by Arthur, Keri
My phone rang just as we’d closed for the day; the tone told me it was my mother. I answered it with more than a little trepidation.
“Your father is awake,” she said, without preamble. “He’s given a description of his assailant to both the police and the council’s investigators.”
“I take it he didn’t know the man?”
“It was a woman. And no, although he did say the veil of power around her felt familiar.”
“How familiar?”
She hesitated. “He said he didn’t have time to fully examine the threads and couldn’t guess at their origin.”
Couldn’t? Or wouldn’t? I rather suspected the latter. “I take it a warrant has been issued?”
“Yes. She boarded a Melbourne-bound plane late last night.”
My heart began to beat a whole lot faster. “Did the cops intercept her at Tullamarine?”
“No, because the plane had already landed by the time the warrant had been issued. A check of security cams indicated an unknown gentleman in a black Mercedes picked her up. The Mercedes was found abandoned just outside Sunbury. It had been stolen the night before.”
Meaning she—and whoever had picked her up—not only had this all planned out, but could already be in the reservation.
“Was the veil dad mentioned how this woman slipped into the house?”
“We believe so. It was designed to counter known spells, as far as your father could ascertain.”
If he could ascertain that, he really should have been able to ascertain origin. And perhaps he had; perhaps it was a simple matter of neither he nor my mother wanting to admit that I’d been right when it came to Clayton.
“What’s being done to find her?”
“The council is sending a team that includes one of their top tracers down to Melbourne. They should be in the reservation within the next twenty-four hours.”
“Which might be too damn late.”
“If Clayton is behind this,” she said, her tone a little stiff, “then there’s time. He was never one to act irrationally or without meticulous planning.”
There’d been nothing meticulous about his actions on our wedding night, but that had at least played in our favor. If he’d been more controlled, he might well have sensed Belle’s assault on his defenses and countered them. If that had happened, we might never have escaped.
But he wouldn’t make the same mistake again—and he certainly wouldn’t underestimate either of us again.
“The investigators will be in contact with you when they arrive at the reservation,” my mother continued. “I’ve given them your address and phone number.”
“Fine. Thanks.”
“They have one of Clayton’s watches in their possession, and I’ve directed them to give it to you. They’ve been informed of your psychic capabilities.”
If the investigators got here quickly enough, and if I was able to find Clayton through the damn watch, then maybe we could stop him before everything escalated.
Maybe.
“Who’s in charge of the investigators?” I asked.
“Samuel Kang—I believe you went to school with him.”
I frowned. “The name doesn’t ring a bell.”
“He said he remembers you.”
“That’s hardly surprising, considering there were no other Marlowe witches with a human familiar. Doesn’t mean we actually knew each other.”
“Indeed.” She paused. “How’s Belle?”
“Fine.” And more powerful than you imagine, I wanted to snipe, but she and my father already had plans to have me audited. I didn’t want my link with Belle or Belle herself to be included in all that.
“Good.” She paused again. “If you do encounter Clayton and are forced to defend yourself, keep to his left if possible.”
I frowned. “Why?”
“He had an unfortunate accident a few months ago and has little sight in his left eye.”
“How does that help? He only needs one good eye.” And sight certainly wasn’t necessary when it came to spells.
“Yes, but he now has difficulty tracking moving objects, judging distances, and perceiving depth. It gives you more of a chance—perhaps not magically but definitely physically.”
“If it comes down to a physical fight between the two of us, I’m still going to be in trouble.” I might have had youth and speed, but he was taller and stronger.
“Perhaps,” she said. “But in all likelihood, it’s doubtful it’ll come down to such a base confrontation. Samuel and his people will undoubtedly take care of this whole messy situation before then.”
I liked the positivity in her voice. I just didn’t believe that would be the case.
“I hope so.” I hesitated, torn once again between the childish need to reach out and the adult desire to keep my family at arm’s length. “I’ll update you if anything happens.”
“That would be appreciated. We’ll talk later, Elizabeth.”
“Samuel Kang,” Belle mused, once I’d hung up. “Wasn’t there a Kang in Monty’s homeroom?”
“There were Kangs in every homeroom,” I replied, voice dry. “There are only three royal lines, even if there are lots of branches of each.”
“Yes, but I’m sure this one was called Samuel.” She glanced at the door as it opened and Monty appeared. “Was there a Samuel Kang in your homeroom?”
“Yes, why?”
She shrugged. “He’s apparently in charge of the team the High Council is sending here. Just wondered what he was like.”
“He’s not as fabulous as me, if that’s what you’re asking.”
She gave him the ‘don’t be stupid’ look, which only made him laugh. “In all honesty, I didn’t have much to do with him. He was the studious type.”
“Which is probably why he ended up working for the High Council,” I said, “and you ended up in the dusty bowels of cataloguing.”
“Possibly,” he said, “but being ensconced in said dusty bowels has at least had one payoff—I think I’ve found a book that might tell us more about the wild magic and your connection to it. I’ve put in a request for its retrieval.”
I raised my eyebrows. “How did you find it?”
“It was referenced on some old data cards being transferred to the main database. They catalogue out-of-date or superseded reference manuals.”
“Will you have to fly up to Canberra to view it?”
He shook his head. “It’s an obsolete manual, so there’s no restrictions on loaning or viewing. Jamie will sign it out for me and then express post it down.”
Jamie was his professor friend, if I remembered correctly. “Did he say how detailed the book was?”
“No, but it’s titled Earth Magic: its Uses and Dangers, so that suggests a fair bit of detail.”
Belle frowned. “Earth magic isn’t wild magic, though.”
“Actually, it is. Earth became wild after a few cataclysmic events in the eleventh century.”
“And you know this how?” she said.
“Because I have a good memory for that sort of rubbish,” he said. “And because I sometimes did pay attention at school. When’s the High Council’s team getting here?”
“Sometime in the next twenty-four hours.”
Concern flitted through his expression. “Why are they taking so long? Why didn’t the council move the minute Clayton disappeared?”
“Probably because it wasn’t until my father was shot that they believed Clayton was actually a threat.”
Monty blinked. “When did that happen?”
“A few days ago. He’s out of surgery and recovering, though.”
“Fuck.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Despite what happened in Wodonga, I didn’t think Clayton would resort to a physical attack.”
“No one did, which is no doubt why he resorted to hiring a hit man—or woman, as it apparently was.” My voice was grim. “It does mean that you and Aiden could both be in danger.”
He frown
ed. “Aiden, I understand, given he’s your current partner, but why me? It’s not like I had anything to do with your family when this whole crooked deal went down.”
“No,” Belle said, “but you’ve stood up to him twice now, and while I certainly appreciated the punch that broke the bastard’s nose, I doubt he did.”
“There’s not much I can do to counter a bullet.”
“The ghoul was protected against them,” I said. “So there obviously is a spell out there capable of doing just that.”
“No doubt, but it’s not one I currently know.”
“Then go over to the ranger station when you’re finished here and put on the bulletproof vest Aiden’s pulling out of storage.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary? I mean, they’re not exactly hard to spot, and a good enough shooter would have no trouble with a head shot.”
“Some protection is better than no protection,” Belle said. “And as annoying as I find you, I’d hate to see you dead.”
“It warms my cockles to hear you say that.”
She rolled her eyes. “Just go over and grab that vest—and don’t get shot between here and there or I will be displeased.”
“That makes two of us.” He glanced at me. “What are we planning to do about Clayton?”
I grimaced. “There’s not much we can do at this point. There’s a seeker on Samuel’s team, and Mom’s sending down one of Clayton’s watches. I’m hoping that between the seeker and my psychometry skills, we can track Clayton down before he attempts anything.”
“And the shooter? Do we know where she is?”
“She flew into Melbourne this morning. Her current whereabouts are unknown.”
“Is Aiden checking hotel registrations?”
“He probably will when I mention it, but I can’t see it being of much use. There’s a hell of a lot of hotels and private guest accommodation within the reservation. It’s a needle in a haystack.”
“Needles can sometimes be found.” He hesitated. “I know Aiden is already staying here, but if you need additional spell power, I’m more than happy to bunk down for a few days.”
I reached out and squeezed his arm. “Thanks, but I’d rather not make it easy for the bastard by having all his targets neatly collected in the one spot.”
He hesitated and then nodded. “I’ll head over to the ranger station now. Ring me as soon as you hear or see anything.”
“I will.”
“You won’t,” Belle said the minute he was out the door. “And for the same reason you won’t ring Ashworth or Eli—you don’t want them caught in the crossfire.”
“It’s more because of what I saw in my dreams last night.” Visions of blood and broken body bits rose once again, and I shuddered. “People are going to die, Belle. I just don’t want it to be anyone I care about.”
“In the end,” she said, voice resolute, “it’s not about what we do, but rather what he does.”
“I know.” And that’s what made this whole thing so nerve-wracking. Until he made his move, there was nothing more we could really do—nothing other than take what precautions we could and hope like hell my worst fears didn’t eventuate.
We spent the rest of the evening making cakes and doing prep for the following day. Aiden arrived around eight, and the three of us sat around drinking coffee and chatting about everything and anything other than the situation that was no doubt forefront in all of our minds.
At eleven, Belle sighed and rose. “I’d better head over.”
“We’ll escort you,” I said, rising with her.
She frowned. “Why? It’s not far to Émigré—”
“That’s where you’re staying?” Aiden cut in, surprise evident. “Why?”
“For the very reason you’re surprised,” I replied. “It’s a location few would think to look.”
“But there’s no accommodation—”
“Maelle lives there,” Belle said. “I’m using one of her rooms to bunk in.”
His gaze ran between the two of us. “There’s something more to this than what you’re saying, isn’t there?”
He’d always been able to see through my lies and avoidances, but this secret wasn’t mine to share. Still, a little bit of the truth wouldn’t go astray. “Maelle arranged to have Émigré shielded after the Soucouyant firebombed it. If anyone with ill intent crosses her boundaries, she’ll know about it.”
His gaze searched mine; seeing the truth, knowing there was more. But all he did was rise and take his keys out of his pocket. “I’ll drive you over, Belle, and pick you up in the morning.”
She frowned. “I’m fine to catch a cab—”
“Not if that bastard’s out there and watching, you’re not.”
“He can hit your truck as easily as he can a cab, Ranger.”
“Yes, but my senses and reflexes are sharper than the average cab driver’s. Besides, keeping you safe is one less thing Liz has to worry about.”
“Ah,” she said, amusement twitching her lips. “I knew there was an ulterior motive. Give me a couple of minutes to gather my things, then we can head off.”
As she went upstairs, I said, “Have you got your bulletproof vest in the truck?”
“I have.” He caught my hand and tugged me into his arms. “I’ll even put it on when I escort Belle to the club, though I really don’t think it’ll be necessary.”
“It’s always better to be overcautious than under.”
I rested my cheek against his chest and listened to the steady thumping of his heart. It was a calming sound in a world about to go crazy.
“I’ll remind you of that the next time you snipe at me for insisting on more caution when you’re dealing with a demon.” His tone was amused.
A smile tugged at my lips. “You know it won’t make much difference.”
“This is sadly true.” He brushed a kiss across the top of my head. “Given all the near misses you’ve experienced over the last few months, I think I’m destined to become gray before my time.”
“And no one will ever know, given all the silver you already have.”
He laughed, kissed me again, and then followed Belle out the back door. As his truck roared to life, I made myself another coffee and headed upstairs. But for some reason, I just couldn’t sit. I drank my coffee as I paced, my gaze on the storm-clad night beyond the glass sliding doors.
Watching.
Waiting.
Not just for Aiden to arrive back safely, but also something else. Something very big and very deadly.
Last night’s dream was about to come true…
I swore, shoved my coffee onto the table, then snagged my jacket off the chair and clattered down the stairs. After grabbing my phone and keys from the under the counter, I strode across to the front door.
As I opened it, there was a huge whoomph followed by a massive fireball that lit up the sky.
For several, seemingly overlong seconds, shock held me immobile. I could only stare at the orange glow that was even now being smothered by thick black smoke.
Then shock gave way to the realization of what I was seeing and where it was coming from.
A building had just exploded into flame—and that building was Émigré.
Chapter Fourteen
Belle! I screamed mentally. Are you all right?
No answer came. The line between us was dead… but was she? I had no idea, and that was perhaps the scariest thing of all.
I bolted out the door and ran, as fast as I could, into the night and the storm. I didn’t bother locking the café’s door or grabbing our SUV—which probably would have been quicker in the long run, given the distance.
Except… it wasn’t. Power flowed through me, power that came from within and without. The wild magic, enhancing my speed and endurance, giving me werewolf-like speed, just as Katie had said.
The wind lashed at me and the rain pummeled, but I didn’t feel any of it. All I felt was fear. It churned my gut and made my heart fee
l like it was about to break.
Belle had to be all right. She had to be…
Wild magic stirred around me; it filled me with energy and hastened my steps even as it sharpened my fear. Aiden. Oh God, Aiden. It shouldn’t have taken him this long to simply drop Belle off. He should have been back long before Émigré had erupted into flame.
He must have escorted her inside.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
The word pounded through my brain, its rhythm as swift as my footsteps. Alarms bit through the night. Building alarms. Fire alarms. Emergency services.
I’d get there before the rangers, the ambulances, and the fire brigade, but would it do any good? Would the burned bodies I’d vaguely glimpsed in my dreams belong to the two people I cared most about in the entire world?
I hoped not.
Hoped that I had read Clayton—and his need for revenge—so very wrong.
I skidded around the corner, my arms flailing as I fought for balance. The wild magic spun around me, its force burning my skin, urging me on, urging me to hurry.
Up ahead, flames leapt high and black smoke billowed. The air was thick with the stench of burning wood, material, and flesh, and my stomach churned at an even faster rate. Shadows moved through the smoke—some staggering, some supporting others, all of them trying to get away from the heat and the flames. My gaze swept them, desperate to find someone I knew. No one. There was no one familiar.
The closer I got, the fiercer the heat became. I threw up a hand in an effort to see against the glare and the smoke. Dear God, the whole front of the building had been blown apart. All that was left was fragmented skeletons of what had once been walls and roof beams… and yet the rear half of the building looked relatively intact. If there was any chance of survival, then perhaps it was there…
Energy wound around my fingers, then Katie said urgently, This way.
She led me into a lane that ran along one side of a smaller building. All its windows were shattered and its security alarm was ringing, but the explosion that had torn apart the front of Émigré had done little more than blacken the paint here. But the pungent black smoke cut visibility and made breathing even more difficult. I pulled my sweater over my nose in an effort to filter out some of the muck and wished I could do the same when it came to the thick waves of emotion that rolled from the building—from all those who’d been injured or were close to death.