Read Imperative: A Quinn Larson Quest for Free Online

perfect for moth watching. No one else came out.” She held out her hand. “That is all I know.”
    I passed her the star anise and pulled the cloves out of my pocket. Her information wouldn’t get us any closer to stopping this, but knowing the Gur amulet was in Sidhe hands, was worth the price.
    “That’s interesting,” Olan stepped into the light as soon as Evangeline left. “What’s this amulet about?”
    “Where have you been?”
    “Keeping lookout. You never know who might come by and overhear.” Olan paced around the dry space. “So, why did Fionuir steal the amulet?”
    “I don’t know. Something that old has great power. You can use it to feed a spell. Or you can use it for its original purpose. But I’m pretty sure that Fionuir is not capturing spirits of murdered druids.”
    “Why would the druids want to capture those spirits?”
    “I think they expected to free their fellows at a safe time, but there wasn’t one for centuries, and no one really knows how to do it anymore, if they ever did.” I started walking away from the safety of the fire escape. “Come on; let’s get back to my place. It’s warm and I have beer.”
    “Not so fast, Quinn.” Olan looked up and then cocked his head as though listening. “Why didn’t the druids go after Fionuir?”
    “Who knows why druids do or don’t do anything? Come on. I’m cold and wet.” As I spoke I looked up and saw why Olan wouldn’t come out. On the landing of the fire escape was a shadow. It shifted and flickered, but mostly stayed in the shape of a crow. “What did you do, Olan?”
    “Nothing, I swear.” Olan kept his gaze on the landing.
    “How long has she been there?” If The Morrigan had heard us talking about druids and amulets, she would tell Fionuir and we would never fix this problem.
    “Just now, don’t fret.” Olan sidled behind my legs.
    “Morrigan,” I called to the shadow. If she was mad at Olan again, I wanted to get it over. Like I told the pixie, I was cold and tired. “What do you want?”
    The shadow moved, she flickered into a woman. The shadow stretched and laughed, slowly and sensually. “The pixie. He can’t help himself.”
    “What has he done?”
    “Ask him what he keeps in his bag of toys.” She flickered back to a crow shadow.
    I looked at Olan and raised my eyebrow, waiting for him to speak.
    “I didn’t know it belonged to anyone.” He stepped out from behind me, dug around in his sack and then threw a lump that landed on the ground. “She can have it back.”
    The crow launched herself off the railing and swerved toward Olan. She screeched and swiped at Olan with her beak. Being touched by The Morrigan was death to some beings. Olan fell over.
    As I bent to pick him up, The Morrigan swept past me and took the lump in her beak. I fell back to avoid her spread wings as she rose again.
    I looked for Olan and found him lying on his side in the dirt. “Olan?” I didn’t believe he was gone. I didn’t want to believe it. He could be a pain but I was just getting to like him and he could be helpful. “Olan?” I heard a wheeze and turned him over.
    He was sprouting feathers. The transformation completed and he flapped a wing and righted himself. His beak opened and only a weak chirp emerged from his chickadee throat.
    “Can you fly?”
    He hopped and flapped his wings. No luck. He shook himself and looked around. Picking a patch of dirt he scratched with his talons the stood aside. He’d written home .
    “Okay, get up here.” I put him on my shoulder, picked up his bobbin and sack and headed for home.
     
     
Chapter Six
     
     
    Olan was making a crooning croak. I know birds are not capable of it, but I thought he was trying to clear his throat. “You should probably rest your voice. It might be temporary.”
    He butted my ear with his head.
    I really did hope he got his voice back and learn to fly if he couldn’t get back to pixie form. I figured if he didn’t, I would have a