Spellbound (Otherworld 12)

"She has a name," Hope murmured. "Hey, Savannah. Good show, huh?" She tried to smile, but it was strained.

"I want Jeremy," Karl said. "And Elena. Find them and bring them here."

"I don't need--" Hope began.

"Savannah."

"Yes, sir," I said and retreated.

twenty-four

Jeremy had gone for coffee with Jaime. When I called, he said they'd come right back. Jeremy wasn't a doctor, but he was the Pack's medic, and he'd seen Elena through her pregnancy. Karl trusted him.

Karl also trusted Elena, and that was why he wanted her there. For Hope. Elena wasn't my first choice for a shoulder to cry on, but she was Karl's, and that was what mattered.

I found Elena helping Clay read research files. When I said Karl wanted her for Hope, Elena didn't question, just asked where to find them. "She saw Jaz, I take it," she said.

I nodded. "She tried to kill him."

"Tried?" Clay said. "So she didn't succeed? Damn."

"They would be better off with Jaz dead," Elena said. "But I wouldn't want to see Hope do it. That's not something she needs to deal with right now."

"Seeing Jasper Haig isn't something she needs to deal with right now," Clay said.

Elena nodded and said she'd be back. Then she left and I was alone with Clay.

"Doing research for Adam?" I said, pointing at the stack of files.

"Yep."

That wasn't as odd a task for Clay as it sounded. He had a Ph.D. in anthropology, and did more than his share of research for papers.

"Can I help?" I asked.

As his mouth opened, I lifted my hand. "Yes, before you ask, my literacy skills have not vanished with my spells. I'm still capable of reading."

"Then read." He dumped a pile of folders in front of me. "We're looking for any reference to those people you met. Giles, Althea, Severin, Sierra . . . We're also pulling info on Balaam. Most of that has been compiled before, but Adam thinks there might be more here. Unsupported claims of him making contact."

I pulled out a chair and opened the first folder. "I told Adam I'd be happy to help with this, too, but he's not going to ask, is he?"

"Nope."

I read through one file without having a clue what it was about, my eyes just scanning the words, any connection to my brain failing.

"I know he's not happy with the way I acted--"

"To put it mildly."

I twisted to face him. "It's more than that, isn't it? You know what's

bothering him."

"Everyone knows what's bothering him."

"And you're the only person who'll tell me."

He shrugged and made a couple of notes, then said, as he wrote, "Remember back when Paige and Lucas went away on their honeymoon? You were fifteen and Adam had to babysit you?"