“Known what?” Rhys asked.
“That she’s a witch. A very powerful, dark witch.”
“How do you know that?” I asked.
“It’s all over her. Her aura is pitch black and filled with evil.”
Rhys stiffened beside me. “I couldn’t see it.”
Ava shook her head. “You wouldn’t have been able to, neither of you, even with your abilities. As I said, she’s powerful and she’s taken the time and energy to cloak as much of her evil as she can. The only reason I can see it is because of a spell I placed on the shop. As soon as she walked in, everything she tried to hide was fully revealed.” Ava paced across the center of the room. “She’s dangerous, but I’m not sure if she intends to harm us or if we’re just a means to an end. Either way, she’s bad news.”
“Then we need to be ready,” Rhys stated.
Ava stopped her manic movements. “Oh, we will be.”
“There’s something I need to discuss with both of you,” he continued. “But not here. Meet me at the house in half an hour and we’ll talk.”
Ava nodded. “Take Savannah with you. I’ll be there as soon as I close up.”
“You may need me,” I argued. “What if they come back?”
This time when Ava looked at me, I saw something in her I’d never seen before—anger, determination, and ice-cold control. She was no longer my warm, loving friend. She was a warrior. A goddess prepared for battle.
“Then they’ll have to deal with me.”
