I nodded.
“She’s your mother and shares a lot of your DNA. Casting a spell against you is a lot easier than if a stranger tried. She probably cast very specific glamour to work against you.” Ari clicked her tongue. “Clever bitch.”
I barked a laugh. “Both of those descriptions are accurate.”
Ari jerked her head toward the door. “But yes, that woman out there is most assuredly a witch. If I were you, I’d test all your tea before selling it.”
I frowned. “We have cameras all over the shop.”
“Have you tested to see if they’re still working?”
I sank into my office chair. “That’s thousands of dollars in blends,” I groaned.
My mother was the gift that just kept giving.
Ari shrugged. “Trust, then verify. Having a witch here is one thing. If she sabotaged your blends, the end result could be much more disastrous.”
I held up a finger and called Evie. She answered on the first ring.
When I explained what happened, she cursed and said she’d be right over.
Ari nodded. “Good call. Evie will be able to tell right away if anything has been tampered with.” She crossed her arms and leaned against the door. “What’s your plan to get rid of her?”
I hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I guess I need to call Rowan, too. He’ll need to ensure she’s out of town in a timely manner or at least escorted back the moment I fire her.”
Ari nodded. “The shop’s not busy right now. I’ll close the doors and wait around until you do the deed. If she tries anything with us in the store, she deserves whatever happens.”
Ari and I grinned at each other. Say what you would about the fae, but they were good to have at your back. And looking at Ari, you’d think she’d be an easily defeatable opponent, just by virtue of her looks. She was tall and willowy, with a face that would stop traffic, but Ari was the daughter of a god and one of the most powerful weapons makers in all the worlds.
Even better? She knew how to use those weapons.
I loved being friends with ass-kicking women.
“Thanks.” I stood and was about to go to the door when I remembered the reason we were supposed to be in here. “Do you have any jewelry I can borrow from you until she’s gone? We’re supposed to be in here looking at some pieces.”
Ari snorted and dug into her pocket, producing a stunning ring with a stone that flashed blue and green in the light. She handed it over.
I gaped at it before sliding it onto my finger. “You just had this in your pocket?”
Ari shrugged. “Hazards of a jewelry maker. I test out all my pieces but sometimes forget where I’ve put them or forgot I put them in my pocket because I had to wash my hands.”
I wiggled my fingers, watching the gem sparkle. “I wish I had so much jewelry I could forget where I put my pieces without freaking the hell out.”
“If I didn’t create…” Ari’s voice trailed off, her eyes haunted. “Let’s just say I would not be easy to deal with.”
“Do you still create weapons?” My mother still had one of the fae weapons Ari was searching for. She’d seriously wounded Cernunnos when he attacked her, taking him by surprise and putting him down for the count.
If one of Ari’s weapons could take down someone like Cernunnos, we had to get it out of her hands, the sooner the better.
Ari shook her head. “Weapons can be things of beauty, but they are meant to harm. I prefer to use my hands and talent for something that brings happiness.”
I wiggled my finger again, showing off the gemstone. “You are doing a fab job, my friend.”
Ari smiled. “Come, Moira. Let’s do a little ass kicking.”
I grinned back. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
When we came out from the back, Evie was just walking in. She took in me, then Ari, frowned, then spotted Marie in the back, still pretending like she was working on blending.
