Mixed Feelings (Empathy in the PPNW Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

knew I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I
didn’t at least try. Maybe I’d impress Chloe again and think of something
brilliant that would save the day. These two certainly thought I had it in me;
maybe they were right and I’d have the little ones home by the end of the week.
    “You are most gracious , ” Hardy said, bowing low. Laurel followed suit, though
I could feel how much he disliked doing so. “ Your mistress has chosen wisely.”
    There was that mistress
again. Did they mean Chloe? We weren’t dating, but maybe they had assumed
differently. As if she knew I was thinking about her, Chloe spoke up.
    “What can you tell us about
these kids? Names? Ages? Can you tell us
what powers they have? We ’re going to need something
to go on besides the fact that they’re children.” She made a good point and I
felt shame creep in to needle my pride until it started to deflate. I hadn’t
even thought that far. So much for having a snap of brilliance that would save
the day.
    Laurel tensed as if he might
stand up but both he and Hardy remained bowed down like they were expecting me
to behead them. Chloe gave it a beat before exasperation fizzed through her and
she gestured at me to speak.
    “ Uh, stand, answer her , ” I
said, at a loss as to what exactly they needed to hear. This time, they didn’t
hesitate, focusing on me even though Chloe had been the one to ask the
question.
    “We are told where to locate
the children, but this time we found there were none present , ” Hardy explained. “This
has happened in the past, but three times in such a short span is not right.
The balance between our world and the human world may be in danger. We have
been unable to track the children and do not know how to make sure it is done,
and discreet.”
    “And you were told I could do
better?”
    “Your resources are vast.
Your mistress passed along a list of your accomplishments when sending word we
were to meet you.”
    “You spoke with my mistress?”
I guess they didn’t mean Chloe after all. She likes
messing with me sometimes, but there was no way she’d been in on this
beforehand.
    Laurel ’s eyes bugged out so hard I thought they’d burst and
get carried away on the ocean of panic that washed over him. As Laurel sputtered and began to shake
as if he’ d explode, Hardy clarified.
    “An emissary was sent to us.
We dare not waste your mistress’s time with our presence. She called upon us.
Please understand we did not mean to imply we have sway with her.”
    “ No, ” I shook my head, desperate to flush out Laurel ’ s tumultuous fear as it flapped
through my chest like a bickering murder of crows. “I didn’t mean it like that, jeez.”
    Hardy ’s square face pulled tight as he looked between us
and I wondered if he was catching on to how unpleasant I found it to be near
his partner.
    “We are sorry we could not be
of more assistance, but surely you have connections and means that we can only
dream of. If there is nothing else you require of us, we will take our leave.”
    I liked that idea. “Yeah, you
can go. I just need to know how to contact you if I find anything.”
    Hardy winced, his massive shoulders hunching up around his
neck . “You need not waste your
breath. We will come when you need us.”
    “ It ’s that simple?” I asked. It couldn’t be
that easy. I glanced at Chloe and then back. They weren’t there . “What the hell?”
    I did a quick turn, sweeping
my gaze around the office, trying to figure out where they’ d gone. The door hadn ’t opened, the only window in
the room was too small for even Chloe to get through, and I was pretty sure we
didn’t have any trap doors under the rug. They couldn’t just be gone . Surely they’d blown up or been reduced to a puddle of some sort? When
blinking and leaning forward to swipe my hand through the empty air where
they’d been didn’t tell me anything, I turned to Chloe.
    “Where did they go? What the
hell just