Page 67 of Fighting for Her Heart

We start walking again and soon arrive. The gates along the property’s brick walls are closed for the night but, as if expecting that, Nora leads us down to Christopher Columbus Boulevard and then stops at a nondescript place along the brick wall.

“Need a lift over?” Axe asks her.

She shakes her head. Then she sweeps her hand around us, creating a faint glow of light that quickly dissipates. If I’d blinked at the wrong second I’d have missed the whole thing.

“What was that?” Axe growls low in his chest, and I’m glad he’s finally getting on the don’t-trust-the-witch bandwagon with me.

Nora smiles softly at Axe, offering reassurance. “Only a tiny illusion to ensure no passersby can witness what I’m about to do.”

Frowning, Axe nods, and then Nora closes her eyes and presses her hand against the brick wall. A wooden gate appears and then opens, a gate so solid and historically accurate I could almost swear it had been here since the wall was constructed.

We walk through, and when I turn back there’s no remaining evidence of the entrance we just passed through.

“Come.” Nora beckons and we follow her through the grounds toward the small brick church building that’s now called Gloria Dei, but was built by Swedish settlers and is the oldest surviving brick building in Philadelphia.

To my surprise, instead of using another secret door, she waves her hand as we approach and the large, wooden double doors, painted red swing open.

The sanctuary of the church is dark, lit only by faint moonlight filtering through windows that are high on the walls, and through the stained glass display behind the altar.

Nora moves quickly toward the front of the church stepping onto a raised platform. Axe accompanies her and I wait on the other side of the wooden railing at the raised altar’s edge.

She waves her hand, and a trap door appears in the floorboards. She reaches for the brass handle, but Axe gets there first and rests his foot over the magically appearing door.

“Let me open it,” Nora says softly but firmly. “They’re below.”

“No fucking way!” I leap over the railing and confront her. “Let’s talk,” I say to Axe, and then the two of us dash to the back corner of the church.

“This could be an ambush,” I say. “What if she’s working with these witches?”

Axe’s brow creases and he nods, as if only now remembering how much he hates magic and witches.

Nora crosses the church to join us.

“What the fuck is your plan?” I ask when she reaches us. “Just open that door, go down and say hi?”

“Ryker.” She reaches for my forearm, but I pull it back. “Give me alittlecredit?”

I frown. “I don’t extend credit. Cash upfront.”

“If you’re reluctant to go down…” She tips her head to the side as if thinking. “I’ll cast a spell to hide you from them. Then I’ll lure them up and ask them questions up here. Is that okay with you?” She’s fighting to hide her irritation.

And I’m not buying her plan. “When we were on the streets, you said your magic wouldn’t work on other witches.”

“That’snotwhat I said.” She shakes her head. “It is true that other witches would be more likely to see through my magic, but if they don’t suspect you’re here, they won’t even try.”

“What if they’ve already detected us?” Axe asks.

“If they had,” she answers. “They’d already be up here.”

I cross my arms over my chest.

“You got any better ideas?” Axe asks me.

“Where are you going to hide us,” I reluctantly reply. The quicker we get this over with, the quicker I can get back to Ember.

“You can stay here if you like,” Nora says.

“No. Somewhere I can keep my eyes on you.” I can see fine from back here, but want to put wrenches into her suggested plans in case she’s trying to trick us.