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“Careful,” I cautioned. “Whatever’s in there gives me the creeps.”
Cernunnos gestured for Evie to hand it over. She gave him a look but did so. He twisted the lid open.
Evie gasped and took a step back. Magic saturated the air—dark and oily.
Cernunnos’s brows drew together. He bent closer and peered down at the icy structure. “Death magic.”
“Familiar to you?” Evie rubbed her hands over her arms. “Shut the jar. The power feels like taking a bath with glass shards.”
Cernunnos screwed the lid back on and tucked it into his pocket. “I’ll return this soon.”
He glanced at me, his expression unreadable. “Whatever your mother is into, it has to be tearing her apart. Magic like this is untenable for witches. You may not need to do anything other than wait her out.”
A relief, but I never trusted magic to do what it was supposed to do. “I’ll find her.”
“You have to,” Evie said with a sigh.
Cernunnos shot her an incredulous look.
My friend lifted a hand. “We have to. Finding Moira’s mother won’t solve the ultimate problem. Who’s assisting her? Why? And if Minka dies, is this over?” She shook her head. “Doesn’t seem like it would be. Not if they’ve involved Ethan.”
“You think whoever’s behind this is trying to entangle the Shifter Lords in their schemes to bring them down?”
“Too specific,” Evie said. “They haven’t done anything to any of the other Lords.”
“But Ethan is the leader.” I frowned. “Was maybe. Not sure who’s doing what these days.”
“A systematic teardown of leadership?” Evie mused aloud. “The same thing the fae wanted when they tried their little coup?”
Cernunnos looked thoughtful. “Not the same people.”
“Evie killed most of them.”
My bestie snorted. “FAFO,” she said with a slow nod.
“FAFO,” I agreed.
Cernunnos sighed. “I’ll do some digging in the fae lands. This magic isn’t familiar to me. Someone with this much power wouldn’t stay forever in the shadows. Someone must know something.”
With a long look at me, Cernunnos faded in a shower of emerald and gold magic.
“You’re angry with him,” Evie observed when she was sure he was gone.
I shook my head. “Not anymore. Disappointed, I think. I’m not sure what I’m feeling exactly.”
“He cares for you, but he doesn’t understand you.”
I plopped onto the couch and kicked my shoes off, tucking my feet under my thighs. Rowan came out just then, holding a tray that smelled delicious.
Evie’s warm smile made his eyes flash watermelon tourmaline and gold.
“Hot chocolate,” he said. “Evie’s recipe, made by little old me.”
He winked at me.
“None for my dad?” Evie asked with a glint in her eye.
“I knew Moira was mad at him. No treats for him.”
