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“Very wise.”
“Maybe, but it was also selfish.”
“Why do you call it selfish?”
“If I’d stayed and revealed that my mother hadn’t tried to kill me because she feared my wild magic, but because she wastrying to steal it, the coven might have walked away from her,” she confessed, her teeth clenched so tight she could barely spit out the words. “They would be alive.”
Valen wasn’t as generous to her coven mates. “They lived together as a family for years. They knew exactly who your mother was and they stayed. It was their choice and they got exactly what they deserved.” He stretched his lips into a humorless smile. “Except for Destiny. No doubt fate will eventually catch up with her.”
Peri sent him a warning glare. “As long as fate doesn’t go by the name Valen.”
“We’ll see.”
Her lips parted, but the only thing that came out was a weary sigh. “I’m too tired to argue.”
“Then sleep.”
She settled back in her seat and closed her eyes. She wasn’t obeying his command. She would battle him to the death before she submitted. But her weariness was genuine.
Valen swiveled his chair back to gaze out the window while his thoughts remained centered on the woman next to him.
He believed Peri’s story about her mother’s attempt to steal her magic. It’d obviously been painful to dredge up the memories and even more painful to share them with him. But he also suspected that she’d shared a glimpse into her violent past in an effort to distract him.
She might be furious at the knowledge her mother had destroyed the coven in her lust for power, but she was also afraid.
Deep to the soul afraid.
So what was she hiding?
And was it a threat to the Cabal?
* * *
It was midmorning the next day when Peri managed to drag herself out of bed and into the shower. And almost noon before she headed downstairs to grab a cup of coffee and a blueberry scone.
Her late start, however, did have its benefits, she discovered. Not only was she rested after her deep, thankfully dreamless sleep, but she was still walking down the stairs when Elias Mitchell slammed out of the building after paying to have his curse removed.
Today, she wasn’t in the mood to enjoy the male’s petulant anger. She had far more important matters on her mind.
Heading straight for the back office, she placed her mother’s box on the desk and shared what she’d discovered with Maya, who’d been impatiently waiting for her report.
Once Peri finished her story, Maya stared at her in disbelief. This morning the older woman had made a concession to the summer heat by choosing a sleeveless silk shirt and yellow capris. Peri was wearing her usual cutoff shorts and T-shirt. This one had Thor on the front. She had a massive crush on the God of Thunder. Or rather Chris Hemsworth.
“How could your mother have realized that there were demons and that the source of her magic came from the ground?” Maya asked, as she tried to process what Peri had discovered.
It was a question that gnawed at Peri. It was one thing for her mother to believe she could steal magic from a mage. Most witches were aware that true-magic users existed. But she should never have known about demons, or the Gyres that allowed them to tap into their ancient powers.
“Destiny said she was translating an old text. I’m hoping it was in one of her spell books.” Peri ran her hand over the top of the box, seeking the hidden lever that would trigger the lock.
“No, Peri.” Maya abruptly reached out to grasp Peri’s hand, tugging it away from the box.
Peri instinctively took a step away from the desk. “What’s wrong?”
Maya shook her head, her worried gaze focused on the wooden box. “I’m not sure, but I sense a power.”
“Magic?”
“Ancient magic.”
