Mallory sighed and nodded. If he didn’t want it to be her business then she wouldn’t pry. ‘The trade deal also stands,’ she told him. ‘Although in truth that has little to do with me. Mystical Forces do deals with many Preternatural beings who live outside the city.’
He nodded but didn’t speak. Mikey, still huffing, opened the car boot. ‘Good thing we have a spare tyre in here,’ he muttered. He reached inside to pull it out.
Another voice drifted across the darkness. ‘I’ll help you change it. Unless you want to do it, Mallory?’
She went rigid. She was dimly aware of Thomas MacAuley freezing and his eyes darting nervously back and forth, but she wasn’t interested in the witch any more. Her focus was on the dark shadow of a man standing less than thirty metres away.
‘You had a werewolf as back-up all along?’ The High Priest sounded shaky. ‘You could have told him to tear us apart whenever you wanted!’
‘I wasn’t planning to involve myself,’ Alexander MacTire said as he approached them. ‘I knew that Mallory would have everything under control.’
She stared at every inch of him. He wasn’t smiling, and there was an odd, anxious quality about the way he was standing, but he looked well. His skin had a healthy glow, his hair was neatly brushed and his amber eyes were bright and alert.
Mikey, who had moved away from the car boot, huffed grumpily. ‘I don’t think we need be concerned about a werewolf wearing a sparkly unicorn T-shirt.’
Mallory glanced down. The witch was right: Alexander wasn’t in one of his immaculately tailored suits, he was wearing snug-fitting jeans and the glittering T-shirt that he’d told her had been a present from his sister. Her mouth dried.
The female witch got out of the car and stared at him. ‘Shit,’ she muttered. Moving to the car boot, she lifted the spare tyre and heaved it towards the damaged wheel. ‘You lot stand around and stare at each other,’ she said sarcastically. ‘It’s super-helpful. I’ll sort the car out. Let me know who blinks first.’
‘Me,’ Alexander said, his gaze trained on Mallory. ‘That will be me.’
It didn’t take longto change the tyre. Mallory sensed that all three of the Inverness witches wanted to say more, and Mikey even mumbled something about going to the pub for a drink before MacAuley pointed out that it was now after midnight on a weekday night and there would be nowhere open. Looking at Mallory and Alexander, he said, ‘I think we should leave these two alone.’ He bowed towards Mallory. ‘Thank you. I’m sorry we couldn’t help you with a real bellarmine jug.’
Mallory bit her lip, then stood back as the witchy trio piled into the car and drove away. It was only when they were out of sight that she turned to Alexander. ‘How did you know I was here?’ she asked.
‘Boris,’ he replied.
It figured. The spriggan had stayed in close contact with the MacTires so that he could keep her updated on Alexander’s recovery; he wouldn’t have hesitated to tell them where she was. She shuffled her feet. ‘How long have you been here?’
‘I arrived five minutes before you.’
‘So you saw everything?’
‘Yes.’
‘You didn’t get involved. You didn’t even show yourself.’ It sounded faintly accusatory although she didn’t mean it that way.
‘I was here if you needed me but I knew you’d manage fine without me.’ He was watching her like a hawk, taking in every nervous twitch and tic.
‘I’m just a squib,’ Mallory said quietly.
A rueful smile crossed his mouth. ‘It turns out that squibs can be incredibly powerful. Some of them can even save alphawerewolves from vampires, silver bolts and, most importantly, themselves.’
Her breath caught but she felt a surge of heaviness pressing down on her despite Alexander’s words. ‘I haven’t saved you from anything. If I can’t find a bellarmine jug for Chester Longchamps, he’ll come after you because of what happened at his house. Nobody will be able to stop him and if anyone tries it could start a war.’
Alexander reached out and pulled her against his broad chest. The heat of his body warmed her and she relaxed against his reassuring solidity. ‘A bellarmine jug?’ he asked. ‘That’s all we need?’
All? Mallory no longer trusted herself to speak properly. ‘Mmm-hmm.’
‘I know someone back in Coldstream who might help us with that,’ he murmured. ‘Travel back with me and we can talk to them together.’
Mallory’s heart skipped a beat.
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Mallory had visited the riverside market in Danksville on several occasions; she couldn’t recall shopping there because it was out of her way, but her work had brought her into contact with people who frequented the area. However, she was certain that she’d never spoken to the slightly odd creature wearing a narrow-brimmed hat that was turned up at the back.
