CHAPTER NINE #3
Turns out that the coroner’s office was in the same building as the sheriff’s department, county jail, and city hall.
I wasn’t surprised at all when we pulled around to the back and discovered a separate wide entrance on the basement level.
True, there wasn’t a sign announcing it to be the ‘morgue’ but clearly it was.
We were ushered inside by the sheriff and escorted to a room where a body was lying on a gurney and covered with a sheet. Beside it, a man who I assumed was the coroner stood waiting. I didn’t recall reaching for Charles’ hand, but I was very glad to have it to hold onto, nonetheless.
“Lucas.” The coroner nodded to the sheriff. “Ma’am,” he said to me.
I listened as the coroner explained that there had been trauma to one side of the face, and he suggested that I stand on the left side of the gurney for the viewing.
Without a word, I did so immediately.
“Ready?” the coroner asked.
I nodded and he folded back the sheet. Bracing myself, I glanced downward and flinched hard. The woman certainly resembled Shelby. Same dark blonde hair, same straight eyebrows… but her nose was a mess, and I did my best not to look at her other injuries.
I failed.
Turning away, I blew out a long shaky breath. Outside thunder rumbled, mirroring my distress.
“Are you okay?” Charles asked and now his arm was snugged tight around my waist.
“Give me a second,” I said, struggling to compose myself.
“Do you recognize this woman?” the coroner asked me.
I did not turn back around to answer him. “It does look like her; but could you check her right arm? I recall that Shelby had a tattoo of the phases of the moon on the inside of her wrist. It was done in purple and blue.”
I heard movement and then Charles was telling me that it was okay for me to turn back around. When I did, the only thing I could see was an exposed right arm.
There, on the inner wrist, was the phases of the moon tattoo I remembered seeing on her. “That’s Shelby Murphy,” I said.
We were escorted from the room, and I was asked to sign paperwork for official verification. After that we were able to leave fairly quickly. Charles and I had only just stepped outside to discover that Damien Dragos was waiting for us beside his car.
I was a tad surprised to see him outside so early in the morning, however it was an overcast day, and the Vampire was wearing very dark glasses. When he suggested that we come with him to speak to the other council members, I simply nodded and climbed into the front passenger seat of his car.
***
The drive was quiet and much to my relief the males left me to my own thoughts.
I took advantage of the silence by rolling down my window and allowing the breeze to wash over me, cleansing any unwanted energies from the coroner’s office.
The cool, rain-washed breeze also helped ward off motion sickness.
Mostly. I mean my stomach was already in a knot from what I’d recently seen.
At this point nausea was the least of my problems.
Despite being upset, my magick did not call up any storms, but a light rain shower continued to fall as we drove.
In about half an hour, the rain had tapered off, and we drove down a long gravel drive and arrived at a pretty two-story stone house nestled into the forest. Homey and charming, there was a pair of dormer windows on the second floor, and a wide covered porch with stacked stone supports.
Spring flowers were blooming around the house, and children’s bicycles were out front.
Damien parked beside the house, and before I had time to reach for the door handle, he had already exited and opened the door for me. He’d used his Vampire speed.
“Thank you,” I said.
With a small smile, he inclined his head respectfully. “Magistra.”
The screen door creaked open and a gorgeous female with long black hair stepped out on the porch. She was wearing jeans and a chambray shirt and had a baby on her hip. The dark-haired baby took one look at Damien and squealed happily.
I stayed right beside the car and waited for Charles to join me. Despite her casual mortal clothes, I knew exactly who the female on the porch was. I could literally feel her energy radiating out from across the yard.
“Problem?” Charles whispered, taking my hand in support.
“That female is Fae, and royal.”
“Well then, this ought to be interesting,” Charles said out of the side of his mouth. He gave my hand a bolstering squeeze. “Ready?”
“Yeah,” I said and together we walked over and made our way up the porch steps.
Damien smoothly introduced us. “Lorna, Charles, this is Oona Archer.”
“Archer?” Charles asked. “You are married to the sheriff?”
Oona smiled. “I am.”
“Your Highness,” I said, figuring that using a formal protocol might be my safest move.
She waved that away. “Please, here in the hollow I prefer to simply be addressed as Oona.”
I shook my head. “That’s not your full official title, though...is it?”
“Technically,” Damien said, “her title is Her Royal Highness, Princess Oona of the Dark Fae, and sovereign of the Sanctuary Lands of Hemlock Hollow.”
Charles’ whole posture changed. He gave the slightest bow to Oona. “We are honored to have received an invitation to your home.”
I said nothing. I was far too busy trying not to panic, or to let the royal Fae see how uneasy I was.