“But I don’t remember anything.”
“I know,” Axel said patiently. “But I’m hoping that the magic might’ve masked your memories, not erased them completely. Just because you can’t access them doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not still there. But I can’t control what I see in there. Whatever you think about, that’s what I’ll be focusing on.”
Blake took a deep breath in, gaze flicking to Lady Sarhin.
She smiled at him, the softest expression I’d ever seen on her face. “You don’t have to do this, Blake. We want to find out who’s helping transport Blue Alhuirn out of our world, but not at the expense of your free will.” Walking over to him, she set a hand on his shoulder. “The choice is yours. No one here will try to force you or change your mind.”
She then looked at Axel. “That goes for you too, Axel. I know this isn’t something you enjoy, so if we’re asking too much of you, don’t hesitate to say so.”
Axel blew out a breath and stood.
He disliked delving into people’s minds for the same reason I hated the spells that had been used. It was an invasion of privacy.
“Blue Alhuirn is far too dangerous to be out there,” Axel said softly. “I want to find out who’s behind it and stop them before anyone else gets hurt.”
That seemed to steel Blake’s resolve. He rubbed his hands over his face and rolled his shoulders. “Let’s get it done.”
“You’re certain?” Sarhin asked.
“Yes.” He shuddered. “I hate the thought that I helped smuggle the poison out of here even if I have no recollection of it. If this will help find those responsible, then we have to do it.”
Axel gestured to the sofa where Blake sat. “Get comfortable. We might be here for a while.”
* * *
“Are you all right?”I poured Axel a glass of water and set it on the small table in front of him.
“I will be.” He sat hunched forwards, head in his hands as he massaged his temples.
Blake had gone home and Sarhin had left to act on the information Axel had managed to uncover.
We waited for Gabriel to return so we could fill him in.
Taking the seat beside him, I slung an arm over Axel’s shoulders and drew him in for a hug. “I know that was hard for you, but we’d never have uncovered that information any other way.”
He sighed, the sound loud in the otherwise quiet room. “His face was so clear in Blake’s memories.” Still tucked under my arm, he turned to look at me, brow furrowed. “I was expecting to have to dig deep to find anything, and even then, maybe only get flashes or bits and pieces. It almost felt too easy. Like whoever erased his memory did a half-arsed job.”
Something about his words caught my attention and I closed my eyes, turning it over and over in my mind and letting my instincts take over.
After a little while, Axel nudged me. “What are you thinking?”
It took me a moment to focus on my surroundings. “Do you think it was Zane who did it?”
Axel shrugged. “It would make the most sense. He did it to Gabriel, Nick, and Callum. I can’t see Tombs wanting to involve another witch when he already had one in his pocket.”
“Maybe it was deliberate.”
Axel raised an eyebrow. “You mean he wanted someone to discover them?”
“It’s a possibility.”
Sitting up, Axel shook his head. “Even if that were true, he doesn’t know about my magic. How did he expect anyone to find out if Blake couldn’t remember anything?”
“I don’t know.” And that was the part that I got stuck on. I felt it deep in my bones. We were on the right path with this, but I had no answer for Axel’s questions. “Maybe your way isn’t the only way to retrieve them. Witch magic took them away from Blake, so maybe it can restore them too.”
Axel considered this. “You’re sure?”
“About the first part. I do think it was done deliberately. The rest of it needs more investigation.”
