This Wicked Fate (This Poison Heart #2)(24)

Nyx motioned toward the door. “He’s my companion. He’s actually very friendly once you get to know him.”

Circe grunted. “Oh. So now we’re telling bold-faced lies?”

“He’s protective of me,” Nyx said. “And I’m protective of him. That’s the way it should be.” She walked out onto the front porch.

Mo stood on wobbly legs. “Bri, love, I think I’m losing my grip. I gotta sit down. This is just too much.” She all but fell into the couch across the hall, but I took a step toward the door.

“It’s probably safe to go out there,” Marie said. “If you want a closer look.”

I whipped my head around to look at her. “Probably?”

She pursed her lips. “Most likely safe. As long as you don’t threaten Nyx, he’s not terrible.”

I nudged her toward the door. “You go out there first.”

She smiled, gave me a quick kiss, and led me onto the porch. Nyx went down the steps and stood at the griffin’s side. Nyx was pushing six foot two, and the griffin’s shoulder was an arm’s length above her head while it was lying down. Its head was half the size of our car.

“He’s friendly,” Nyx said. “Come here. You can pet him.”

“Yeah. No. Not gonna do that,” I said. The enormity of the creature was one thing, but its strange assortment of parts made even less sense. It had the head, wings, and feathers of a bird. All these parts linked to a body that looked like it belonged to a lion, but its fur was black and shining. Its talons dug into the gravel, gouging out chunks of the ground as long as my arm.

“His name is Roscoe,” Nyx said.

I readjusted my glasses like that was going to somehow help me get a grip on what I was seeing. “His name’s what?” Despite the cocoon of confusion and disbelief that had wrapped itself around me, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Roscoe? Like Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles?”

Nyx grinned. “It suits him.”

“It sounds like somebody’s grandpa’s name,” Marie said.

“He lives on the bluff?” I asked. “That’s where you’re always sneaking off to, huh?”

Nyx nodded and scratched the griffin’s underbelly. A rumble echoed inside his chest—a purr. “Yes. He nests there when we’re not together. He was with me when I came here from—”

“From California?” I asked. “That’s where you said you were from. Is that a lie, too?”

“No,” she said. “That’s technically true.”

I tilted my head. “You know what? I’m not even gonna ask anymore. I need to just accept that the weirdest shit is gonna happen right in front of me and all of y’all are gonna be unsurprised by it.”

Marie slipped her hand around my waist. “I’ll take you for a ride later if you want,” she whispered against my ear.

“You ride it?”

Marie shrugged. “When he lets me. He’s a jerk. Like I said.”

The creature whipped its head around and stared at Marie, its big yellow eyes narrowing, the pupils big as tennis balls.

Marie stuck her finger in its face. “Don’t get an attitude with me. I won’t bring you any more treats.”

The griffin lowered its head and huffed so hard a shower of dirt and dust from the drive flew up into the air.

“Do they sell griffin treats at the pet store?” I asked.

“He loves a live rabbit,” Nyx said.

I put my hands up. “You know what? Forget I said anything.” Now all I could think of was Nyx catching rabbits in the woods and tossing them to Roscoe like dog treats.

A rustling drew my attention to the tree line at the far side of the driveway. A length of Devil’s Pet, as big around as a telephone pole, slithered out and coiled itself like a snake at my side.

“Looks like we all have our own sort of familiars,” Nyx said.

I reached down and ran my fingers along the rough surface of the deadly plant. A chill bloomed in my palm, then dissipated. “I guess so.”

“Mo went to lie down,” Circe said as she came out of the house and down the front steps. “I gave her another cup of tea. Not quite as strong as what I gave her last night, just enough to get her to calm down. Mostly chamomile.”

I raised an eyebrow. “That’s all?”

Circe shrugged. “Maybe a little belladonna. She’ll probably be out for the night.”

The sun was already lying low in the sky. Exhausted as I was, I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping.

“Mo gave me Dr. Kent’s phone number,” Circe said. “I gave her a call.”

“And?” I asked. “Are you hoping she has something else we can use?”

Circe looked thoughtful. “Don’t you find it coincidental that you came here to Rhinebeck, found out you’re related to Medea, and then you find my document telling the true story of Medea, which just so happened to be something this Dr. Kent is familiar with? Do you know how obscure the document is? It’s a one-in-a-million chance that you just happen to know someone who would even be familiar with what you’re talking about.”

“Dr. Kent has known my parents since before I was born,” I said.

“Even stranger still,” Circe said. “Was it fate that brought Dr. Kent into your circle before you even knew how useful her knowledge would be?”