaming mugs, piled high with whipped cream. She reached to take one. “Do you need some help?”
    “If you’ll grab that silver tray of truffles on the top of the glass case, that would be great.”
    “Sure.” Elle grabbed the tray and then frowned. There were only two truffles on the tray—one white and one milk chocolate. “Should I grab a few more truffles, so that we can both have one of each kind?” Adele’s truffles were legendary, and Elle didn’t like the idea of getting just one.
    “No need, those are both for you, dear. Come, we haven’t got much time before the others arrive.”
    “Okay,” Elle said, following her up the stairs. Her aunt Adele was normally so relaxed, but today, there was a nervous edge to her. It heightened Elle’s personal anxiety to the point that by the time they took their seats in front of the fireplace, her hands were clammy. She placed the silver tray on the large ottoman covered in a red and green tapestry. Adele handed her a mug of hot chocolate, and she scooted back in the chair, trying to find a comfortable spot. Her mind began running through the list of things she wanted to ask Adele. She needed answers—answers that would hopefully give her the reassurance that she needed to prove she wasn’t crazy.
    “Shall I make a fire?”
    Elle glanced at the fireplace that was devoid of a single stick of wood. It would take much too long for Adele to make a fire, and there was no firewood. She pictured her aged aunt, lugging sticks of wood up the stairs. “No, that’s okay.”
    Adele gave her a quirky grin. “It’s no trouble.”
    Elle forced a smile. “I’m fine … really.”
    Adele’s eyes seemed to be laughing at some private joke that eluded Elle. “Suit yourself.” She raised the mug to her lips and took a drink.
    Elle cupped the mug, embracing the warmth. Then, she lifted the mug to her lips and took a sip. It was delicious, and she could almost feel the smooth liquid flowing through her body, restoring a measure of calm. She tried to formulate her thoughts in an attempt to tackle things one at a time, but it all started spilling out like milk flowing from an overturned jug. “I need to know about the mirror … and I need to know about the girl in the mirror. Also, how did the paper appear in my hand? And the words … they started forming on the page … you’ve done that once before when you first offered me the job to come and work here.”
    Adele placed her mug on the nearby side table and then brushed a stray curl from her eyes. A kind smile curved her lips. “I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to tell you those things.”
    Elle’s face fell. “Why not? You said in your note that we needed to discuss things. These are the things I want to discuss!” Frustration scattered over her, and she had the unreasonable urge to punch something. Her eyes pled with Adele’s, and she had the feeling that she was drowning in craziness and that Adele was her only lifeline. “I need to