Christabella shrunk back into Maddox.He reached out to steady her.
“A human!”she exclaimed.“How did she manage to do that?”
With some difficulty, I told them everything I’d just learned in stilted words, from Prilla’s association with Mrs.Lewis, the anti-witch organization called The Crown, and finally what she had done in the village.I could barely wrap my head around it myself.“She’s to blame for everything,” I said in a choked voice.“My dress shop, the blackout, this tour.All of this is her fault.”
Underneath my righteous rage was another, smaller voice.Maybe Prilla wasn’t to blame for all of it.Manuel and Maude had already been on the verge of giving up their roles as weather witches.Edmund’s stay at Beatrice’s shack had probably been the worst accommodations he’d ever experienced.I hadn’t even been alarmed by the third human rumor in the village when that should’ve caused more concern.I should’ve done something.Should’ve looked into it.Instead, I’d been absorbed in my own petty problems.
Maddox frowned.“This Prilla Lewis.Does she have any accomplices?”
“She must have,” I muttered.“Who knows how many people are in that organization?”I couldn’t bring myself to say The Crown.It wasn’t right.Crown Prince Bennett and Narcissa’s efforts didn’t deserve to be lumped under the same name as whatever hateful group Prilla Lewis was in.
“The news about an emissary visit hasn’t been made public yet.For her to time her infiltration so accurately, shemusthave high connections,” Maddox said.
Christabella shuddered.“I’m scared.”
Maddox nodded.“It’ll be fine.Go inside for now—we’ll tell everyone else a little later.Your cottage locks, I presume?”
Christabella nodded, managing a shaky smile.“We can cast jinxes too.”
We watched Chrissy slip inside.When the door shut, I turned to Maddox.
“What now?”I asked.“There are still days left in the tour.Should we go back early?”
“Maybe we should stay and investigate.”Maddox ran a hand through his hair, which had gotten loose from its tie and hung about his shoulders in roguish disarray.“Prilla Lewis must be hiding out somewhere in the village.If we can find where she’s staying, it may lead to evidence against her, then we can report back to the crown prince.Ideally we would arrest her...”He paused and looked at me strangely.“Why didn’t you stop her when you had the chance?”
My hands shook, so I hid them behind my back.“I didn’t have any means to,” I whispered.
We both knew that was a lie—my coercion magic had been itching to be used, but I hadn’t touched it.I just couldn’t.I’d gotten so used to hiding it here that it didn’t feel like an option anymore.
Maddox nodded, as if he understood.“We’ll find her eventually.”He turned, stepping toward the house.“We should check on your sister.”
“Stay away from Christabella.”The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.It was the last thing I should be thinking about now, but Chrissy’s manner toward him was the one thing I had any power to control right now.
Maddox furrowed his brow.“What do you mean?”
“I see how you treat her and how she looks at you,” I said.“I can tell when she’s having an infatuation.”
“What are you even talking about?”
“Look, I know she’s pretty and sweet and fun to be around, but she’s too young for you—”
“I know she’s too young for me!”
“Chrissy doesn’t know what’s good for her,” I said.“And she’s engaged to Alexander, so back off.”
Maddox dragged a hand over his face, which had grown rather red.“I was not trying to flirt with her.Why would you even think that?”
“Because!”I said.It was an immature response, but I couldn’t put into words how I felt about the odd intimacy between Maddox and Christabella.
“I don’t like Christabella like that.She’s just a little sister to me.”Maddox stepped forward suddenly, so close that the toes of our shoes touched, close enough for me to count the lashes on his eyelids.Close enough to kiss.
I held my breath, my eyes wide.What in the blazing fires was he doing?
“Do you want me to prove it?”he whispered, his voice low.
No.
He angled his face closer.
