Evie inhaled deeply. A flicker of crimson rolled over her irises.
Uh oh. Marie had definitely tampered with my tea. Shit.
I jerked my head, motioning for Evie to follow me. With her and Ari by my side, I stopped at Marie’s table.
“I’m not sure if you’ve met Ari yet. She’s our town jeweler.” I held out my hand to show her the ring.
A flash of greed rolled over Marie’s face. “Stunning.” She lifted her eyes to Ari. “I’m Marie.”
“And this is Evie. Emberwood’s Lady.”
Marie blinked in surprise. “Errr. Hello.”
“Hi, Marie,” Evie said, a vicious grin sliding onto her face. “Is there a reason you’re poisoning those tea leaves you’re working on?”
Marie paled. She shoved her chair back and was rising when Evie sent a pulse of magic to the plethora of plants I kept all over the shop.
Vines shot out from the pots of soil, snapped around Marie’s body, and brought her down to the ground. It was over in seconds.
Marie panted like she’d run a marathon. Her eyes were wide and frightened as she looked between all of us. She licked her lips. “What do you want?”
Evie’s bark of laughter made me snort. “Who sent you here, Marie?”
The woman pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Can’t tell you.”
“You won’t,” Ari said, crouching beside Marie’s entangled body. The fae’s eyes began to glow molten silver. Magic shivered over Ari’s form, producing a glowing blue dagger. Ari wove itbetween her fingers like a circus performer. “Speak, Marie. Or suffer.”
My eyebrows went up at that, but I let it go. I wasn’t super into torture or anything, mostly because it was messy.
Ari seemed to have no such compunctions.
Evie watched Ari for a long moment before she shrugged. I almost smiled. In the past, Evie would have insisted there was another way.
Time had only sharpened her edges. Now, there wasn’t much off the table if Evie needed answers.
Marie’s nostrils flared. “Can’t,” she said with a moan.
“Was it another witch?”
Marie’s brows furrowed. Slowly, she nodded, then sagged with relief.
Weird.
“What was her name?”
Marie shook her head again.
“Minka?” I asked.
A low moan came from deep within Marie’s throat. Ari stood and took a step away. “Moira.”
Evie put her hand on my arm. “She’s spelled.”
“Your mother could have turned her into a weapon,” Ari said quietly. “We need to get her out of here.”
A terrible thought occurred to me. “Can you take her here?” I showed Ari the place on the map. “Make sure everyone’s out of the store?”
Ari chewed on the side of her lip. “Cold but effective.” She bent down and touched Marie on the forehead.
