(eng) Kristen Painter - Crescent City 01 by House of the Rising Sun

Author:House of the Rising Sun [Sun, House of the Rising]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Giselle thanked the goddess that she’d been in the right place at the right time. She’d stopped by to see her father only to learn the new Guardian was on his way over.

Her father sat in his office, record books strewn about his desk, shelves overflowing with catalogued ingredients, scrying bowls and ancient grimoires. At least his shirt was clean. Not pressed, but clean.

“Aren’t you going to straighten up before he gets here? I thought Cormier kept things up better than this.” Her apartment in the French Quarter was pristine without the help of a butler or any other live-in help.

“This is a workingman’s office, Giselle. I like things the way they are.” Which meant Evander probably didn’t let Cormier touch a thing.

Which was the problem. Nothing ever changed, nothing ever improved. “You know computers can keep track of all this information very easily. You could create spreadsheets to see what spells are the most requested, which coven members haven’t paid their dues, whose licenses are coming up for renewal next. Think how much simpler your life would be.”

He sighed and looked over the rim of his glasses at her. “We’ve been over this. Computers can be hacked. I don’t want the world knowing our business. Why would people come to us for help if they could whip up a love potion from a recipe online?” He glared at her. “No. This is the way we do things. This will always be the way we do things.”

Not after she became coven leader. “Did you invite Zara?”

“No, and I didn’t invite you,” her father answered. “Besides, your sister isn’t interested in such things.”

“She’s not interested in much, is she?” Zara didn’t live that far away, choosing to remain in their late mother’s Garden District home nearby. Zara rarely left the house except to sell her handmade soaps and tinctures at the farmers’ market, but her garden provided the coven with the bulk of the plant materials used in their spells. In that respect Zara wasn’t totally useless. Nor was she much competition.

“Leave your sister alone. She’s happy in her life. You should take a lesson from her.”

Giselle planted her hands on the edge of her father’s desk and leaned in. “What lesson would that be? To be less ambitious? To never want more for myself than a pretty garden? Forgive me for following in your footsteps, Father. I thought that’s what you wanted. I know you wish I’d been a boy.”

He rubbed his forehead. “Giselle, that’s not what I—”

The doorbell’s chime interrupted him. She spun away from her father, already knowing the lie he was about to repeat, and walked toward the front of the house. The Guardian had arrived. “I’ll get it.”

She met Cormier in the hall. “I said I’ll get it.” She shooed her father’s butler away and opened the door, letting a long second pass as she took in the man across from her. Then she forced a smile. “Hello there. I didn’t expect you.”

The fae across from her tipped his head in greeting.

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