He could only nod. He was in shock at seeing her, at hearing her voice once more inside his mind. He would have given anything to take her in his arms, but her physical body was no longer there.
Braden. Focus and hear me! Stop thinking about me as I was. I’m no longer that woman. But Maeve needs you. She blocked these memories because of her tender heart. You must help her through this if she’s to survive and become the force Five Bridges needs her to be. She’s spent all these months saving other people, including you. Now you must return the favor. Go to her and save her.
I’m going to say good-bye now. You have my blessings and enjoy your children.
Laura, don’t go.
She grinned again.Nonsense. I must. One last thing, Veyda is in Maeve’s spellroom. Get over yourself and go save our girl.
With that, she offered one last smile, blew him a kiss then vanished.
He knew without having to be told that she’d only returned to offer this one last service, not to him, but to Maeve.
He glanced at Kiara, who in turn added her voice to Laura’s. “Go to Maeve, Braden! She’s in danger. Veyda’s here and she came with one purpose: To kill Maeve. Go!”
~ ~ ~
Maeve had never been more grateful for anything in her life than seeing the bitch, Veyda, in her spellroom. She didn’t know how she’d gotten in or when. She didn’t care. She was pretty sure Veyda had witnessed her use of the poisoned paste on Braden. She must have enjoyed those few moments when Braden shouted in pain.
She could see Veyda now and Maeve wanted her wiped from the face of the planet. She’d hurt so many people, destroyed so many lives, and had made Maeve’s conscience a fiery thing she’d have to live with the rest of her life.
Veyda stood near the stone steps. She was tall for a woman, about Maeve’s height. Her hair was blond and wrapped in braids on top of her head. She wore a shimmering dark blue gown. Her eyes were black and held an unholy light. She wasn’t a lost soul. She was damned.
She’d recovered from the recent burns Maeve had inflicted, but the green flames on her neck and cheeks had darkened. The woman was full of emerald flame. Maeve could smell it on her.
Veyda’s gaze took in the wall of canisters as she stepped slowly into the spellroom. “Not bad for a beginner.”
Maeve remained near the end of the sink counter, her back to the wall.
There was one question, however, she wanted Veyda to answer. “Why did you kill Frank? He was a good man. He’d never hurt anybody in his life.”
“Simple. I didn’t want you to have any attachments to the human world.”
“But we’d said our good-byes. He was leaving Five Bridges forever. You must have known that.”
“Yes. I saw your farewells.” Veyda moved to the wood cupboard opposite the sink but adjacent to the shelves with all the canisters. She ran her fingertips over each implement as though claiming them. Maybe she thought she was.
Maeve slowly accessed her killing power. She had no intention of aligning herself with Veyda and she didn’t mind if the encounter with the bitch from hell ended in her own death. She was ready.
“You were so new to Five Bridges, I felt certain you’d cave and summon him back here. But I needed you with me, devoted to our coven.”
Maeve could have responded. Instead, she stayed in a quiet watchful place, building her power.
She was going to battle this woman to the death. She knew it now as surely as Veyda continued to handle her tools. Though she carried Braden’s children, even they weren’t safe so long as Veyda lived. No one was. It was time to take her down or die trying.
“You should see my spellroom, then you would know what a real witch does to create potions. By the way, how did you duplicate my paste poison? Although I liked the bit of mint you added.” Veyda shifted her gaze sideways to Maeve.
Maeve saw no reason not to tell her the truth. “By smell.”
Veyda may have murmured a couple of invectives. Maeve wasn’t sure. “Are you having wolf-like responses to things? Is that it? Has Officer Braden infected you with his dog-like attributes?”
Maeve’s mind made the leap. “You wanted Braden dead because he might bond with me.”
“It was one possible future.” She moved back to the glass canisters and turned to lean her hips against the wood counter. She now faced Maeve. “I had a sensitive fae in my employ who alerted me to Braden’s possible influence in your life. Though she’s not with me anymore. She was one of the women you took out of my prison.” She clucked her tongue. “You shouldn’t have done that, you know. I’m very angry with you.”
Maeve snorted in disbelief. “You’re angry? You abducted me and I killed Braden’s wife because of your sick, twisted perversions. You tortured Kiara. Then you and your pals tried to kill Braden in the Graveyard. No, I’m the one who’s angry.”
“Good. You should always hold your rage close. Fury is a witch’s best friend. It will keep you focused.”
