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“I don’t? Well, I am a little. I feel like a piece of meat about to be put on display.” Callie saw the relief in Ronnie’s eyes, and knew she’d found the right opening. “You too, huh?”
“Yes.” Her voice lowered. “I don’t know why Mama is insisting. Father thought I could wait one or two of the Triune’s out, because of what’s happened.”
“What’s happened?” Callie drew her brows together to form a look of confusion. The less she seemed to know the better. She was from out of town after all.
Ronnie leaned forward. “You mean no one told you?”
Charity was slowing her movements behind her, and Callie knew she was listening intently to their conversation. Apparently her new Magian hairdresser was no different from the girl at her usual chop shop in that respect. Perfect. “Told me what, Ronnie?”
“Four Magian women have been attacked at Triune in the last few weeks. Most were just roughed up, a little shaken, but the last one was beaten fairly badly. Next week is the last time the ritual will happen until the solstice. Nobody knows how or why it has been happening, but I’m afraid one of us may be next.”
Charity made a soothing noise as she bent down and whispered conspiratorially. “Miss Ronnie, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. From what I heard… Each of those poor girls has a particular type of magic, and it’s fairly rare. I’m just surprised there have been so many coming out in one season.”
Callie turned her head and met Charity’s knowing gaze. “What kind of magic?”
Charity bit her lip as she considered her client. “The power to compel. None of them had the same type of course. Some had mental, some physical, but it is distinctive and rare, as I said. I know only a handful of Magians who have any aspect of compelling in their genetic makeup. Most of them are men, and none of them are in this room. Meanwhile, the rest of us have to mix up complicated and time consuming spells to recreate weak, temporary versions of the power.” The hairdresser sighed. “Trust me, I have to re-enchant my styling scissors once a week.”
Callie looked over to Ronnie, now beaming in relief. “You look like you feel better. You don’t have that kind of magic I take it?”
The smiling girl shook her head, holding out her hands until a glowing lime green energy sparked in her palms. The vase of flowers on the hairdresser’s counter brightened, blooms bursting to life before their eyes. Callie gasped.
Ronnie shrugged, misinterpreting the sound. “I know. Not that amazing. I’m just a grower
by nature, like my father. Before this started, Mama was lamenting the fact that I had the misfortune to be of age for the Triune at the same time as…” she looked over at the preoccupied Harrison, blushing, “…so many powerful Magians. But now I’m just glad I’m not a part of this curse or whatever it is.”
It wasn’t a curse. It was a crime spree. Charity and Veronica had just given her a vital piece of the puzzle. A clue she couldn't believe the Magian law had missed. Unless they had been trying to keep that information to themselves. But why?
She found herself wishing Tucker was here. He was a cop, like her. He lived, ate and slept Magian law. He would find out why they’d been shuffling their feet. Why they were allowing innocent young women to go into Triune without the information that could protect them. Surely Tucker didn’t know about it. If he did he would be here, sitting on his sister if he had to, to stop her from going.
What would he think of Callie’s disguise? Her actions? Would he be disappointed that she had gotten herself involved, or would he admire her ingenuity? Why did she still care so much? He wasn’t here.
Tyghe was.
That was another mystery in and of itself. In her experience, Tyghe rarely did anything without a reason. Usually self-motivated. Other than having the opportunity to play hero to his sister, and be a pain in Callie’s ass, she couldn’t see his angle.
Yet.
She wanted to go back to the pampering massage portion of her spa day. Why had Harrison taken her from those heavenly hands and into this torture chamber? She came out of the changing room, trying to take a breath in the skin tight cat-suit that was, according to her witchy pal, all the rage for the modern, fashion-conscious Magian. Or prostitutes.
A woman with teased hair the color of a ripe mango came forward with her hands raised. “Ohhh, Miss Callie. Now that outfit makes a statement. No man will be able to resist you.”
“I won’t be able to resist them either, since I can hardly move,” Callie grumbled, causing Harrison to snort some of her peach margarita up her nose. Callie stuck out her tongue. “You deserve it, cousin. You no longer get to pick out what I’m trying on. By the way, I don’t see you parading around in any of these outfits. Do I get my turn to chuckle at your expense?”
“I’d love to wear something like that. But Mom insists I wear the dress she wore, the dress her mother wore etcetera, etcetera. I’ll look old-fashioned and ridiculous. You’ll definitely chuckle.” Hannah smiled at the saleslady hovering beside them. “Madame Aubrey? I think Callie would like something a little softer. Something a little less revealing.”
Madame Aubrey tapped her chin, tilting her head as she studied Callie’s body. “I think I have just the thing for the discerning connoisseur. It’s our newest arrival. Enchanted to perfectly match the wearer’s personality.”
“Now that should be interesting.”
Oh God. Could this get any worse? She held in her stomach. “What are you doing here, Tyghe? I thought this place was females only.”
He smiled at Madame Aubrey as she passed him slowly with a curious grin. He turned to Callie, looking her up and down. His gaze narrowed on the plunging neckline that made her breasts look two sizes bigger than they were. She crossed her arms and glared, but he only quirked his lips. “They make an exception for me. I’m very…generous with my female friends. I may have to buy that for you, Callie. As long as you promise to wear it only in the bedroom. And only for me.”
Harrison stood. “I’m suddenly nauseous. I think I need another margarita, maybe a few straws to shove in my ears.”
Callie watched her follow the eavesdropping saleswoman out the door, grumbling under her breath at her best friend’s abandonment.
Tyghe shut the door, eating up the distance between them with long, swift strides. He leaned close to her ear, gripping her arms when she started to move away. Callie inhaled sharply at the jolt of electric energy zapping through her at the contact. She could almost hear the sizzle.
