“They didn’t want it?” she demanded.
The demon visibly shuddered. “Not only did they not want it, they went into a panic the minute I showed up with it. They claimed the medallion was cursed, along with anyone who touched it.”
Cursed? Wynn considered the powerful magic that had prevented Azh from touching the medallion. There was certainly something strange about the necklace, but it didn’t feel like a normal spell. Maybe her lack of magic made it impossible for her to detect it.
“Do you believe it’s cursed?” she asked Axton.
“Yes. And they were right. Look what happened.” Axton glanced around the barren cellar with a bitter expression. “My bloody life is in ruins.”
That wasn’t actual proof of a curse, but she was willing to accept that the spell connected to the medallion was dangerous.
“Why keep it?”
“I thought I might be able to use it to destroy my enemies. But when I got back to London and finally had it locked in the vault I had a bad feeling. Just holding it during the journey had made me feel sick.” Axton rubbed his fingers together as if he could still feel the taint from the medallion. “I was afraid there was something in the curse that would backfire if I tried to use it. Better to take the loss and forget about the stupid thing.” Axton shook his head. “I should have tossed it into the sewer. Or better yet, I should never have bought it from you. This is all your fault.”
Wynn waved away his petulant accusation. She still had no idea why the evil magic had waited two centuries to track her down, or why it wanted her dead, but it was obvious Axton didn’t have any clue about Malis or why he’d burned down his shop.
All she could do was hope that he could lead her in the direction to find the truth.
“Tell me more about the coven. Are they still around?”
“Who knows.” Axton sent a glare toward Azh as the flames danced closer. “I’m telling the truth. I haven’t heard anything about them in years. Mortals come and go too fast to keep up with them. Besides, most covens try to stay below the radar these days. They don’t like attracting attention.”
Wynn swallowed her sigh of impatience. “Fine. Where was the original coven?”
“A remote area in Chiltern Hills. They used to have a tiny village hidden in the woods.” Axton sent another glare toward Azh. “That’s all I know. I swear.”
Azh glanced at her with a lift of his brows. “Enough?”
“Yes.” Wynn studied the bedraggled Axton with a surprising stab of sympathy. He was cruel and greedy and willing to sacrifice anyone to save his own furry skin, but he’d also allowed her to beg on the street corner without demanding a portion of her meager earnings. And his presence had kept away lesser demons who might have taken advantage of her innocence. She would at least give him a warning. “I’d leave London if I were you,” she told him.
Axton’s eyes widened with a burst of fear. “Does that dude know where I am?”
“No. I killed him.” Wynn ignored Axton’s shock at her blunt confession. She didn’t have a single regret. “But there might be worse things hunting me. Probably best for you to get out of town before they come looking.”
“Damn you, Wynn,” Axton ground out.
Wynn shrugged, glancing toward a smirking Azh. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter 16
Maya entered the private lair of Micha and Skye hidden beneath the picture-perfect house built in the swamps outside of New Orleans. It didn’t take her ability to sense the thick magic that pulsed in the air to realize that there was nothing normal about the vast spiderweb of caverns. It was impossible to dig beneath the bayous without them being flooded. Still, the amount of power it’d taken to create such a vast lair was impressive.
“I wondered what would finally lure you to visit my new home,” Skye said as she moved forward to greet Maya, her summer dress floating around her slender legs and her golden curls bouncing around her face. She looked as beautiful and delicate as a butterfly about to take flight, but her ancient power pulsed against Maya with enough force to lift the hair on the nape of her neck. Had the native magic seeped deep into the bayous intensified Skye’s special gifts? They certainly felt a lot more intense. “It turns out all it took was the end of the world. Again.”
Maya gave her friend a tight hug. “I’ve been a little busy.”
“And you didn’t want to leave that delicious mate of yours,” Skye teased.
Maya pulled back, her heart squeezing at the thought of Ravyr. She missed him. More than she ever dreamed possible.
“He is above-average delicious,” she agreed, then turning in a slow circle she concentrated on the cavern that surrounded her. Ravyr would soon be home where he belonged. For now, she had more pressing worries.
Her eyes widened as she took in the polished perfection that surrounded her. A coved ceiling soared well above her head and the walls were framed by towering glass cabinets protected by thick weaves of magic. Inside the cases she could make out rare manuscripts, scrolls, and various gem-encrusted weapons that were no doubt hexed. “Wow,” she breathed, not having to pretend she was impressed by the extensive collection of magical items. Until this moment, she would have sworn that Tia had the largest library of rare books. Now she wasn’t so sure. “This is spectacular. I assume Micha created this?”
Skye looked smug. “He possesses a talent for molding and altering earth. You should see the gardens he created for me at our hidden spot deep in the bayous. It steals my breath every time we enter our private oasis.”
“It’s no wonder he’s always been a hermit.” Maya’s gaze skimmed over the tightly rolled scrolls and stone tablets etched with long-forgotten hieroglyphs. How long had it been since anyone beyond Micha had held those precious scrolls in their hands? Or tested the precise magic contained in the daggers and ivory figurines? “I wouldn’t leave this place either.”
