Cut to the Crone (A Spell's Angels Cozy Mystery Book 4)

by Amanda M. Lee

The response, so simple, hit me hard. “She saved you from dying?”

  Zoe hesitated before replying. “Depending on who you listen to, she might’ve brought me back from the dead. It certainly felt as if I’d left. She could’ve scooted in at the last second and saved me. It’s probably irrelevant at this point.”

  I was well and truly gobsmacked. “You died?”

  “Maybe.”

  “She saved you?”

  “Definitely.” Zoe’s grin was easy and quick. “She’s a good girl. I know that’s not easy for you guys to see right now because she’s so ... you know.” She waved her hands above her head, indicating some level of windstorm craziness. “She’s a ball of hormones. She’s going to be a fantastic adult when she gets past this phase, though.”

  I could see that. “Gunner has been making noise about us having kids,” I admitted, giving voice to one of my fears. “Not like right away or anything. It’s more of a far-off thing. I never thought kids were in my future, for a multitude of reasons, but seeing your family gives me pause.”

  “Because we’re crazy?”

  “Because you make it work.”

  That drew another laugh. “You’re so funny. You remind me of me when I was younger. Those fears you’re feeling, you’ll outgrow them.”

  “Except I was abandoned by people in the middle of the night, left with no memory of who I was or understanding of what I could do. What if that’s something that’s been passed along to me?” I wasn’t expecting to give voice to my fears. In the past, I’d always glossed over them. Somehow Zoe had broken through long-held barriers, and I wasn’t exactly sorry.

  “Scout, you could never do that.” She was matter-of-fact, as if daring someone to see things differently. “You’re loyal to a fault. That’s obvious in the way you are with Gunner ... and Sami. You’re willing to fight for her and you barely know her.”

  “That’s the right thing to do.”

  “No, it’s who you are. You’d be surprised how many people don’t do the ‘right’ thing in this world. On the flip side, you’d be surprised at how many people are willing to risk themselves for strangers. The thing is, there are more than two types of people in this world. Not everybody is right or wrong. Not everybody is all lightness or darkness. There are varying shades of gray.”

  I thought about how her eyes turned black. I wanted to ask her about absorbing the book, what it meant, but she was squirming in her seat. “It looks like we found our town.” She inclined her head toward a welcome sign. “Now we just have to find our wedding planner. He was by a lake earlier. Let’s find the lake. Once we’re close, I’m pretty sure I can track him down using my magic.”

  The moment to ask about anything else had passed. We were here on a mission, and it was time to focus on that. “No problem. We’ll just follow the GPS.”

  “Good deal.” She was quiet for a moment then pushed forward. “When it’s time, you’ll know it. Don’t let fear of what you think you can’t do hold you back from what you know in your heart you were born to do. You’ll just lose time if you give in to the fear.”

  And just like that, some of the nerves I was feeling dissipated. “That’s good advice.”

  “I’m full of it.”

  PEMBERLEY WAS STAYING AT A FANCY RESORT located on a picturesque lake. It didn’t take Zoe long to track him down once we parked. In fact, I was fairly certain she didn’t even need to use her magic to do it despite her earlier declaration.

  “Well, well, well.” The man in question reclined on a lounger, his feet bare (and toenails painted a sparkly purple), and adjusted his fluffy pink robe. “If it isn’t the mouth of the south.”

  Zoe glowered at him. “We’re in Michigan. That means we’re in the north.”

  “Everything is south of something,” he drawled, his lips curving. “Besides, mouth of the north doesn’t have the same ring to it.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Zoe waved her hand in dismissal and plopped down on an adjacent lounger, her eyes immediately going to his open robe. “I would’ve thought you were a manscaper. That’s a whole lot of hair you’ve got going on there. Were you a bear in another life?”

  Pemberley snorted. “Speaking of manscapers, how is your delicious husband? Has he come to his senses and dumped you yet?”

  “Not last time I checked.”

  “He always was a loyal fool.” His expression turned to disappointment. “I thought for sure he would eventually recognize his love for me and we would run off together.”

  “Never say never.”

  “Yes, well ...” Pemberley’s eyes narrowed as he regarded me. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt socially awkward and out of place. Usually I was the one throwing insults around and saying inappropriate things. “Hello, sister.”

  I froze. Sister? Could he mean that literally? “W-what?”

  “There’s no way you’re really brother and sister,” Zoe argued, leaning closer to the wedding planner so she could study his fluted drink. “Is that a mimosa? Isn’t it a bit early?”

  “It’s never too early to relax.” His eyes never left my face. “You’re one of the chosen, not just a sister.”

  I had no idea what I was supposed to say. “Um ...”

  “Sit down.” Zoe’s tone was so authoritative I immediately acquiesced, landing on the lounger beside her feet. Suddenly my head felt too heavy and the emotions zinging through me were overwhelming to the point I risked toppling over. “Don’t give her grief, Pemberley. She doesn’t know anything about what she is. That’s why we’re here.”

  “Seriously?” He turned sympathetic. “How did that happen? How did you get separated from your people?”

  My mouth was unusually dry. “I don’t know. I was left in the middle of the night as a child, abandoned. I have no memory of them.”

  “No?” He leaned forward and stared directly into my eyes, as if somehow burrowing in and peeling back the layers of my soul. “No, your memories are still in there. They’ve been suppressed, though. That’s interesting.” His eyes lit with amusement and he sipped his drink.

  “I’m pretty sure she doesn’t find it amusing,” Zoe countered, clearly annoyed. “She’s supposedly one of the Children of the Stars. Paris has done some research. She says that means Scout is a hybrid, part fairy and part witch.”

  “On a very basic level, that’s correct.”

  “She also says that you’ve contributed to paranormal papers — and who knew that was even a thing? — on the subject. That’s why we’re here.”

  “And I thought you were visiting because you missed me,” Pemberley teased. “That explains why the little one isn’t with you. That makes me sad. I always found her to be ... charming.”

  “Well, she’s fourteen now and pretty far from charming,” said Zoe. “She’s with Aric, and not all that far away. We’re dealing with a situation. Right now, I feel as if you can give me information on a different situation ... and that’s why we came to see you.”

  Pemberley pursed his lips for a long beat. “I don’t know what to tell you,” he said, shifting so he could raise a leg. It was only then that I realized he was naked under the robe.

  My mouth dropped open.

  “Oh, geez!” Zoe said. “Tuck that thing away, will you?”

  Pemberley chuckled and readjusted his robe. “Since when did you turn into such a prude?”

  “Since now. That thing is freaky, like an albino snake or something.”

  “On my plane, it’s normal to walk around naked,” he informed us. “As much as I love your world, the food and music especially, that is one thing I miss about my own.”

  That statement snapped me back to reality. “You can walk between planes?”

  He nodded. “As can you.”

  “But ... I don’t think I can. I did it a few months ago, but a local witch had to help me.”

  “That’s likely because you don’t know how to harness your power.” Pemberley’s tone was kind. “It’s unusual for
Children of the Stars to abandon one of their own. Something terrible must’ve happened for you to be left behind. The thing is, I doubt the decision was made lightly. I need you to tell me about your origins, anything you do know.”

  It was a reasonable request but I balked all the same. “I barely know you.”

  “Yet you trust this one.” He jerked his thumb toward Zoe. “She trusts me.”

  “That’s not what she said during the drive,” I persisted. “She said she thought of you as an ally but there were different shades of gray to consider when dealing with you.”

  Rather than be offended, Pemberley snickered in delight. “That is such a you thing to say, mage.” He clucked his tongue and shook his head. “You always were a prickly thing.”

  Zoe smiled. “I happen to know a whole bunch of people who find me delightful.”

  “You do inspire loyalty,” he agreed. “I’m betting you do, too.” His gaze drifted to me. “As for trusting me, you sought me out. What possible reason do I have to hurt you? I don’t even know if I can give you the answers that you seek. However, I would like to help if I can.”

  I licked my lips, not quite ready to give in. “Why would you freely offer your help to a stranger?”

  “Because, believe it or not, I like to think of myself as a good guy. On top of that, there aren’t many of us on this plane, my dear. Most of our kind were chased off thousands of years ago.”

  Zoe stirred. “Why is that?”

  “You already think you know, don’t you?” Pemberley looked legitimately amused. “Go ahead and give me your opinion. I’ll tell you if you’re right or wrong.”

  “Fair enough.” Zoe scratched the side of her nose. “Thousands of years ago, good and evil waged a war. I guarantee one side didn’t think of themselves as evil, but that’s the basic gist of it. At the time, mages were created to monitor both sides. They weren’t supposed to interfere, only make sure neither side managed to completely eradicate the other.”

  Pemberley beamed at her. “And to think I believed you to be an idiot when we first met. Continue.”

  “The fairies would’ve landed on one side of the equation, tilting the balance,” Zoe went on. “They would’ve allowed one side to claim victory. The mages couldn’t let that happen, so they chased off the fairies, and they escaped to different planes but never truly stopped watching.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “That’s pretty good. How did you figure that out?”

  “Bits and pieces here and there. My parents have told me stories. I’ve done some reading. Also, Sami is a child of two worlds. I wanted to make sure she never felt pulled in one direction. I wanted her to feel she could be both.”

  Pemberley bobbed his head. “Despite being the most selfish individual I’ve ever met, you’re a good mother. You’re also a good friend. And the mouthiest pain in the posterior tulip I’ve ever met. Yet you’re basically right about this. In a nutshell, that’s what happened.”

  “Then why are you here?” I asked, finding my voice. “If your people fled, why aren’t you with them?”

  “Because, slowly, we’ve been crossing back into this world,” he replied. “There is no huge war plaguing the people here. The balance remains. Good and evil fight. Some of us don’t want to fight but merely live. That’s how I am. There are a few other members of my family who are like that. As for you, it’s important to remember that you’re not a full fairy. Children of the Stars were first created when powerful Earth elementals mated with beings from another plane. Those were the first of your kind, and they were powerful.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “Over the centuries, inter-mating has happened, but not as much as you might think,” he continued. “I’m guessing you probably assumed you were a witch.”

  I nodded.

  “But you always knew you were slightly more, right?”

  “I ... don’t know that I would say that,” I hedged. “It wasn’t until I was older, met more people with magic, that I realized I was stronger.”

  He nodded, thoughtful. “And somehow you found Zoe, the magical mage who can end the world with a snap of her fingers if she wants.”

  Zoe glared at him with a dark look. “That is a gross exaggeration.”

  “I’ve seen your work.”

  “Please. If I could do all that, I would’ve made it so I got the wedding I wanted.”

  He snickered. “Still bitter about that? I hate to break it to you, but you did get the wedding you wanted. For the most part. I remember ensuring you had a cake with sharks on it, which made my poor heart want to curl up and die.”

  Zoe’s frown curved upward. “That was a pretty sweet cake.”

  “I also remember you and Aric taking the entire cake to your bedroom the night of the wedding. Whatever kinky things you did with the cake, I don’t want to know. That’s unfortunately when I realized the man was better suited for you than me.”

  “I wouldn’t get too excited. We ate our weight in cake and I told him I was pregnant that night. It wasn’t nearly as much fun as you’re envisioning.”

  “Somehow I think it was still one of the best nights either of you ever experienced.” Pemberley’s gaze moved back to me. “As for where you come from, I don’t know. I’ll ask around. Someone must know who you are. As for what you can do, I would say the sky is the limit because I can feel the power radiating off of you.”

  I swallowed hard. “What do you need from me?”

  “Just the basics. Tell me your story and we’ll go from there. I can’t promise anything, but I will do my best.”

  “Thank you for that.”

  “You’re more than welcome.”

  Twenty-One

  I could feel Zoe’s eyes on me for the entire ride back to the cabin. She didn’t say anything but her concern was palpable. It was only when we parked and I killed the engine that I felt the need to fill the silence.

  “He wasn’t much help.”

  “Give him time.” Her tone was sympathetic. “I think he knows more than he’s letting on. Let him feel out his sources.”

  My shoulders involuntarily jolted. “You think he’s lying to us?”

  “I didn’t say that,” she cautioned quickly. “I just think he might know a bit more but he has to check with people before he can tell us. Remember that thing I said about shades of gray? We’re all loyal to different people.”

  While what she said made sense, I was feeling stubborn. “It would be best if he just told me.”

  She chuckled. “You definitely remind me of me.”

  At that exact moment, the door to the cabin flew open and Sami stomped out. She didn’t as much as glance at us, storming to the fire pit and unloading a terrific burst of magic that was so bright I had to shield my eyes. By the time she was finished, the remnants in the pit were glowing a hot shade of pink.

  “Unfortunately, she reminds me of me, too.” Zoe shoved open her door, resigned, and aimed herself directly at her daughter. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  The way Sami jerked up her head told me she hadn’t even noticed us when passing. “Where have you been?” Sami stomped her foot and glared at her mother. “You’re supposed to be doing something about Rafael. Instead you’re running around with her. You don’t even know her.”

  The tears choking Sami’s voice had sympathy bubbling up despite her tone. Zoe was the exact opposite.

  “Apologize.” There was no give in Zoe’s voice.

  “What?” Sami looked bewildered. “I’m not apologizing. I’m not sorry. Not even a little sorry. You don’t know her and yet you’re helping her instead of doing something for Rafael. It’s wrong.”

  Slowly, so slowly in fact that she reminded me of a snake about to strike, Zoe drifted toward her daughter. “Apologize.”

  The atmosphere between them sparked enough that I worried a fight of a different sort would erupt. When I glanced toward the cabin, I found Aric hurriedly descending the stairs to insert himself between his warrin
g wife and daughter.

  “No.” Sami jutted out her lower lip and folded her arms across her chest. “I’m not sorry!”

  I had no idea what Zoe was going to do but Aric slid in front of his wife before she could mete out whatever punishment she had in mind. He grabbed Sami around the waist and hoisted her up, tossing her over his shoulder while the teenager loudly professed her fury.

  “You’re in timeout,” Aric announced, striding toward an open space in the yard about thirty feet away.

  “You can’t put me in timeout!” Sami’s face was red from all the blood rushing to it as she swatted at her father’s legs. “I’m not a kid!”

  “You could’ve fooled me. You’ve been acting like a kid all morning.” He took a moment and then reconsidered. “Actually, I think you were more mature when you were four.”

  “Whatever.” Sami wiggled her legs. “Let me down.”

  “We used to have tea parties when you were four.” He grinned. “You insisted we dunk licorice in the tea because you once saw your mother do it. Only you didn’t like black licorice so you did it with Red Vines. It was the cutest thing I ever saw.”

  “Ugh. I’m so mad.” Sami smacked at his back. Then, out of nowhere, her voice cracked. “I’m afraid.”

  Aric’s expression instantly softened. “I know, kid.” He lowered her to the ground and moved his thumbs to her cheeks to wipe away her tears. “I know you’re afraid. We’re going to figure it out. I promise.”

  “No, we’re not.” Sami vehemently shook her head. “Mom won’t even try. She can do that tracking spell. I know she can. She won’t do it for Rafael, even though he’s risked himself for us a lot of times.”

  Aric opened his mouth to respond and then flicked his eyes to Zoe. “I think you need to tell her.”

  Zoe scowled at him. “You always do this. The minute she cries, you turn into a big pile of goo. I hate it.”

  “I turn into goo for you, too.”

  “Yes, but I like that.” Zoe held his gaze and then threw up her hands. “Fine. If we’re going to kowtow to a fourteen-year-old, let’s go whole hog, shall we?” She strode over to Sami and stared evenly at the girl. “As soon as it’s dark, I’m going after him.”