I'm kicking myself, because I keep talking about and hyping up the historical portion of Dragon Slayer, but there's an exciting modern-day storyline, too. I think I've kept it under wraps because of ~spoilers~, but I really enjoyed journeying back to Blackmere Manor.
From a rooftop landing pad, Mia traveled with her
escort in an elevator that dropped them three floors down and opened onto a
long hallway lit with wall sconces, tiled with black and white checks. Tall,
mullioned windows let in the night, bracketed by clusters of toile-printed
armchairs. Light glowed at either end of the hall; in one direction lay the
warm, exotic environs of the conservatory. In the other, the rest of the manor
house.
Even this, just a place to pass through, to maybe
stop and read a book beside a rain-streaked window, was awash in simple
splendor.
“You get used to it,” Treadwell said at her side,
but she didn’t believe that at all. He was an artless man.
“This way.” He took her elbow in a gentle grip
and attempted to steer her toward the main house.
She pulled away – quietly, but firmly – and
walked at his side without touching. She thought the woman, Ramirez, smirked.
The hall fed into a another, this one floored
with polished hardwoods. Doors opened along one wall, leading into dim parlors
with dainty furniture. It turned out to be a sequence of connected hallways,
each larger than the last, until they finally reached a soaring entryway.
Galleries for the two floors above looked down on the tile floors, a massive
skylight at the top of the atrium softly lit by electric light.
Mia came to a stop, head tipped all the way back
as she stared. She probably looked like an idiot, but she didn’t care. She’d
never been inside something like this before. It was like the Biltmore Estate,
but bigger. And that she’d only ever
seen in photos.
“It’s crazy, right?”
Mia dropped her head and saw a young woman in
cutoffs and biker boots walking down the grand staircase toward her. Everything
about her seemed incongruous with their surroundings. And yet…not.
“It’s beautiful,” she countered.
“I think it is,” the girl said, arriving at the
foot of the stairs with a clack of bootheels. “My husband hates it, but that’s
just the bad memories talking, I’m convinced.”
“You husband – you live here?”
“Kinda sorta.” The girl reached Mia and stuck out
her hand. “I’m Annabel le Strange. Your welcome wagon.”
Mia accepted her shake with some hesitation. This
girl seemed friendly, and her smile was wide, and her accent was hopelessly
Southern. But Mia had been brought here against her will. And somehow, Annabel
must know and work with her father. “Mia Talbot.”
“I know.”
“Oh. Yeah.”
Annabel chuckled. But then she leaned in. Close.
Closer than was comfortable. When Mia tried to draw back, a hand darted out and
landed on her shoulder, much stronger than it looked.
“Your man’s downstairs,” she whispered. “Play
along during dinner and I’ll see if I can get you down to see him.”
Annabel squeezed her shoulder and pulled back
with a smile that said, Work with me.
Dragon Slayer will be available for pre-order soon!
Make sure you're all caught up on the series, first:
I can hardly wait! Thank you!
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