Page 34 of Cursed Magic

Pursing her crimson-stained lips, Raven faced Ryker and me. “He’s telling the truth,” she said quietly, her voice carrying the weight of her centuries of experience. “No magic was sensed on him when he entered, and he’s carrying grief and guilt. But there’s also something else—something he didn’t say.”

She’d confirmed one thing I’d already concluded, but I hadn’t picked up on the last one. I rocked back on my heels and lifted my brows. “What do you think it is?”

Raven tilted her head, her obsidian hair catching the light in a way that seemed almost otherworldly. “I think he’s scared. Not of us but of what’s coming. Whatever happened to his pack…it’s not over. And he knows it.”

A muscle in Ryker’s jaw twitched. “I still don’t trust him.” He crossed his arms. “Just because your spells didn’t catch magic on him doesn’t mean he has no spells on him.”

I grimaced, remembering the conversation Raven and I’d had just days before we located Briar. She’d told me that the vampires could sense a spell on Ryker, but they kept pretending they hadn’t noticed it. That had to be why he was doubting their thoroughness. However, Raven had told me that in confidence, so I’d let her handle the explanation.

Still, keeping it from Ryker now left a sour taste filling my mouth.

“I’m very confident in our magic detection.” Raven smiled and clasped her hands in front of her chest. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t be? Do you know something I don’t?”

Before I could stop myself, I flinched. Ryker had unknowingly stepped into a trap.

Ryker jerked his head back slightly, but I noticed the sheen vanished from his eyes as they quickly widened before he schooled his expression into a mask of indifference. “I’m just questioning whether the spells that trace magic should be replenished. Spells can weaken over time, right?”

“Our spells are replenished as needed to keep them at maximum strength, don’t worry.” Raven smiled a little too sweetly, enjoying the game she and Ryker were playing. “Unless there’s something you need to confess?”

“I don’t need to confess anything.” He lifted his chin in challenge.

I needed to stop this before we broke into a fight among ourselves. “Now that you two settled that, I think the point is that we don’t have to trust him. However, we can update him every so often with low-level information and see if he shares anything with us.”

A flicker of frustration burned in Ryker’s eyes, highlighting the golden flecks. “You think I don’t know that? But what if this is a trap? What if he’splaying us?”

“I don’t think he is, and until you’re comfortable too, we’ll be strategic with what we share. If you wind up being right, then we’ll deal with it. But for now, bickering among ourselves is only wasting energy and time.”

“That’s something I can agree with. Even if he’s not working against us, he’s upset, and I fear he won’t make tactical decisions for the next bit because he feels guilty for kidnapping Briar and the attack on his pack.” Raven shrugged. “We’d be foolish not to have open communication with him in case he does find something valuable we want to research and act upon.”

I nodded. “We need more shifter allies, and I think Bruce has something to prove to himself and his pack.”

Closing his eyes, Ryker let out a deep breath. “So we’re all in agreement to be careful and discuss what we’ll share with him before it happens?”

He’s pulling down the driveway now.Briar’s relief flowed into me, helping to drive some of my stress away.

Good.I hated that Bruce being here had impacted Briar so much. I hadn’t considered how she’d feel when she saw him, and I swallowed, realizing I’d failed her once again. I wanted to say more, but I had to focus on Ryker and Raven. I could discuss Bruce with her in a bit.

“I can agree to that.” I rolled my shoulders back.

Raven steepled her fingers. “As do I. We don’t need to share everything with him.”

“Fine,” Ryker rasped. “But if he betrays us, I get to be the one to kill him.”

“Okay.” I didn’t argue. Ryker’s word was law, and if Bruce so much as hinted at betraying us, Ryker would act without hesitation. But I couldn’t let fear of uncertainty ruleus. Not now.

“So what do you propose as our next step?” Raven propped her hip against the table.

There was only one thing that made sense. “I have an idea, but you’re not going to like it.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Then don’t tell us.” Ryker’s voice was low and sharp. “Every time you have that damn expression on your face, you either do or suggest the kind of reckless thing that drives me insane.” His words hung in the air, a challenge.

Raven leaned forward, her dark eyes gleaming. “Well then, Iwantto hear it. I want to hear the sort of suggestions that rumple Ryker’s fur.”

I hesitated, hating that this would probably upset Ryker, but that didn’t change what needed to be done to get one step closer to our enemies. “We need to find a witch.” I allowed the words to spill out before I could second-guess myself further. “Someone who can help us discover how this magic works and how to dispel it.”

Raven’s face lit up with a smirk. “A witch. That’s a bold suggestion since they tend to protect their kind, but Queen Ambrosia has an understanding with a powerful witch who lives nearby. One that actually warded this phone.” She removed a phone from a hidden pocket in her dress and typed out a message.

---