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“Good afternoon,” she said, her voice as warm and sultry as the air in her shop. “How can I help you young lovebirds—”
Her voice died as her gaze swept past Aiden and came to rest on mine. Recognition stirred through her expression, which was surprising given I had absolutely no memory of ever meeting her. Not even during our time in Canberra—although she was a couple years younger than me, and therefore would have been in very different classes.
“We’re not here to purchase anything.” Aiden flicked open his badge and showed it to her. “We need to ask—”
He got no further.
The witch made a sharp motion with her hands and the contents of the shelves on either side became mini missiles flying directly at us.
Even as the bitch turned and ran.
Chapter Seven
Aiden swore and shoved me down, covering my body with his as all manner of vials and charms crashed above us, showering us with glass, stones, and a stinking, sticky mess of liquid.
Once it was over, Aiden shifted and said, “You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go get that bitch.”
He grabbed my hand, helped me up, then released me and ran after the witch. I bolted after him. He wrenched the curtain aside, all but pulling it off its tracks and revealing a small, well-fitted-out reading room. The magic within the room swirled around us again, but it didn’t attack because we didn’t actually intend its creator any harm. We went through a wooden door, raced down a long corridor, and then out into a yard. The witch was just clambering over the wooden fence at the rear of the property. Aiden lunged for her, catching one foot just as she threw herself down the other side. She yelped, and her magic surged.
“I wouldn’t finish that spell, young lady,” I said sharply. “Not unless you want to get yourself into a lot more trouble.”
I stopped beside Aiden. He was still gripping her ankle but the lower part of her leg was the only portion of her body on this side of the fence. The rest was hanging over the other side, with her weight being carried by the back of her knee, which was bent over the top of the fence. She had to be in a whole lot of pain.
Her magic continued to rise, so I called to mine, letting it run around me, a storm of power that was sharper and stronger than anything she could produce. I might be an underpowered witch, but I was still from the Marlowe line.
“We only want to talk,” I continued evenly, “but if you really want to see whose magic is stronger, I’m more than happy to comply.”
Her magic stalled, and then died. I nodded at Aiden. He reached over the fence with his free hand, grabbed a fistful of shirt, and hauled her back onto our side. He placed her on the ground then forced her on her butt and knelt beside her. “Is your knee okay?”
She frowned but nodded.
“Good, we can get straight down to business then. Why did you run the minute you spotted us?”
She pointed with her chin at me. “I recognized her.”
“How?” I asked bluntly. “We’ve never met.”
“No, but I saw you in a dream,” she said. “I always get warnings of trouble headed my way.”
“It’s a damn shame you didn’t get such a warning when you agreed to make those tracking and control bracelets for a couple of murderous hunters,” I said. “I hope you were well paid, because you’re going to need the money when the RWA shuts you down.”
Her gaze went wide. “I have no idea what you’re talking about—and I thought you were only here to talk?”
“We lied,” Aiden said.
“But I’ve done nothing.”
Her magic began to stir again. I quickly but silently created a restraint spell and flicked it toward her. It fell over her, an invisible cloud that would, until I released her, contain any and all spells she might try.
Her gaze jumped to mine and she cursed me, long and loud.
Amusement creased the corners of Aiden’s eyes. “I’m gathering you just magically restrained her?”
“Yes. But you might want to physically restrain her as well. This one’s definitely a runner.”
