Page 15

CHAPTER 15

A fter his brother left, Noah returned to the table holding his scrying supplies. Cursing himself for forgetting to ask Damian to give it a try, he picked up the crystal. Whatever it took, he’d find her. And he’d give no credence to Sabrina’s prediction that he and Fi wouldn’t be together. He loved her, and she loved him. They were meant to be, and he’d be quick to provide anyone who disagreed what for!

Outside the door, a commotion arose, and he ran to check it out. Townspeople milled in the street and were pointing at a golden streak suspended on the hill, as if lightning was frozen in the middle of a strike. Those unfamiliar with teleportation would assume a natural phenomenon. But those in the witch community knew better, and he met the gaze of a tiny, hunchbacked elderly woman with rheumy purple eyes, the same color as her disturbing lavender hair. The soft glow of her aura indicated she was a witch, and she watched him with the same curiosity as he did her. Oversized dentures shifted around her mouth when she suddenly grinned at him. With a stubby, gnarled finger, she shoved them back in place, chomping down twice then following it up with pat of her coiffed hair and a hand dusting.

“What do you make of that, boy?” she asked in an American accent. It held the slightest twang, as if she were somewhere from the southern half of the country.

Part of him questioned whether she was referring to the light on the hill or her wayward false teeth.

“Do you know me, then?” he asked in reply. It paid to be careful. His mother had acquired many enemies in her lifetime.

Her grin widened, and her top denture flopped to the bottom of her mouth. Noah winced on her behalf. Getting old sucked, even for witches— wait a fecking minute! Witches didn’t age to such a degree unless they were hundreds of years old. And as far as he knew, his brother and him were the oldest.

Eyes narrowed, he approached her. “Who are ya, and why the disguise?”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just a tourist visiting a quaint little town.”

The sparkle in her purple peepers said differently.

“Are you here to spy on me? Or are you after something else?” he demanded in a steely tone, but he didn’t feel anything remotely close to evil intent radiating from her. Merely mischief.

“Young’uns today are a suspicious lot.” She sighed. “Looks like the light show is over. Pour me a drink so I can get off these old feet of mine, why don’t you?”

Keeping his senses sharp against an attack, he led the way into his pub, shutting the door after she entered and drawing down the shade. Facing her, he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes to show he meant business.

“Lose the disguise.”

The blinding light caused by her change nearly seared his eyelids shut and forced him to throw his arms up as a shield. The blonde bombshell who stood in the old woman’s place unhinged his jaw. She resembled an eighties movie star with her thick wavy hair, skintight lavender top, white palazzo pants, and chunky gold jewelry. A look she pulled off effortlessly.

“Much more comfortable,” she said as she sauntered to the bar.

“Who are you?”

“My name’s GiGi Gillespie.”

“Doesn’t mean anything to me,” he told her.

“No? Perhaps I should tack on my maiden name. Thorne .”

Having heard the Thorne name less than an hour before from his brother, Noah frowned. There was no such thing as coincidence in the magical world. “And how are you related to Nathanial?”

“You knew Nathanial?” When he shook his head, she shrugged as if she didn’t care one way or the other. “He was my great-grandfather. But you might be more familiar with my brother. Alastair Thorne.”

Everyone who possessed an iota of magic knew of Alastair, and not a single one of those people wanted to be on the man’s radar. If his sister was here, that meant Noah was now a blip on Alastair’s. He mentally cursed at failing to make the connection between Nathanial and her brother.

“Sure, and I’ve heard of him. Who hasn’t?” Casually, he meandered around the bar and removed a clean wineglass from the shelf. “Your drink is Merlot, aye?”

He prided himself on knowing these things. Earlier, he’d poured the Guinness for Damian simply to annoy him and force him to drink what he didn’t like.

“Yes. A Merlot would be lovely. Thank you.” She turned and sashayed to the table with the scrying map and crystals, her curvy hips swishing from side to side in a way that drew a man’s eye without fail. Just like they drew Noah’s. She turned as he approached, accepting the glass with a sunny smile.

“To what do I owe the honor of your visit, GiGi Thorne-Gillespie? I’m assuming you’re here for a reason, yeah?”

She gave another delicate shrug of her shoulder. “Bridget O’Malley is part of my coven. She’s worried about you but didn’t have the resources to spare to check on you. Apparently, she’s trying to locate her father.”

“Aye, as I’m trying to locate my girlfriend, who’s with him.”

GiGi’s mouth twisted in a smirk. “Well, I’m surprised your girlfriend left you for Patrick, though he is a good-looking fella. But maybe she prefers someone a little less… broody .”

“She didn’t leave me for him ,” Noah snapped. “And that man is a whole helluva lot broodier than me, he is! She left me to find her brother?—”

Her brother!

Of course!

If Noah couldn’t find Fi, he could scry for Tadhg. Wherever he was, Fi was sure to end up. A more relentless person than Fionola Bohannon never existed.

“You can tell Bridget I’m grand. But I’ve work to do, so if you don’t mind, take the wine and go.”

“Wow. You’d think someone who owns a public establishment would be a little friendlier to their patrons.” Without seeming to care he was in a rush, she sipped her drink and set it on the table. Then she leaned over and began examining the map. “Would you like my help? My magic will amplify yours if we work together.”

As a loner with only a basic skillset, Noah had never participated in ceremonies other than for the initial learning. He’d seen how some people combined their abilities to achieve a goal, but he’d never dared be that close to someone. Merging magic spoke of familiarity he didn’t care for, and there was no telling what might happen if someone encountered his bound power.

But it was Fi. And he’d just sworn to himself he’d do whatever it took to find her.

“Were you the one who caused the light on the hill?” he asked, stalling for time and because he wanted to know.

GiGi dropped her friendly act, and her gaze was frank when it met his. “No. If I had to guess, it was an aborted teleport. Whose, I don’t know, but it can’t be good if someone was performing magic and got cut off.”

“Aye. I’d a similar thought.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he considered the problem. “It might’ve been Fi.”

“If it was, you need to find her right away.”

“Do you think I haven’t been trying?” He waved a hand toward the table’s surface, encompassing the entire contents. “Does it look like I’ve been sitting on me arse?”

GiGi laughed, and the musical sound grated on his last nerve.

“Come, Noah. I’ve a surefire way of finding your friend.” She finished the last of her wine and set it on the bar top. “But it’s not here.”

“I’ve somewhere to be in one hour.” As soon as he said it, he regretted it, because he’d ignore the Aether’s invitation in a second if it meant finding Fi.

“Oh, and where’s that?”

“The Dethr—” He stopped, silently cursing himself for almost giving away his connection to Damian. They bore too strong a resemblance for someone not to take note if he bandied the name around. Clearly he couldn’t say “brother’s house” either because he wasn’t feeling particularly familial in relation to his newfound family.

She studied him through narrowed eyes and nodded. “If I had to guess, I’d say, based on your coloring, that you’re related to Damian Dethridge or Sebastian Drake. And since I’m positive you intended to say Dethridge, I’d also venture you don’t want anyone to know about it.”

Noah’s brows slammed together, and he refused to answer. How the hell had she guessed what he intended to say? Fuck all if he wasn’t losing his touch.

Her smile was triumphant. “It speaks well of you to not put your family in danger, but Damian and the Thornes go way back. Where we’re going isn’t too far from Ravenswood.”

Ravenswood .

The family seat of the Dethridge family. His family if he chose to claim them. They certainly seemed willing to embrace him.

When Noah remained undecided, GiGi slipped a phone from the pocket of her flowy white pants.

“Damian, GiGi here.” She listened for a moment, then laughed. “Actually, I’m with your brother, Noah.”

“I didn’t tell ya we were brothers.” Taking a step back, Noah scowled at her. “Where?—”

She rolled her eyes and waved him off as if he were a pesky child. “Bridget,” she mouthed as she listened to whatever Damian was saying. “Yes, of course. I was about to take him to the Death Garden by the Drake estate. I thought the standing stones might give us the magical boost needed to find his lady love,” she said into the phone, offering Noah a wink in the process. “Right. We’ll meet you there in a few minutes. Ta!”

After disconnecting and slipping the phone back into her pocket, she held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “Come, darling boy. We’ve got an appointment with the Aether.”

“I’m older than you,” Noah said dryly, placing his palm in hers.

“Really? Hmm. You’re remarkably well preserved.”

There was no time to retort, and the next thing he knew, he was standing in front of a tombstone etched with his mother’s name. His shock was great.