"It's Jasper. Jasper Mince. He's the one who's been doing all of this."
"What?"
"He's a dark druid. A siphon. He broke the seal to drain the old magic, and he's been using Chloe as a conduit." The words tumbled out, desperate. "He just disappeared. Teleported or something. I don't know where he went, but she's in danger. We need to get to her now."
"I'm on my way to the inn."
"I'll meet you there."
Corin hung up and sprinted for his truck. His body screamed in protest, bruises already forming from his impact with the tree, but he didn't care.
Jasper had been hiding in plain sight for months. Playing the helpful neighbor while he poisoned the land and set Chloe up to take the fall. And now that his cover was blown, there was nothing stopping him from taking what he wanted by force.
Corin had to get to her first.
Had to protect her, warn her, make sure she understood what they were really fighting.
The truck roared to life, gravel spraying as he tore down the drive. He just hoped he wasn't too late.
30
CHLOE
Chloe stood on a stepladder in the cafe pinning a garland of dried flowers to the beam above the counter while Twyla directed traffic below. The Griddle & Grind had been transformed overnight into something out of a fairy tale, all soft pinks and deep reds and candles waiting to be lit.
"A little to the left," Twyla called. "No, my left. There. Perfect."
Freya handed up another garland, her copper hair tucked under a kerchief to keep it out of the way. "I still think we need more greenery near the window."
"We have plenty of greenery. What we need is more hearts." Twyla surveyed the room with a critical eye. "The tea starts in two hours. We're not ready."
"We're close," Chloe said, climbing down from the ladder. "And it looks beautiful."
It did. Despite everything, despite the fear and the doubt and the sleepless night at the inn, being here felt good. Normal. Like maybe she really could stay and fight and build a life in this strange little town.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, expecting Corin. Instead, Wendy's name glowed on the screen.
"I need to take this," she said, stepping toward the back hallway.
She answered before the second ring. "Wendy?"
"Listen to me carefully." Her sister's voice was tight, urgent, stripped of its usual cryptic distance. "Something's coming. Something connected to you, to your blood. I've been trying to see it clearly, but there's interference. Someone's blocking me."
"Blocking you? How?"
"Dark magic. Old magic twisted wrong." Wendy's breath crackled through the speaker. "I can feel it reaching for you, Chloe. It's been reaching for weeks, but it's stronger now. Hungry."
"The well. Corin found someone tampering with it."
"It's more than tampering. Whoever's doing this, they want what's inside you. The connection you carry, they're going to try to use you as a channel."
Chloe's hand tightened on the phone. "Who? Who's doing this?"
"I can't see. They're hidden." Wendy's voice cracked with frustration. "I wish I could tell you more. I wish I could do more than send warnings from a thousand miles away. But you have to be careful. Don't let them get you alone. Don't let them touch the land through you. It’s time you claim what is yours and stop being afraid, Chloe."
"Wendy—"
"I have to go. I wish I could tell you more, but I can’t. You have to own what you are, what you can do all on your own. The interference is getting worse. Just... be safe. Please."
