Arkan speaks up, “That’s blue magic. There are no blue witches anywhere in the haven system.”
I spin and look at Dirk, my genius mate on all things hunt-y. “Dirk, have you heard of this? Got any ideas?”
His gaze falls, eyes flitting from side to side as he thinks. Eventually, he lifts his focus back to us. “I jest might, Louanna. Arkan and I can put our heads together.”
“Can you help us?”
Arkan’s question surprises me, and I turn to the wraith. The big monster shakes his head, slipping his hands back into his sleeves. “Nooot with darrrrk magiiiiic, Keeperrrr. Sorrrryyyyy.” With that, he returns around his desk and reseats himself. The half moon of wraith surrounding him float through the walls and ceiling and disappear.
“Let’s go,” Arkan says grimly.
I turn to follow. Dirk and Connall sandwich me between them as we leave, and I’d almost chuckle, except there’s nothing funny about this. They can’t see Leighton, can’t sense him or do anything about him. I feel…hopeless, like there’s a weight crushing my chest and refusing to allow air into my lungs.
By the time we get back to Richard’s truck, I’m in full fight-or-flight mode. How the hells are we gonna fix this?
“Eyes on me, Lou.” Connall’s directive snaps my focus to him. Green eyes are wide and concerned as he brings a hand to my throat and wraps his fingers around it. “We’ll figure this out, alright? Dirk has contacts all over the place, probably even some he shouldn’t, if my intuition is right.” He glances at Dirk. “Am I right? If anyone was hiding blue witch knowledge in their back pocket it would be you.”
Dirk rubs a hand over the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “Well, I was a bit of a fright as a younger man, so yeh. I might know a few folks dabbling in other magics. I’ll call ‘em.”
Arkan joins us. “Same. I was a horrible teenager, and I’ve kept up with some of those contacts. I didn’t want to share that so publicly, but I might know someone.”
I must give him an incredulous look, because his shoulders rise to his ears as he shrugs guiltily. “What? They were a lot of fun! I was a kid!”
“How are we going to fix this?” I whisper.
Richard joins us and claps a hand on Connall’s shoulder, staring grimly at his Second. “I don’t know, but we will. We have to, before anyone else gets hurt.”
I clench my jaw as I resolve to be part of the solution.
Hours later, I’m reorganizing the Alkemi checkout area with Malik. I insisted on going back to work, and Dirk and Connall insisted on Malik staying with me throughout my shift. They don’t want me to be alone at all, and while I appreciate the thought behind the mandate, it rankles too. I want to do more. I wish I could.
They’re working with Arkan and haven leadership to spread the word about what’s happened. The official recommendation is for monsters to remain inside, especially those in Shifter Hollow. I know it’s hard, though, because all the bigger monsters live here. Many of them spend a majority of their day outside their homes.
Still, fierce danger is within Ever’s wards. We can’t be too safe.
I’ve seen Leighton twice. Both times, he interacted with me but didn’t try to hurt me. Somehow, I think he either doesn’t intend to hurt me, or perhaps can’t. Because, surely, given my role in his death, he’d do that if he could?
I’m mulling that over when Malik taps me on the shoulder. When I turn, his eyes crinkle in the corners, his lips flat. He looks so worried.
“I won’t let him hurt you,” I state, straightening. I don’t know how I’m going to make good on that promise, but somehow, through sheer grit and moxie, I’ll make it happen.
Malik scoffs. “I’m hardly worried for myself, Lou. I’m worried about you, and Alba, of course, although she insisted, if I hovered, she’d kick me in the leg.”
I hold back a bitter laugh, because I can picture Alba pointing a long finger at Malik and shouting about being coddled.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve been through shit before. I’ll get through this shit now.”
He makes a disapproving sound under his breath and pulls me close to his body. Like this, my face is pretty much pressedto his belly button, but I’m going to pretend that’s not weird. He curls over and rubs the top of my back. It’s nice, and I appreciate it, but I?—
Shadows at the edges of the room flicker and shift, a display lamp turning off and cloaking that section of the wall display in darkness. Malik releases me as I stiffen and pull out of his embrace. The lamp blinks repeatedly, and then a dark figure steps out of the shadows.
Leighton.
I ball my fists as he sneers at me, that same oversized sneer that would have been too much when he was alive. It seems to stretch across his entire face.
Malik touches my shoulder. “Lou, what’s going on? You’re so tense.”
Leighton’s glowing eyes flick over my shoulder to Malik, and he smiles, shoving both hands into his pockets.
