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“She tried her best to make up excuses for you.” Stone grinned at the pair, “It took me months to figure out you couldn’t harvest raw power from the conch of a mermaid if you played the right tune on a night of a new moon.”

Blaise was unimpressed. “Alessandro, you know what I could’ve done with the money you dished out to send him to Spellcasters?”

“Hookers and blow?” Stone shot back.

“Enough.” Alessandro cut through the argument before actual flames joined the mix. Unlike Rowan and Louisa, there was a history of actual vehemence between the two youngest of Alessandro’s inner court. He’d had to intervene too many times where their mat time had turned a little too bloody.

Rowan looked impressed by the instant silence he received. “So, a little birdie told you my kingdom was getting attacked. Did they mention why?”

“No, but I have a theory.” Alessandro looked down at the witch with teeth slightly bared. “Your role in helping the shifters is a threat to whatever twisted goal they have in mind.”

Rowan’s eyes widened.

“The Coven is behind the shifter attacks?” The kitsune asked for clarification.

All eyes turned to the only member of the Coven in their presence.

Dae remained silent.

“But why?” Stone asked, confusion clear on his face.

“Because they are under the control of a man with the ability to weave illusions. They’re so realistic that the entire Coven has fallen under the impression that the last words of Elder Henrietta were a warning. A warning of the shifters igniting a war that would destroy the world.” The voice was inches from Alessandro’s ear. His hand shot out in the direction it came from. A man, the spitting image of the witch kneeling at his feet, held his hands up in surrender.

The witch in his hold was stronger than the one on the ground by leagues. Alessandro slowly released his fingers from around the man’s neck.

Upon his release, the second man gasped for air. Rowan instantly made her way to him, enraging the dragon in Alessandro, who hadn’t deemed the man safe.

Control. He reminded himself.

She patted the witch’s back, her eyes pitying. “Evil twin?”

Dae sighed. “He’s bewitched by the False Elder like the rest of the Coven. I can’t break his hold over any of them.”

“Who is this False Elder, and why aren’t you also under his hold?” Alessandro was hard to convince.

“Antoni Barros. He was part of the North American Chapter so my knowledge of him is minimal. I’m not being affected because of this.” He held up a hand and a silver bracelet glinted on his wrist. “I had this on when he began hypnotizing everyone. Therewere a few others who resisted, he…punished them. I decided then to fly under the radar and figure out what had happened to Master Cherry.”

“That’s Chloe’s magic signature.” Louisa examined the piece of jewelry.

“Yes.” he fingered the piece of jewelry and Rowan caught a fleeting look of tenderness before he snapped his attention back to Rowan. “She never came back from her meeting with you, neither has the Elder’s Grimoire. I tried locating her through tracking spells, but when those failed, I turned to looking for the book. That’s how I ended up here.”

“Surely that’s not an accusation I hear in your voice.” The kitsune surged to stand between Rowan and the witch, his golden eyes glowing.

The kitsune’s potential should have made him take the role of alpha for the cobbled pack, standing back until action was required. But intruding before danger escalated was an action for a second in command.

Alessandro was aware of Rowan’s potential better than perhaps even herself, but she was not a shifter. To be considered an alpha by the beast of this kitsune, one of the most powerful shifters Alessandro had come across in a century, made the Dragon King question what he’d missed in his assessment of her.

Tension squared Dae’s shoulders and, though he was several inches shorter than the massive kitsune, he raised his chin up in defiance.

Rowan peeked from around the suddenly enraged shifter. “Tone the hostility down a notch, Dae. When Kin’s beast takes over, buildings crumble. My dad isn’t a fan of eyesores on his land.”

Dae clenched his jaw but bowed his head. “No. I don’t think that Ms. Dahl had anything to do with Master Cherry’s disappearance. Seeing her in action in Greece all but confirmed the reputation she’s earned with the Coven. She can’t help but play the part of the hero, even to her own detriment. Harming the rightful Elder isn’t part of her M.O.” He looked around at the still frozen people. “Barros is proving reckless.”

“Elder Antoni, Dae. Do not take his name so lightly.” The twin spoke for the first time since his brother popped into existence.

Dae rolled his eyes. “His name is Hye. I tried to give him nulling jewelry to counteract the effects of the illusion, but it didn’t work.”

“Nothing will, not unless this Antoni Barros lifts his spell, is nulled himself, or dies.” Aqua’s words were unexpected. Alessandro was sure the woman would’ve preferred to remain silent their entire visit.