“You’re right. I had it.” He shook his head and laughed nervously. “I would have kept it away from you forever if I could have…that thing was…well, I don’t know what, but it melted my mind. And…it didn’t meltonlymine.” He glanced up, and his eyes went sharp. “Someone else has already been here for the cauldron. Somethingactually. Not a fae, nor a vampire, nor anything of the sort. Something full of shadows. It took the cauldron, and itran.”
18
We were promptly escorted outside,and we didn’t cause a fuss. We’d found what we’d come looking for…kind of. The guards deposited us on the pavement just beyond the looming archway, giving us stern looks before returning to theirposts.
I dusted off my jeans, frowning. “Lugh was here. He beat us toit.”
“The biggest question I have iswhy?” Boudica asked, dropping back her head to stare up at the cloudysky.
“Well, that book did say that everyone is drawn to the damn thing,” Warin added. “He figured out where it was and went for ithimself.”
“They want it when theyseeit,” I corrected. “When they’re in the presence of the cauldron. There must have been some other reason he decided to seek itout.”
We all gazed around at each other, dumbfounded. I had no idea what Wraith Lugh wanted with that cauldron, but whatever it was, I knew it was trouble. And he’d just taken away the very thing that was the core of ourstrategy.
“Well, we can’t stop there,” Saoirse said softly. “If he’s going after cauldrons instead of people, then he isn’t as hungry as we anticipated. It won’t be long before he gathers the other nightmarewraiths.”
“We need to find that cauldron,” I muttered, still grasping at the one thing that could bring Lugh back to me.Alive.
“If only one of us had a tracking power,” Boudica said. “My fist fighting abilities have never felt useless untilnow.”
I whipped up my head. “Trackingpower.”
“Yep.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, I don’t think I can beat the answer out of the ground with my fists. Might be fun to trythough…”
“I know someone who can track,” I said quickly. “Axel. The sorcerer. He helped me findCaer.”
Uisnech chirped. “Axel is very powerful indeed, but he cannot track objects. Onlypeople.”
I arched a brow. “People like…Lugh?”
Uisnech’s eyes caught fire. “And if we find Lugh, we find the cauldron. You are not only strong, my dear friend. You are clever,too!”
I shook my head and laughed, hope springing back to life. “Come on then. Let’s go find us asorcerer.”
* * *
Axel livedin a squat little building that matched the rest of his street. The buildings were tall and thin, most flats above a commercial property on the street. Some were pubs. Others were takeaway restaurants. There were even a couple of real estate agents on the block. Axel had gifted me with his address during our month-long hunt for Caer, just in case I ever needed hishelp.
For emergencies only, he’d told me. I was pretty sure this whole thing counted as anemergency.
I rang the doorbell for Flat 3, waiting on the stoop alone. The others had headed back to the castle, to regroup, refresh, and check in with the rest of the guards. We were all running on fumes. Once we had a pinpoint on Lugh’s location, we’d have to move fast. So, the crew needed to get rest while theycould.
The door opened a moment later, and Axel’s scruffy face peered out at me. He wore a black t-shirt with matching jeans, barefoot. His eyes crinkled in surprise. “Moira? Didn’t expect to see you here anytimesoon.”
“Gee.” I grinned. “Nice to see you, too,Axel.”
He grunted, waving me inside. “Don’t take offence. You just caught me by surprise isall.”
I trudged into the building, following Axel up a set of thin, carpeted stairs that looked as though they hadn’t been cleaned in years. Dirt clung to the faded blue threads, and holes had been worn from the many shoes that had scuffed along it. He took me to the second floor, and then swung open the door to hisflat.
The room inside was barren—or what the trendy called minimalistic. He had a single sofa in the very center of the room, facing a television set that squatted on the hardwood floor. A bed sat in the far corner beside the single window, white sheets rumpled as if he’d just rolled out of bed. Other than that…the place wasempty.
“I see you like things cosy,” Isaid.
He glanced around his empty space. “Too many objects messes with my magic. And, to be honest, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll live in Edinburgh. The city is cramped, dulling my senses. I do much better in wide openspaces.”
“Makes sense,” I said slowly. “Listen, there’s something important I need to talk to youabout.”
