No one said a word. Sirena smirked and continued. “You are looking for a female goddess.”
No one was really surprised by that. We already suspected. Mom rolled her eyes. “We know.”
Sirena nodded. “Thought you might. You’re also looking for a female witch.”
Mom and Moira exchanged a look.
“Is that all?” I demanded. I suspected that too. “This wasn’t worth coming all the way to Joy Springs.”
Sirena speared me with those vibrant eyes. Magic glittered in the glowing depths. “That witch is well-known to you.”
Dread pooled in my stomach. I only knew a few witches, one who would never betray me, leaving only?—
“Marnie. Perhaps her sister Twyla as well, though she was not mentioned.” Sirena settled back against the chair and watched us.
Mom swore. “The one time I find the best soup in all the realms and now I can’t frequent her shop anymore because she’s a lying bitch!”
Moira closed her eyes and slumped against the wall. “Shit,” she breathed. “Are you sure?”
“Positive,” Sirena said. “Evie’s stunt in the town square shocked everyone, but those two especially. They are from the old school of witches, those who remember how dangerous and powerful Chimeras are. You’d do well to do a thorough check of your belongings when you return home. If you haven’t already looked through everything, I would search for charms or bags, anything that might not belong. They wereaggrievedwhen you revealed what you are.”
Mom was staring hard at the siren, close to mean mugging her. “Why are you being so helpful?”
Sirena smirked. “Ever the suspicious one, Cliona.”
But Mom wasn’t letting her deflect. She crossed her arms and waited.
The siren clicked her tongue. “Fine. Since Evie’s absence, it has become glaringly obvious that our Lord might not be powerful enough to protect us from what is coming. The shifters are less sensitive to magical disruption, but those of us with fae blood feel the poison seeping through the land. Most of the magic is centered on Keep property, which is odd, but none of us want to wait around to see if we remain unscathed. Something is happening, and Caelan is completely unprepared and refuses to accept your help.”
My eyes narrowed at her knowledge, but Sirena scoffed. “We talk, Evie. All of us know you tried more than once to help him. We also know he refused every time. When his lack of concern became apparent, our people started to move away. Others are thinking about it. The business owners are the ones who are stuck because we’ve made our lives here. I’m a little more flexible than the rest, but I like it in Joy Springs.” Her eyes flickered. “My kind are not always welcome. I’ve never felt less in this place.”
I digested her words, empathy rolling through me for her, something I thought would never happen. “Where is everyone going?”
She shrugged. “Some have gone back to the fae lands. Others have asked for sanctuary in other Lord’s territories. I have not decided where to go yet. My hope is to stay here, but Caelan’s rule is on shaky ground. I need to be in a territory with a strong Lord. Such is the nature of my kind.” A thin smile before she looked down at her hands.
My eyes met Mom’s with the slightest hint of softening in them toward Sirena. But the siren wasn’t off the hook and wouldn’t be unless her information proved reliable. Marnie was the last person I’d suspect of performing magic so anathema to the world. She and her sister were Hedgewitches, paranormals who worked hand in hand with the earth to nurture all its bounties. Magic like the one poisoning the grounds seemed out of character for her.
“How good is Marnie with glamours?” Moira asked.
“Decent, but if you catch her inside the restaurant, you’ve got a better chance of escaping her notice. Too many magical signatures in there to filter much out.”
I looked to Mom for confirmation, who nodded. “But is that where she’d cast such a dark spell?” I asked.
Sirena chewed on her bottom lip. “I’d lean yes. She wouldn’t want that sort of darkness seeping into her home.”
“Wouldn’t her customers sense a spell like that?” Moira asked. “Magic seeps into everything and leaves a trace behind. But the magic she’s doing would leave more than a mark. Her more sensitive customers would know.”
“She has a workshop out back,” Sirena said.
Moira and I exchanged a look. A dark chuckle slipped from Mom’s lips.
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Moira asked.
“How bad do you want that soup?” I asked Mom.
We grinned at each other.
I sentRowan a text as Mom adjusted our glamours to include putting us in darker clothing so Moira could slip into the back while we distracted Moira inside. Twyla was the wildcard, but we’d figure out a way to get her out of the back to let Moira snoop around.
