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The dead body powering the spell keeping Ethan tied to Sarah, his dead wife, or whatever she’d been to him, still glowed with magic. This told me Minka was still alive and well, and Ethan still hadn’t broken its influence.

“I’m disappointed, too,” I admitted, even as the memory of Caelan under a similar spell tugged at me.

While this one was different and not powered through a form of necromancy, Caelan had still forgotten what we once were to each other and had refused to see reason when I begged him to try.

Looking back, this was a great blessing, though it didn’t feel like it at the time. The spell gave me enough space to realize how many red flags Caelan was waving around, and how far I’d fallen by not recognizing them.

The magic had also brought me to Rowan—first my friend, and now my mate and husband.

“Ethan will lose her,” Cernunnos said. “And it will be the idiot’s own fault.”

“We’ll all lose her if we don’t find her soon,” Rowan said. He rubbed his stomach. “I feel it inside. Time grows short.”

Dad’s attention went rapt. He leaned forward, hands resting loosely on his knees. “Your mother isn’t a seer.”

Rowan shrugged. “This new trick doesn’t come from my mother. And it’s only a hint of power. The magic is unreliable and sporadic, but it’s there.”

My father’s eyes narrowed. I could almost see his brain working. If Rowan wasn’t my mate, I suspected my father would crack open his skull to see where this new gift came from.

I placed a hand on my father’s arm. “Unimportant right now. First thing tomorrow, I’ll get up and try Tess’s way. If you can reach out to the animals and see if they’ve noticed anything suspicious, we’ll work from there.”

“I plan to drop in on Ethan tomorrow,” Rowan said, his eyes sparking with anger. He was just as pissed as I was over the situation. “See if there’s any forward movement.”

“Be careful,” I warned. “Sarah is devolving.” I grimaced. “If that’s a word. My plants tell me she’s quick to anger and sometimes violent. Most of his staff has quit.”

“Idiot,” Dad snapped.

“If it wouldn’t risk Moira’s life, I’d destroy the body.” The spell powering Sarah’s body was tied to Minka’s magic. We all suspected if we cut the spell ties and burned the witch’s body, it might kill Moira’s mother. Which would normally be a cause for celebration. But if she was holding Moira somewhere under lock and key—a strong possibility—and Minka died, Moira might not be able to save herself.

As much as I wanted to take Minka out, we couldn’t risk hurting Moira.

My best friend was probably in enough pain. We didn’t need to bring her any more.

“I’ll be fine,” Rowan said with a reassuring smile. “My plan is to walk right up to the front door on official Shifter Lord business. Sarah always liked poking her nose into Ethan’s day-to-day affairs.” Rowan’s grin widened, rare malice glittering in his hazel eyes. “She won’t be able to resist the news I bring tomorrow.”

Dad’s answering smile sent a chill down my spine. “Would you like some company?”

Rowan hesitated for a second before chuckling. “A visit from another Shifter Lord would stir Sarah’s curiosity, but if I were accompanied by the Horned God, she’d get the vapors.”

I laughed, but as my amusement died down, a one-in-a-million thought occurred to me. My posture stiffened. “Since Sarah is tied to Minka’s spell, is it possible she’s unwittingly feeding information to Minka?”

Dad’s attention snapped to me. “The spell is of a necromantic nature.” He rubbed his chin. “Damn. Good thought, Evie.”

When his attention returned to Rowan, there was an evil glint in his eyes. “You already suspected, didn’t you?”

Rowan held up his hands in a shrug. “Suspicion and proof are two sides of the same coin. I planned to feed her some juicy and false tidbits to see if she bites. I’m sure she’d be extremely curious to know we’ve found Moira’s location, wouldn’t she?”

I stared at him, wondering how embarrassed he’d be if I jumped on him and groped his beautiful body in front of the gods and everyone.

My husband was charming and easygoing, but a brilliant mind lurked behind his handsome facade. Admiration bloomed within me, and from the way Rowan’s eyes glimmered with magic, I knew he felt it.

“Tomorrow then,” I said, raising my mug into the frigid air. “Here’s to finding Moira and bringing her back home where she belongs.”

“To Moira,” we all said at the same time.

As we toasted, a chill wind brushed against the back of my neck, as if to say, Hurry.

Chapter