Ignoring them, she dismounted, then went to the old iron door that she carefully pushed open.
This definitely wasn’t a home. The walls were lined with hand-carved shelves. Beautiful shelves that were filled with all manner of bottles.
But not just any glass bottles…
Potions. Made of different sizes and shapes. All sealed with various colors of wax and topped with a totem of some sort.
Gisela had never seen anything like this. But the strangest of all was the fact that most of the potions were swirling with vibrant colors. As if an invisible hand was inside making the liquid twist in beautiful patterns.
Verystrange.
Xaydin turned toward her. “Care to wait outside?”
“Rather not.” This was too incredible a place to not explore it. “What are all these?”
“My hard work.”
Gisela gasped as a deep, sultry voice sounded from behind her. Turning, she found what had to be the most beautiful woman she’d ever beheld. Tall and slender, she had jet-black hair that matched her soulless eyes. Eyes that were painted with red and black to match her lips. Two parallel lines were drawn between her eyes, and above them was a delicate sliver of a moon. Dressed in an ebony velvet gown, she had a blood-red hooded cape that had alchemy sigils embroidered along its edges—it was very similar to the black one Masakage wore.
Silently, she stepped around Gisela. “Let her stay. Unlike your brother, there’s nothing in here that could cause her harm. Or that she could use against me.” She smiled at Gisela. “Regular creatures are always welcome. Witches, warlocks, magicians and such…not so much.”
That made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “Who are you?”
“Her name’s Candara. She’s Sagarian and half elf.”
“And all witch,” Candara said as she headed for the huge cauldron in the hearth.
A fairy elf witch. That explained a lot. No wonder she was so…frightening and beautiful. There was no telling how much power a creature like her would hold.
Candara looked at her as if she heard her thoughts. “Quite a bit, but nothing compared to your companion outside. My half-brother has more demon in him than any of us wish.”
“Half-brother?”
“Masakage who apparently is pouting with me.”
“I pout with no one.” Masakage appeared in the shop, next to Candara. “I was only taking a moment before entering, as I had no idea what mood you’d be in or how tolerant of my presence.”
Candara scoffed. “Are you still haunting alleys?”
“It’s a living. No worse than yours.”
She shook her head. “Such a waste of yournobletalents.”
He plucked a purple swirling bottle from the shelf beside him. “And this isn’t a waste of yours?”
“It pays my bills. Some days, very handsomely. Better than being an alley rat.”
“Enough.” Xaydin sighed. “I realize you two have your issues, but I need more potions before your fireballs start launching and you destroy half the shop.”
Gisela’s eyes widened as she realized something. “You’re all three related.”
Candara inclined her head. “Indeed. Our mother was a Leanan sidhe.”
“And part oni,” Masakage added.
Which meant Xaydin was part sidhe and oni, too.
Gisela cursed at her luck. Oni, troll and sidhe made for a lethal mixture. No wonder no one could stand against him. She was lucky she was still alive.
