Page 20 of The Death Dealer (Sentinels of Magic Book 2)

As Trevor left to meet the Stocktons, Soleil lay on her bed and thought about the situation she found herself in. She desperately wanted to talk to her sisters to get their take on what was happening. Taryn was practical and would provide valuable insight. Vivian was clever and able to create a sound plan of attack. And Josie was worldly. She’d think of angles the rest of them wouldn’t.

Strange, but in the two days she’d been away, she missed home.

A knock pulled her from her musing.

“Come in.”

She wasn’t sure who she’d expected, but the Seer wasn’t it. “Fintan!”

“I’ve a short window while the Fates are blocked, so I’ll be thankin’ ya to keep quiet and listen, yeah?”

Frowning, she nodded and sat up.

“You’re not to trust Trevor Blane.”

“What?” Her stomach plummeted two floors and burrowed underground.

“Ach, sure, and I’ve stepped into it, I have.I’m after tellin”yato be careful what you say to him. The Authority is always listenin’ in. They want him to fail, theydo.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Ya will. But the personyaseek is close to the Death Dealer.”

“Who is it?”

“Jaysus! If I feckin’ ken the answer, I’d be sharin’ now, wouldn’t I?” he growled. “This guessin’ isn’t all craic, to be sure.”

“Do you come with subtitles and a dictionary?”

His unexpected laugh made her appreciate him in a whole new light. Fintan Sullivan was beautiful when humor lit his face. His sea-foam-green eyes were bright, and his grin engaging.Set off by a lion’s mane of hair in varying shades of gold and light browns, he was truly handsome.Not a pretty boy like Damian or rugged like Draven. But beautiful in an Italian sculpture way.Chiseledand defined.

“I forget others can’t readily decipher what I’m sayin’,” he said in a less heavily accented voice. “But if I discover anythin’ to help ya, I’ll be passin’ it along.”

“Okay, but to clarify, I’m not to discuss with Trevor anything I find out about my attemptedmurders?He knows the person responsible and is in bed with them?”

“Aye to the first two and no to the third.He’snot in bed with anyone but you, love, andhe’shappier for it, yeah.”

He winked, and Soleil blinked at what she suspected was a rare gesture.

Fintan glanced at his watch and scowled. All humor disappeared from his face. “Time’s up. Feck all.”

“Fintan?”

He glanced over his shoulder.

“Thank you.”

With a smile, he was gone, leaving her to make sense of everything he’d said.

His prime warning was not to let Trevor in on anything she discovered. But that was easier said than done. For one, they shared every stinking thought running through their brains. Or she did, anyway. For two, he wouldn’t relent until whoever was responsible was found. For three, he was sticking to her like glue.

Except for right now, a little voice said.

Soleil grabbed her phone and shot a text to Spring.

“Can Knox suppress the wards here on the island?”

Her friend responded less than a minute later.

“Yes and no. The best we can do is create a portal for you to step through if you need to leave right away.”

“I do.”

“One sec.”

Three dots appeared, disappeared, then reappeared again. Asshewaited for Spring to offerupa solution to break through Stockton’s Blockers and leave this place, she kept an eye on the door. All she needed was for Trevor or Damian to show up as she tried to make good her escape. She felt terrible for lying to her brother-in-law. He wouldn’t be too pleased with her after she promised not to leave.

“Okay, here’s what you do. Create a protection circle and conjure five red candles for the pentagram points.”

She did as instructed.

“What’s next?”

“Speak this spell aloud.”

She laughed when she read what Spring had sent.

“Seriously?”

“It’s a room-joining spell. I didn’t make it up.”

“I’d be embarrassed for you if you had.”

“You want me to send my husband to rescue you or not?”

“Apologies.”

“Speak the spell. I can thump you on the head when you get here.”

Again, Soleil laughed.

The spoken words worked their magic as soon as they left her mouth. With each one, she felt the pressure build, pushing against the Blockers’ power and expanding it out. Their wards popped like an overinflated balloon, and Soleil felt freedom of movement come with it.

In another instant, a rip appeared in the fabric of space between Thorne Manor and the island. Knox was visible on the other side, and he smiled as he held out his hand. Right when she would’ve taken it, the room spun, and a kaleidoscope of images of places she’d neverbeen flashedacross the opening to Thorne Manor. The last thing she saw was Knox’sgobsmackedexpression before the gateway settled on a new location.

Rough-handed men reached across and dragged her through a portal, and her terror was complete as she glanced into the faces of what looked to be a private militia.

“Good of you to join us, Ms. Stephens. We need to talk.”

She stared at the woman in horror. It was like looking into a mirror—a very distorted, funhouse mirror reflecting a skinny version of herself, but a mirror all the same.

“Deni, I presume?” she asked with a casualness she didn’t feel.

Doubts about Trevor and his true feelings swarmed her mind. How was it possible he didn’t still hold feelings for this super-svelte lady-in-charge Deni? She was everything Soleil secretly wished she could be. Physically, at least.

A gloating smirk appeared on the perfect face across from her. “I see Trevor has told you about me.”

“He said you were a bitch.”Notentirely true, but Soleil took her opportunities where they presented themselves.

A granite-hard look settled on Deni’s visage, and her voice was brittle as she said, “It’s irrelevant. I’m here for a different reason.”

“Dare I ask? It can”t be good if you’re reaching through portals to abduct people.”

“You don’t want to know your fate?”

“Based on the attempts on my life, I can hazard a guess.” Soleil refused to let fear rule her. Knox knew what had happened, and he would inform the othersin short order. When Damian found her, there would be hell to pay—for their enemies and her.

“Smart woman. I can see why Trevor might be attracted to you as a second choice,” Deni said, but she couldn’t hide her snideness.

“Second? I think he breathed a sigh of relief when you left the ring and disappeared. You did him a favor.”

“Your smart mouth is going to find you in trouble,” Deni warned.

Soleil waved a hand around her, causing the militia to raise their weapons and step forward.

“Settle down, fellas. I was about to make a point.” To Deni, she said, “You don’t consider this trouble?”

Reluctant amusement filled the other woman’s brown eyes. “For you, I suppose it is.”

“Do you worry what will happen when the Aether comes knocking?” Soleil watched her closely, gratified to see a flash of unease. “You know he will, right?”

* * *

“What the hell was that pop?”Gene asked.

Trevor didn’t dare look up. If he were to become distracted, Lily’s healing would be compromised. “Dethridge?”

“Your wards were annihilated, Mr. Stockton.” There was no worry in Damian’s voice, per se, but his tension thickened the air.

A sinking feeling started in the pit of Trevor’s stomach. “Please check on Soleil.”

“I fully intend to.” With a brisk nod, Damian teleported away as Trevor refocused his attention on the remaining cancer within Lily’s heart muscle. The mutated cells were particularly stubborn, clinging to the healthy tissue and refusing to give up their hold. He visualized new growth as he worked, starting from the nucleus and building outward. With each new cell he created, he eased it into position, replacing the old. Most worked, but there were those refusing to budge.

If he kept at it any longer, he would be depleted. Lily would need one more session within the next twenty-four hours, but in the meantime, she required rest.

Trevor stepped back and gestured to Draven. “Will you put her to sleep?”

“But she slept for most of the day,” Gene said.Hisworry showed in hisface, voice, and actions as he gripped his daughter’s hand.Love shone from his concerned gray eyes, and he stroked back her sweaty hair. “Is she going to be okay? Did you get it all?”

“Not all of it. There are a handful of stubborn cells that’ll take longer to dislodge. But we’re ninety percent there, Stockton. I promise I won’t quit until she’s healed.”

“How much more of this can she take?”

Trev shared a look with Fintan, silently asking what he saw for her outcome.

The Seer placed a hand on her shoulder, and his eyes went opaque as the visions swept over him. Fintan’s process took less than ten seconds, and he stepped away with a confident expression.

“Aye, she’ll be grand.”

Shoulders sagging in his relief, Gene shook Fintan’s hand, then turned to Trevor. “Thank you, Blane. Whatever Soleil wants from the greenhouse is hers. Let her know that, won’t you?”

“I’m not doing this for payment.Shewouldn’t want me to, either.”

“Nevertheless, I’m beyond grateful for your intervention on Lily’s behalf. I need to gift you both with something.”

“Just allow your daughter to live a full life when this is over. Don’t be a helicopter dad, always reminding her she was once sick.”

“Wise counsel.” Gene smiled. “I can do that.”

“Good.” Trevor held up his hands when the man offeredhisto shake. “I would, but they’re on fire. Like a nuclear reactor cooling down. I wouldn’t want you to get burned.”

Stockton glanced at Trev’s palms and grimaced at the blood-red skin. “I had no idea! Is this safe for you?”

“I appreciate the concern, but this is what I do.” He smiled. “I’ll be fine in a few minutes, but recovery time is essential to build up for her next session.”

“I understand.” Gene turnedbackto Draven to ask him about the sleep spell, leaving him and Fintan alone.

“I’ve got to go find Soleil,” Trev told his friend.

“She’s gone.”

“Gone? What the fuck do you mean, she’s gone?” Not waiting for an answer, he shot toward the door.

When he arrived at Soleil’s room, he found Damian conversing with Knox Carlyle. Neither man looked thrilled.

“Where is she?”