“I didn’t think to look when we left,” I admit. “I was preoccupied with your lack of consciousness.”
He smiles down at me. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
“I’m just glad you’re?—”
I’m cut off by a curt, demanding knock at the door. That impatient rap sounds like it should belong to Ash, but Ryder stands on the step.
When he spots us through the glass, he lets himself in. “I thought you were at the clinic,” he demands. “Did they release you?”
“I released myself,” Rowan says.
Ryder exhales, looking both relieved and annoyed. “You okay?”
“I think so.”
The elf’s eyes move to me. “And you?”
“I’m fine.”
“So, you two actually managed to break the mate bond?”
“Ansel helped more than I did,” I say. “I was more of a bystander.”
Ryder is about to respond, but the back door opens, and the inspector appears, holding…something.
“Did you change your mind about the tea?” I ask him.
“Are you aware that you have a lure in your garden?”
I blink at him. “A lure?”
He holds up the pewter disk that hangs from a red ribbon. It looks like a Christmas ornament. “Leprechaun crafted, probably fifty years old. I found it tucked into one of your bushes.”
“What does it do?” Rowan demands.
“It attracts different creatures, using magic to make an environment look artificially attractive to its prey. This one is specifically charmed to draw gnomes. Not only is it unethical, but it’s also highly illegal.”
“Leprechaun crafted?” Rowan asks sharply.
“That’s right. Your tea garden itself is a desirable location, but gnomes won’t usually cross so many bustling streets tofind new territory. With all the tourists you see here, it seemed unusual the gnomes would choose this place to create a settlement.”
“We thought maybe my magic had something to do with it,” I say.
“Summer?” Keith guesses.
I nod.
“I’m sure it didn’t hurt, but this is the real reason you’re seeing gnome activity.” He holds up the disk again. “I take it you didn’t plant it?”
“Why would I?”
He nods grimly. “Indeed.”
“Kit isn’t going to take the blame for this, is she?” Ryder demands.
“That’s for the magistrate to decide.” Keith gives us a tight smile and heads for the front door. “We’ll be in touch with you soon.”
The door closes with an ominous jingle.
