by K E O'Connor
Rather than seeming surprised at my appearance outside his window, a sly smile spread over Toby’s face.
Frank’s energy burned at the back of my neck. His desire not only to have Aurora but destroy the man who was manipulating her fueled his anger.
“Tempest! Get down,” Wiggles whispered. “Aren’t you worried that Toby’s seen you?”
“It’s Toby who needs to worry.” I drew back my fist, not entirely sure who was in control of my actions as Frank’s energy pounded through me.
Just before I slammed my fist through the window of Toby’s study, everything went black.
***
The world felt like it was spinning too fast. I held my hands out to stop from toppling.
“Tempest, you look beautiful in this color.” Aurora knelt in front of me, adjusting the hem of the floor length yellow satin gown I wore.
I blinked slowly as my vision cleared and sucked in a breath. My ears were ringing, and my head throbbed with every movement of my eyes.
I was inside Toby’s house. He’d used his sleazy magic on me.
“Say something,” Aurora said. “Don’t you like it?”
I stroked my hands down the soft fabric of the dress. “Why am I wearing this?”
Aurora giggled and clapped her hands together. “Stop fooling around. You’re not getting away with wearing jeans and boots for our wedding. There are other color options, but the yellow makes your dark hair look incredible.”
“The wedding?” My gaze went to the full-length mirror I stood in front of. The dress was high-waisted and off the shoulder, with lace sleeves running down the length of my arms. I had no idea how much time had passed or how I’d ended up in this dress. If Toby had helped take my clothes off and put this dress on me, I’d delight in setting Frank on him.
“I was thinking yellow and cream for the flowers,” Aurora said. “They’ll set your dress off perfectly. As my only bridesmaid, I want you to feel amazing.”
Another wave of dizziness hit me, and I swallowed, my mouth feeling sandpaper dry. “It looks fine, and the flowers sound great.” I glanced over my shoulder to see Toby sitting at his desk.
He raised his head and nodded at me. His eyes narrowed as if daring me to confront him. I took a step toward him. Toby wasn’t getting away with this. I had to break Aurora free from his twisted clutches.
Aurora grabbed my hands and squeezed before I could go any farther. “I’m so happy you came. I’ve hated not being able to talk to you about the wedding preparations. There’s so much to do, and now you’re here, it will be easier to manage.”
I nodded slowly. At least I was with Aurora again, and we were talking. Whatever Toby was doing to her, I couldn’t leave her on her own to deal with him. She was oblivious to how manipulative he was. If I played along, Toby might stop thinking I was a problem, and I could convince Aurora she was making the biggest mistake of her life.
I forced myself to smile. “We have a lot to catch up on. You have to tell me everything about the wedding plans. Why don’t we go outside and take a walk?”
“There’s plenty of time for that.” Toby pushed his chair back and strolled over. “You do look delightful in that color, Tempest.”
“Have you been here the whole time I’ve been getting changed?” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“Of course, he hasn’t,” Aurora said. “You changed upstairs, but the light down here is perfect to look at the color, and I wanted Toby to see you in your dress. Doesn’t she look beautiful?”
“Almost as lovely as you, my dear.” Toby wrapped a hand around Aurora’s waist and pressed a kiss on her cheek.
I repressed a growl as Toby fawned over Aurora like a prized pony.
“What do you think about a tiara?” Aurora asked as she tore her gaze from Toby.
“For whom?”
She grinned at me. “You! I was thinking flowers, but something more traditional. One with tiny crystals that sparkle in the light will look pretty in your hair.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I’m not sold on the tiara.”
“Aurora’s having one,” Toby said. “It will make her look like royalty.”
She smiled up at him. “You always treat me like a princess.”
“As is fitting,” he said.
Aurora simpered over Toby while I tried not to gag.
After several minutes of cringe inducing soppiness, Aurora glanced at me. “I’ll get the flower samples, and we can match them with your dress.”
“Great idea.” The second the door closed behind her, I turned on Toby. “You won’t get away with this.”
He stroked a hand down his goatee. “What is it you think I’m getting away with? Making your sister happy? Ensuring she has the best life she can? Letting her spend time with the man she loves?”
“You’re manipulating her, and you manipulated me.” I stepped closer. “I know you have my hair. That’s how you’re able to influence me so easily.”
He shook his head, an expression of innocence on his face. “Are you feeling quite well? I’m manipulating no one, and I know nothing about your hair. I was somewhat surprised when I saw you lurking outside the house like a thief, looking for a way in to steal my antiques. But it’s only right that you come in and make amends with Aurora. She’s been down since you abandoned her.”
I hissed in his face. “I didn’t abandon her. She’ll come to her senses about you.”
“She’s perfectly sensible when it comes to our relationship,” Toby said. “Aurora will be happy here with me. She’ll have everything she needs and will worry about nothing. But that will only happen if you don’t keep causing problems for her.”
“She’s my little sister, and you’re taking advantage of her,” I snarled at him. “You’re using mind manipulation magic on her. How are you doing it? How are you making Aurora remain under your influence for so long?”
“You’re making no sense. Aurora is here of her own free will. As are you.”
My eyes narrowed, and I glared at him. Toby was lying. He’d done something to make me lose time and end up standing in his study wearing this ridiculous dress. And he was taking advantage of Aurora, despite her magic eraser pendant.
“Here we are.” Aurora hurried back in the room with an armful of flowers. “Who knew there were so many shades of yellow and cream to choose from?” She scattered the flowers on the floor in front of me and began holding them up one after the other against the dress fabric.
“Where’s Wiggles?” I asked sharply, suddenly aware he was nowhere in the room.
Toby turned away. “I haven’t seen him. Perhaps he’s outside.”
“Wiggles can’t come in here,” Aurora said. “He’ll be fine in the grounds. There’s plenty to entertain him. So, which shade of yellow do you think goes best with your dress?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. This was too weird. Aurora was blind to what Toby was doing.
The sound of a thud outside had me turning to the window. Feodor lumbered past, swinging a huge club in his hand.
I hurried to the window and grabbed hold of the frame, gasping as I saw Wiggles belch a gout of flames at Feodor. “Call off your mad butler,” I said to Toby. “He’s trying to hurt Wiggles.”
Aurora hurried over and stared out of the window. “They’re just playing. Feodor’s a sweetie.”
“Feodor has a giant club spiked with nails in his hand. That doesn’t look like playing to me.”
Wiggles belched more fire at Feodor, hitting his club, and it burst into flames.
Feodor swirled it around his head before launching it at Wiggles.
Aurora gasped. “These boys do like their rough-and-tumble.”
“Rough-and-tumble!” I gaped at her. “The zombie butler is trying to kill Wiggles.”
Aurora glanced at me, worry shimmering in her eyes. “Maybe they do need to calm things down a little.”
My hands clenched into fists. “Toby, call off Feodor. Now!”
A loud knock so
unded on the front door.
“My dear, will you be so good as to get that?” Toby said to Aurora. “Feodor is otherwise engaged.” He smirked at me.
“Of course, my love. I’ll speak with Feodor as well and make sure things don’t get out of hand with Wiggles.” Aurora nodded and hurried out of the room.
“If your zombie butler hurts a fur on Wiggles’ head, I’m coming for you,” I snapped at Toby.
“I wish you luck with that,” Toby said. “And a word of advice while your sister is not here. Stay out of our relationship. Aurora’s mine. You’re jealous because you no longer have any influence over her. She’s moving on with her life and doing it without you. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop interfering.”
I bared my teeth. “Or what? You’ll use more of your mind magic on me?”
“It has its uses, but there are other types of magic I’ll use if you don’t stay out of our way. I want your sister, and I will have her. We’ll be married, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Keep away, and you and that revolting hellhound get to stay alive. How’s that for a deal?”
I advanced on Toby, magic sparking from my fingers, fully intending to show him exactly what I thought of his deal.
Aurora returned to the room, followed by an anxious looking Sablo. “Darling, it’s an angel.”
Toby glanced at me, a warning in his gaze, before turning and smiling. “How may I assist you?”
Sablo glanced from Toby to me. “Actually, I’m here for Tempest. Someone saw her heading this way. There’s an emergency.”
I restrained from blasting Toby in the head with a spell. “What is it?”
Sablo played with the tip of her wing. “There’s been another murder.”
My eyes widened. “Who’s dead?”
“Isadora Ash.”
Chapter 15
I glared at Toby as I processed what Sablo had told me. I was torn between my desire to kill Toby and help the angels.
Isadora Ash was dead. She’d been my prime suspect. With her bad alibi and a strong motive for wanting Gretel dead, I’d been almost sold on her being the killer.
Sablo gestured for me to follow her. “Please, Tempest, we need you. We don’t know what’s going on.”
“You’d better go,” Aurora said. “We can finish the flowers another time.”
I looked at the lemon-yellow dress I wore. “Where are my clothes?”
“Aurora washed them,” Toby said. “They looked like they hadn’t seen the inside of a washing machine for some time.”
I glared at him. “They were fine. Those jeans had at least another two wears in them.” I saw my boots in the corner of the room and pulled them on quickly. There was nothing for it. I’d have to go to the murder scene dressed as a bridesmaid.
I hugged Aurora tightly before I left. “Be careful,” I whispered to her.
She pulled back, her expression curious. “Of what?”
I glanced at Toby. “Make sure you don’t make a bad decision when it comes to the flowers.”
She smiled and let out a sigh. “Of course, I won’t. With your help, the wedding will be perfect.”
I shook my head as I hurried out of the house with Sablo. This was one giant mess, but at least Toby was showing his true colors. There was no way I’d listen to his warning. I’d continue to mess with their relationship until Aurora came to her senses.
“Hold on a minute,” I said to Sablo as we headed outside. I hurried around the side of the house.
“Wrong way,” Sablo said.
“I just need to—” I ducked as a chunk of rock flew through the air and past my ear.
Feodor was still pursuing Wiggles around the garden, and he was gaining on him.
I hitched up the floor length dress and raced after them, conjuring a bolt of lightning as I ran, the pungent smell of ozone filling my nose as the air crackled with power. I pulled back my arm and threw the lightning. It sliced through the air and landed squarely between Feodor’s shoulders.
He bellowed before crashing to the ground.
Wiggles slowed before doing a U-turn. He stopped by Feodor, who lay unconscious on the ground.
I hurried over and scooped Wiggles into my arms, my heart racing, and checked him for injuries. “Are you okay? I saw Feodor chasing you when I was inside.”
“Of course I’m not okay.” Wiggles squirmed in my arms, smearing mud all over the bodice of the dress. “I’ve been racing around the garden trying to avoid being slaughtered by this maniac. What happened to you? One minute, you were standing by the window, the next you were almost floating off the ground, a stupid look on your face. You went inside the house. I tried to follow, but the door was slammed in my face.”
I placed him on the ground and knelt next to him. “Toby got me. He used his magic on me.”
Anger bristled off Wiggles, and his fur stood on end. “That guy needs to be taught a serious lesson. He set this thug on me, and he manipulates you.” His red-eyed gaze ran over me. “And he made you put on a hideous dress.”
I looked at the dress, which was stained with muddy paw prints and fur. “This is Aurora’s idea. She thinks we’re friends again and wants me to wear this dress at her wedding.”
“Yellow is not your color.” Wiggles climbed onto Feodor’s back and jumped up and down several times. “For a big guy, he’s fast.”
“He wanted you dead.”
“He did. I was scratching at the door and trying to get in when he yanked it open and made a grab for me.” Wiggles bounced off Feodor like he was a mini trampoline. “After that, he was roaring at me and trying to get me.”
“Toby knows we’re onto him,” I said. “He’s warned me off.”
“Which you’re going to ignore.” Wiggles cocked his ears.
“Of course.” I petted Wiggles on the head. “I was worried when I saw Feodor after you.”
“I can handle one giant nightmare of a butler.” Wiggles belched sulfur in Feodor’s face.
“Tempest, we need to go.” Sablo shuffled from foot to foot, choosing to stay well away from Feodor as she lingered at the edge of the lawn.
“What’s an angel doing here?” Wiggles asked.
I tipped my head back. “There’s been another murder. Isadora Ash is dead.”
“No way!” Wiggles walked beside me as we hurried toward Sablo. “She was our prime suspect in Gretel’s murder.”
“Not anymore,” I said. “Don’t say anything to Sablo about what Toby’s up to. I don’t want the angels getting involved. We’ll deal with Toby without their interference.”
“Fine by me. If we need to break some rules to scare off Mr. Sleazy Goatee and his maniac butler, we don’t need the angels figuring out what we’re up to.”
Sablo glanced down at Wiggles as we stopped in front of her. “Why was that giant man chasing you? Did you steal his food?”
Wiggles snorted and glanced at me. “He’s not a fan of hellhounds.”
Sablo tilted her head but then shrugged. “We need to go to the stone circle. That’s where Isadora was found.”
“What happened to her?” I asked as we hurried along next to Sablo.
She shook her head and grimaced. “It’s not a pretty sight. Two walkers raced into the headquarters and said they’d found a body under a pile of rocks.”
“Rocks! Did one of the stones from the circle fall on Isadora?”
“No. I wasn’t there for long, so I don’t have all the information, but it looks like Isadora was crushed by rocks.”
“Multiple rocks? Not a single slab toppling and hitting her?”
“That’s right. There are dozens of them piled on her. They look like they came from the chunk that was split from a standing stone a while back.”
My stomach roiled unhappily. I wasn’t looking forward to this crime scene, but then who could say they enjoyed poking around dead bodies? Necromancers, maybe?
We arrived to find Dominic and Cassiel already there. They stood either side of a pile
of rocks in the center of the stone circle.
I decided not to get too close. I didn’t have a strong stomach for murder, no matter how often I helped the angels.
“How do you know it’s Isadora?” I asked Sablo as we stopped by the edge of the rocks. “I don’t see anyone under there.”
“If you go around the side, you’ll see a hand. And we moved the rocks to make sure whoever was under there wasn’t alive. It only took a couple of minutes before we revealed Isadora.”
“Are there signs of a fight or a struggle?”
“Nothing like that,” Sablo said. “As soon as we found the scene and figured out who it was, we didn’t poke around, so as not to disturb evidence. We’re not sure what to do next.”
“Get on and do what you always do when you discover a dead body,” I said.
Sablo’s mouth twisted to the side. “Dazielle always tells us what to do. I figured, since you’re in charge, you can suggest our tasks.”
I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “Okay, so what would she tell you to do in this situation?” The angels were lost without their leader. As much as they frustrated me, I felt a bit sorry for them.
Sablo swallowed and glanced at Dominic and Cassiel who were deliberately not making eye contact. “Secure the scene so evidence isn’t tampered with. Look around for any clues to suggest who killed Isadora. Remove the body and take it to be examined.”
“Top marks! You know what to do,” I said. “Get on with it.”
Sablo nodded. “You’re right. Yes, of course. I’ll take a look around.”
“Dominic and Cassiel, you stay here with Isadora,” I said. “Don’t let anyone near her body.”
“Sure, we can do that.” Dominic stood to attention, but there was a worried look on his face. “Who do you think did this?”
“I have no idea,” I said. “I was thinking Isadora killed Gretel. Now, I’m not so sure.” I walked slowly around the rocks, taking note of the hand poking out, palm up and fingers splayed. There was something horribly familiar about this scene.
“Are you looking for anything in particular?” Dominic followed closely behind me, his wings extended so I had my own private wind barrier.