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“Could she be responsible for the miasma?” Maya demanded.
Peri tightened her fingers on the steering wheel, veering off the highway as she reached the Pass. “I’m about to find out.”
“How are you about to find out?” Maya ground out a curse as she belatedly realized what Peri intended to do. “No, Peri, I forbid you to go anywhere near…” Maya’s words failed her. Which proved just how much she hated Tia.
“Look, I have to find out what she knows, and more importantly, I have to make sure she doesn’t have Destiny and the miasma.”
“Wait for me. I’ll catch the first flight to Denver.”
“I can’t wait. She knows that she was seen at the bar. I won’t risk having her disappear. Or worse, use the magic before I can stop her.”
“You don’t understand her power, Peri.” There was a fierce urgency in Maya’s voice. An urgency that Peri had never heard before. “I might hate the ruthless bitch, but I would never deny that she’s the strongest mage I ever met.”
“I’m not going to fight her,” Peri promised. “I just want information.”
“Peri—”
“Sorry, I’m losing you.” Peri ended the connection and turned the truck onto a narrow track before stopping and pulling up the map on her phone. Typing in the words “Emerald Glade,” she waited for the directions to pop up. She blinked in surprise when she realized she was just a few miles away. “Okay. This should be fun.”
Ignoring the nerves that were waging war in the pit of her stomach, she shoved the truck back into gear and bumped her way down the dirt pathway.
* * *
Maya glared at the phone in her hand, as if it was responsible for the fear thundering through her. Dammit. Peri had always been headstrong, but Maya had tried to give the younger woman the space to make her own mistakes. Not only was it the only way she could learn and grow, but Peri possessed the sort of power that would protect her from most of her impulsive decisions. But now…
Maya clenched her teeth, unaware of the magic pulsing around her tense body until the door to the office was shoved open to reveal a worried Skye.
“What’s wrong?” the younger woman demanded.
“Peri.”
Skye pressed a hand to her heart. “Is she hurt?”
“No. She’s on her way to confront Tia.”
“Tia?” Skye furrowed her brow. “Your nemesis?”
“What?” Maya lifted her hand to touch the scar on her face. Skye had never met Tia, which meant the younger woman had been listening to rumors from other mages. “She’s not my nemesis.”
“Weren’t the two of you besties before she stabbed you in the back and you swore vengeance?”
Maya muttered a curse, refusing to allow the painful memories any space in her head. She’d buried the past. That’s where it was going to stay.
“Nothing so dramatic. For a brief time we were partners before she proved that she would sacrifice everything for power. Including me.” The words came out sharp as daggers. “She’s dangerous and Peri is no match for her.”
With stiff movements, Maya made her way around the desk and opened the laptop computer.Calm, cool, and collected, she silently reminded herself. That was her motto since opening the Witch’s Brew and taking in her companions.
Skye made a sound of impatience. “What are you doing?”
“I’m checking for flights to Denver.”
“Oh. Good,” Skye breathed in relief, headed for the door. “I’ll go pack.”
“Skye.” Maya jerked her head up, watching her friend disappear out of the office. “Wait!”
The younger mage ignored Maya, scurrying through the bookshop. With another curse, Maya sprinted in pursuit of Skye, managing to reach her as she entered the attached coffee shop, heading toward the back stairs that led to the upper apartments. Reaching out, she grasped Skye’s elbow and tugged her to a halt.
“Skye, listen to me.”
