Ivy snapped her fingers. “Yeah, I bet that’s him! He said he wouldn’t be donating, which I didn’t really think was strange. People back out all the time. But he looked really unhappy—maybe even angry—about it.”
The room fell into a tense silence as the pieces slowly came together.
“But who is he?” Lochlan demanded.
Ivy shrugged helplessly, her eyes darting back to her laptop.
Before Lochlan could press further, Wulfric’s growl of frustration cut through the room like a thunderclap. They all turned to see him gripping the elder—the same one Lochlan had interrupted earlier that day—shaking him with barely restrained fury as the man attempted to scry for Nia.
“I’m trying!” the elder yelped.
“Try harder!” Wulfric roared. The lights flickered violently, casting long, sharp shadows as his anger radiated through the room. “You fucking bird brain!”
“Yes, birds!” The elder flinched, his eyes wide with panic. “All I see is chickens, thousands of them!”
Ivy gasped, rushing forward to stand between the elder and Wulfric, who was towering over the older man in a state of rage. “Chickens?” She grabbed the elder’s hand. “Do you see a farm?”
The elder hesitated, glancing nervously at Wulfric, who stood seething behind her. Finally, he nodded.
Ivy turned to Lochlan and Thane. “Jackson Runner. He’s the CEO of a poultry distribution company. Nia was talking to him the night of Mabon. He didn’t look very happy, either.”
Thane was already at his laptop, his brows knit in concentration. “Runner Enterprises has a facility that houses chickens in the farmland just outside Stella Rune,” he said. He pulled out his phone, pressed a button, and began speaking. “Alpha team, rally at thirteen Perseverance Lane.”
A voice on the other end of the line responded, though Lochlan couldn’t make out the words.
Thane checked his watch, his tone hardening. “Make it ten minutes. I’ll be there in twelve. I expect the team ready for extraction upon my arrival. I’ll send instructions en route.”
He put down the phone and turned back to his laptop. Across the room, Wulfric’s guards were also on their phones, their low voices an undercurrent in the tense atmosphere.
One of them ended his call and looked up, his expression firm. “We will handle this.”
Thane didn’t even look up from his screen. “Are you trained in kidnapping extractions?”
The guard hesitated. “Er…”
Wulfric cursed under his breath.
Another guard stepped forward. “We’re trained to protect against magical attacks.”
“Great,” Thane said dryly, flipping the screen of his laptop. With a swift motion, it transformed into an improbably sleek, streamlined tablet. He tapped at it quickly before snapping the protective case into place. “You can be my anti-magic insurance. Stay behind me and out of my way.”
Ivy blinked at the device, her mouth falling open slightly. “Witchcraft?”
Thane gave her a quick wink as his fingers flew over its surface. “No, miss. Just good old technology.”
Becket raised an eyebrow. “Right. We all agree Thane’s hot and mysterious. Can we stay focused for five seconds?”
Ivy stuck her tongue out at him.
Before either of them could respond, Lochlan spoke. “I’m going with you.”
“No,” Thane replied flatly, not even looking up.
“You think I’m just going to sit here?” Lochlan snapped, stepping closer, his frustration boiling over.
“You aren’t trained.” Thane said, his attention fixed on a detailed map. His fingers moved rapidly across the surface, zooming in on the warehouse and the surrounding terrain. “This place is out in the sticks,” he said, his voice clipped. “Only one way in by road, and if they’re smart, they’ve got eyes on it. We’ll go through the back farm on foot.” His gaze flicked to the guards, his tone dry. “Hope you don’t mind some cow patties”
Lochlan stepped closer, his jaw tight. “I’m going.”
