Captive Witch

by September Stone

  When Daya’s eyes fix on me, it’s as if I’ve been turned to solid ice. I was wrong before when I thought these people had no emotions, because I feel the full weight of them now.

  “Bryn, our analysis of your magical signature against the one in question leaves no doubt in any of our minds that in the matter of brewing the potion that killed His Excellency Amos Cross, you are not responsible.”

  The world tilts and I squeeze my eyes shut, shaking my head. I can’t have heard her right.

  I’m about to ask her to repeat herself, but when I open my eyes again, her attention is on the guards behind me. “As the three who attempted to gain entry were doing so to save an innocent, they may leave with her—with the understanding that they may not return here ever again without an express invitation.”

  By the time I spin, the shifters holding Taj and Silas have released them, and another guard busies himself undoing the shackles around Calder’s wrists.

  I want to run back and hug Calder—hug them all—but I keep my feet firmly planted, not wanting to give the elders a reason to penalize me.

  “Our search will continue elsewhere,” Daya says, her voice clipped. “Bryn, you and your friends are free to leave.”

  I’m off the golden tiles as fast as my feet will carry me. Calder, Taj, Silas and I meet up at the back of the room as the guards trickle out the door, likely to resume whatever posts they left.

  Calder wraps his arms around me, pulling me into a hug so warm and solid and comforting, tears sting the corners of my eyes. I have loved him for so long, and I never want to be apart from him again.

  “I was so scared,” he murmurs in to my hair.

  A weak laugh trembles in my chest. “I, on the other hand, was the picture of composure.”

  He chuckles, the sound cocooning me like a blanket. Before he pulls away, he plants a kiss on my forehead, sending a sweet thrill through my body.

  Hesitation flickers in Taj’s eyes when I turn to him. I can’t exactly blame him for not knowing where he stands. I kissed him last night because I didn’t want to go the rest of my life without knowing what it was like, but I went on to share my bed with Calder. But what I’ve rekindled with Calder hasn’t erased my feelings for Taj. He’s provided solace for me for the last several months, and it’s my turn to be that for him.

  When I slide my arms around him, his body straightens for only a moment before melting against mine. His arms circle me, his hand cupping the back of my head. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

  I inhale his cardamom scent. “Back at you.”

  We separate and I turn to Silas. For a split second, I almost close the distance and embrace him, too, but I stop short.

  The corners of his lips twitch, but he doesn’t manage to smile. “Glad they didn’t kill you.”

  I regard him closely. “You are?”

  He lifts a shoulder. “Of course. Now we still have a chance at breaking this curse.”

  A breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding whooshes out of my mouth. I’m not sure what else I was expecting from him. Silas made it clear from the beginning: breaking the curse is an all-or-nothing deal. All five of us have to be present for Elowen to undo the spell.

  Except, not all five of us are free.

  I glance at Poe, but he doesn’t look in my direction. His eyes are locked on the elders as he makes his way to the circle in the center of the room.

  “Your Excellencies,” he says, bowing low, “may I have a moment?”

  Daya exchanges glances with her peers before nodding. “What is it you require, Poe?”

  Even from my angle, I detect the rigidness in his posture. “I may have a lead about where to check for the real culprit,” Poe says, his voice low and deferent.

  Daya raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  He nods once. “The girl wasn’t the only witch used by Mona. Permit me to seek out the siren and I’ll find your killer.”

  Daya holds Poe’s gaze before glancing to her left and right at the other elders. My skin crawls at the way they seem to be communicating without speaking.

  A short eternity elapses before Daya returns her attention to Poe. “The usual timeline?”

  “I ask for double,” Poe says. “Mona is a siren, so I’ll need time to acquire something to ward off her power. And as she may be in police custody, I’ll need to cut through nom red tape to get to her.”

  The elders exchange glances again before Daya speaks. “Granted.”

  Poe nods before turning and striding toward the back of the room.

  But he hasn’t made it more than a handful of steps when she calls his name.

  “Be sure not to let the siren cloud your judgment, or this may be your last mission for a while.”

  Poe’s jaw clenches as he nods before continuing on his trajectory. His eyes skip over where I stand with the other guys, and it takes a gentle nudge from Calder to get me walking.

  We exit the mansion moments after Poe, my mind spinning the whole way. I don’t know what just happened. Somehow, the elders determined I wasn’t responsible for the potion that killed Amos, but I’m positive I was. The night I escaped, Mona said that most witches can’t craft brews that will kill a person. She said I was one in a million. But maybe she wasn’t telling the whole truth.

  I suppose Poe will find out. But what does that mean for our other mission? How can we get Elowen to break our curse if he’s off chasing Mona?

  Poe strides down the dirt drive leading to the mansion, and the others and I follow. It’s not until we’re nearly halfway down the half-mile stretch that Poe slows his pace.

  “We have to get to town.”

  His voice is so low it’s nearly lost in the gentle breeze.

  Calder grins broadly before schooling his features. “I knew you weren’t going to disappear on us.”

  I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to process when it feels like I’m missing an important piece of information. “What about Mona?”

  Poe’s gaze flickers to me. “What about her? I had to say something to get the elders to let me leave again.”

  “But what happens when your time is up?” Silas asks. “I think we all know Bryn’s potion killed that guy.” He nudges me with his elbow. “Good job fooling them, by the way. You’re gonna have to tell me how you pulled that off.”

  I open my mouth, but no explanation comes out. The fact is, I have no idea what happened. I didn’t do anything different when I made the sleeping draught from what I normally do when I brew a potion. I can’t imagine what could have changed my magical signature enough to fool the elders.

  “I’ll go back when my time’s up and tell them the lead was a bust,” Poe says, saving me from having to come up with an explanation. “I’ll get in trouble for wasting the time, but I’ll live.”

  “Provided we locate Elowen,” Taj says. “So I’m not sure why we’re heading into town. I was under the impression the mage lives in the woods.”

  “I said we’ll find her in the woods,” Poe says. “Rivers knows where she actually lives. But the forest is huge, and I’d rather not go wandering in blind. Rumor has it a vampire in town has a lead on where the mage likes to hang out.”

  Calder presses his lips together. “A vampire? Do you really think that’s the best idea? They’re not exactly known for helping people out of the kindness of their hearts.”

  Silas’ fist clenches and unclenches. “He’s got a point. I think I know better than most how bad vampires can be.”

  “You think I don’t know how dangerous they are?” Poe grinds out the words. “Believe me, I’m not thrilled about it. But this guy might be our only hope.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Bryn

  Twin Rivers hums with an energy unlike anything I’ve ever felt. The massive trees of the forest give way first to a smattering of small residential homes before the town opens up before us.

  The heart of downtown is vibrant with people coming and going. Scents from a half dozen restaurants mingle
in the street, making my mouth water. Groups of thirty-something women laugh while gathered around tables at an open-air cafe. Everywhere I look there are shops for every possible purpose—from an art gallery to a cauldron repair shop.

  “We’re less than a mile from the Nightshade,” Poe says as we weave around an A-frame chalkboard sign boasting new seasonal teas.

  “Do vampires go out of their way to make things sound ominous?” Calder mutters.

  Taj and Silas laugh, but I can’t help agreeing with Calder. Deadly nightshade can cause delirium, hallucinations, or even death. And while I know a motel can’t have those effects, a vampire certainly can. I’d feel better if I had some black tourmaline right about now. With the right herbs focusing the stone’s power, I could probably ward off any mind control a vampire might throw at me—enough to buy me a few minutes, at least.

  The door to the next shop opens and I almost bump into the woman walking out. Her mass of orange-red hair billows out like a cloud around her head and she clutches a green canvas bag to her chest. I murmur an apology, but if she responds, I miss it. I’d recognize the energies coming from her bag anywhere.

  When I turn toward the store, I can’t believe my eyes. The glass shelves against the window are lined with a dizzying assortment of crystals and semiprecious stones. Beyond that are tables laden with herbs and cases crammed with books.

  Not even in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine such an emporium of magical supplies might exist.

  I pull open the door and slip in. Something in the back of my mind warns that I should tell the guys where I’m going, but I’ll only be a minute. Poe said the Nightshade was just up the street, so I can catch up after I’ve looked around.

  Bells tinkle as I step over the threshold, and a guy in his late teens calls “hello” from his spot behind the register before resuming his conversation with the mid-twenties brunette at the register. An elderly man stands in front of the gems, passing his hands slowly over a row of smoky quartz. Three women in their forties and fifties shuffle along the tables of herbs, sniffing bunches before either placing them in their baskets or returning them to their wooden crates. As a man with silvery gray hair pulls a book off the shelf along the back wall, a thought occurs to me. Everyone in this store is probably a witch.

  I’ve met other witches before, of course. My parents were witches, and so is Taj. But the idea of these people shopping for magical supplies out in the open where anyone could see them is almost too much for me to wrap my head around. My mom taught me to hide what I was and what I could do. She would be apoplectic if she had ever found me in a place like this.

  But here in Twin Rivers, this is completely normal.

  The bells tinkle again and a sigh of relief floats through the air.

  “There you are,” Calder murmurs as he crosses toward me.

  Poe darts inside after him, his long strides overtaking Calder’s pace. “Now isn’t the time to take in the sights,” Poe grumbles, hooking my arm with his hand. “Need I remind you we’re on a clock? And we just wasted hours with the elders.”

  “Hey,” Calder says, a hint of warning in his tone.

  I pull out of Poe’s grip and fold my arms over my chest. “Hold that against me all you want, but I was only trying to help you.”

  He narrows his eyes. “I never asked for your help. Now let’s get going.”

  Calder catches my eye and gives an apologetic shrug. As much as I wish he’d side with me, I know Poe’s right. We don’t have time to waste. And while I’d feel better meeting with a vampire if I had a charm to keep my head clear, I don’t have the means to purchase the ingredients anyway.

  We’re nearly to the door when I glimpse a familiar form standing in front of the building across the street. I shake myself. Who could be familiar here? I’ve spent more than a decade locked up. The only person I saw regularly was Mona. And the guards.

  Still, acid churns in my stomach at the sight of the figure across the street. I grab Poe’s arm, yanking him to a stop.

  When he turns, his face is twisted in anger. “What now?”

  “We can’t go out there,” I murmur. “That guy…”

  Before I can get the words out, Taj enters, Silas in his wake. When Taj’s eyes lock on mine, I know I’m not seeing things and I’m not being paranoid.

  “We’ve got a situation,” Taj says, glancing at Poe. “That man across the street? I recognize him. He’s one of Mona’s guards. Dallas McDee.”

  I shiver at the name. McDee was second to only Aldridge in the lecherous way he would look at me. “What are we going to do?” I keep my voice down so as not to alert other customers. But the shoppers carry on as if danger isn’t closing in, and the young woman chatting with the cashier has the audacity to laugh at something he says.

  Poe sighs before striding across the shop.

  “Where are you going?” I ask, keeping pace. “How are we going to get to the Nightshade without him seeing me? We need to find that vampire.”

  He spins to face me, his expression venomous. “You think I don’t know that? Why don’t you give me a second to try to figure it out?”

  I tamp down my urge to snap back. The fact is, he’s the only one of us who knows his way around this town.

  Instead, I give him space. Trying to smother my rising anxiety, I return to Calder, Taj, and Silas, who are deep in whispered conversation.

  “We don’t know for sure this guy is here for Bryn,” Calder says. “Maybe after Mona was arrested, he went his own way.”

  “And just happened to find his way here to Twin Rivers?” Silas shakes his head. “I don’t believe in coincidences.”

  My stomach churns and I feel like I might be sick. What if Silas is right? If McDee isn’t here by accident, there’s no telling how many more of Mona’s guards might be crawling around town. And if they’re still following her orders, that must mean she’s in a position to give them. I should never have let myself believe Mona was no longer a threat.

  Taj’s brow furrows. “What is it, Bryn?”

  I suck in a shaky breath. “I don’t want to go back. I can’t be a prisoner anymore. I can’t do those things Mona made me do—not now when I know the extent of the damage made by my potions.”

  Taj slips his arm around my shoulders and tugs me to his side. “Don’t start thinking like that. You’re not going back there. Ever. I’ll make sure of it.”

  An expression flickers across Calder’s face, but before he can say anything, the woman with chocolate brown hair who was chatting with the cashier treads tentatively toward us. “Excuse me,” she says, her blue eyes locking on mine. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but I overheard a little of what you were saying.”

  I swallow. I should’ve kept my big mouth shut. Now some citizen trying to keep her town safe is going to turn me over to the authorities or something.

  But when she smiles, my concerns evaporate. “You’re trying to get to the Nightshade Motel, right?”

  Poe takes a step forward. While he doesn’t step between me and the brunette, it feels like he’s trying to put space between us. “That’s not really any of your—”

  “Yes, we are,” I say.

  “—business.” Poe glares at me. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” he asks through clenched teeth.

  I have a pretty good guess what Poe wants to say. Based on the tightness in his shoulders and the way his wide, green eyes are nearly bulging in their sockets, I’m sure he wants to tell me to shut up and let him do the talking. This girl is a stranger—an unknown quantity. Someone like Poe has probably been trained for years to look for deception everywhere. It’s hard to get taken advantage of by someone if you err on the side of never trusting anyone.

  But while my life experience is severely limited, I like to think I’m a decent judge of character. I knew Calder had a kind soul when we first met in Mona’s compound. And my instinct about Taj being someone good and trustworthy was right—despite my brief fear that I’d judged him wrong.

/>   I can’t put it into words, but I have the same sense about this woman. Something about her radiates a warmth that makes me want to believe she’ll help us.

  “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you guys,” the brunette says. “But I have a feeling you could use a little kindness. I have a truck out back. I can take you to the Nightshade, if you want.”

  I’m about to accept when Silas’ fingers circle my wrist. His jaw works for a moment before he leans forward and hisses in my ear, “How do you know we can trust her? She could be leading you out to one of Mona’s guards.”

  I press my lips together. I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like she’s on the level. There’s something about her eyes—her spirit—that speaks to me.

  With my free hand, I squeeze Silas’ wrist before smiling at the woman. “We’d love if it you could take us there. Thank you.”

  She nods at the cashier as she walks toward a narrow hallway leading to a back door I hadn’t noticed before. “Bye, Zephyr.”

  “See you tomorrow, Miss Sophie,” the cashier replies, smiling.

  I follow her, and the guys all fall in line behind me. The mid-twenties woman—Sophie—glances over her shoulder. “The vampire you’re looking for at the Nightshade—that wouldn’t happen to be Valor, would it?”

  Poe stiffens beside me. “It would, actually. Do you know him?”

  Her smile answers the question for her. “You’re in luck, actually. He’s given over the day-to-day management of the motel to someone else, so he isn’t there all too often anymore. But he’s doing some manager training today, so he’ll be there.” When she reaches the back door, she pauses, glancing out at the parking lot beyond.

  Calder plants a protective hand on my hip, standing so close behind me that I can feel the brush of his clothes against mine. When he leans down, his breath tickles my ear. “Something’s not right.”