Page 144 of Fallen Court

She raised a reasonable point. I whipped it out, wondering if she had a touch of the second sight when I saw it was him calling.

“They left the shop a while ago,” he told me. “Ciara isn’t answering her phone or the signet.” Bitterness edged the words as if he often found he couldn’t reach her through the ring meant to keep them constantly connected. What was the point of giving it to her if she never wore it?

“I’ll call Cate.” Hanging up, I dialed her, trying to shake off the concern gripping my heart.

The call went straight to voicemail.

I shot Roark a text to try tracking them. Both the women could handle themselves, but…

“She didn’t answer?”

“She’s busy.” I shook my head. “Why did you really suggest the séance? And send her to talk to an alchemist? What else have you been investigating?”

“She had some shit to work out with her family, and I needed her distracted to bind a stronger occlusion spell to her.”

“Stronger?” I repeated.

“Than the one on the ring.” She rolled her eyes. “Try to keep up.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. Now she was waiting longer to get untied. “I thought that was basic magic.”

“Binding it to her desire was basic, but the occlusion spell on it was quite complex. It would have had to be to hide her for long. Probably only one of many spells meant to obscure her from being discovered by your kind. I mean, she was right under your nose.” She smirked at me.

“Then she’s not just a changeling?” I steadied myself against the desk.

Willow frowned. “I thought you knew that.”

A new and different weight settled over me. I had wished. I had hoped. Part of me had dreamed. But I had never allowed myself to truly believe it. That would have been dangerous—for so many reasons.

“Is she…” Still, I couldn’t bring myself to ask.

“After the first time she came into the teashop, I communed with my sisters in Ireland. The witches who saved her from the Hallow Court,” Willow murmured.

I frowned. “Communed? How?”

“Via séance,” she said bitterly. “They’re dead. Oberon hunted them down like dogs for helping her and some siren escape.”

I winced. “I am truly sorry to hear that.”

“Make it up to me by untying me.” She wiggled against her restraints. “I’m not your enemy.”

I wasn’t convinced that was a good idea. She struck me as feisty, but a deal was a deal. The yarrow and hedgethorne would be well into her system by now, but for good measure, I lifted my jacket and flashed her my holster.

“Is that supposed to scare me?” she asked, sounding anything but.

“Just a reminder.” I made quick work of her restraints.

Willow ripped off the gloves, and my hand slipped back toward my gun.

But she simply began rubbing the rope marks on her wrists. She looked at me. “Did you really think Oberon would just let her go without consequences?”

I’d hoped he would, but I shook my head again.

“The witches who helped her knew the sacrifice they were making,” she continued, a note of pride in her voice. “Because they saw what she was despite the ring’s glamour.”

“Fae?”

“No. She’s far more important than just that.” Willow shook her head, turning toward the door. “We need to find her before someone else does. It’s our only hope.”