Page 18 of Shift of Morals
“What brings you in today?” Caroline’s eyes glittered. “I’ve heard some rumors about you and a certain Shifter Lord.”
The woman practically vibrated with greed. Nailing down a Lord’s wedding would be the scoop of the century. “If you’re here for my services, I’m happy to oblige.”
Ash coughed to cover up a laugh.
“Sorry,” I said. “I hope to be single forever.”
Moira snorted.
Caroline’s lips thinned. “I see. If you aren’t here for my services, please explain why you’re here. I have a busy schedule and do not have time for social calls.”
“We both know I wouldn’t come here for a social call,” I said dryly.
She rose and went back around to her chair, putting the desk between us. A power move I didn’t give a shit about.
“A bouquet has come into our possession recently. The mother requested we preserve it.”
Caroline flicked a hand. “Normal business for you, I assume. What does it have to do with me?”
She’d done nothing to trigger my inner alarm yet, but Caroline and I would never be friends simply because she was terrible. “You’re correct in that the practice is common. We preserve a few bouquets per month, but this one is different.”
Caroline stilled.
Now we were getting somewhere. “There’s some residual magic making it difficult to preserve. I was curious because I know you’re well versed in magic types, and I believe you don’t take cases where you believe the marriage won’t last. Is that correct?”
She crossed her arms. “I’m not omnipotent,” she said, her tone clipped. “I can’t always predict whether a marriage will be successful.”
“But you have a good track record, correct?”
Caroline shrugged, the compliment pleasing her based on the curve to her lip. “Upwards of ninety-eight percent. Which wedding are we speaking of?”
I rattled off the last name. Caroline froze before plastering a smile on her face. “Ah yes. I remember that one! She was such a lovely bride. The wedding went off without a hitch.”
From the earlier vision, that was a lie.
I walked over to the glass table by the window and pulled the bouquet from the sack. Malevolent magic filled the room. I grimaced and stepped away.
Caroline paled.
“What was the bride’s name?” I asked.
She lifted a tanned hand to her head and rubbed her temples. “I—I don’t remember. She wasn’t from here but said she was moving after the wedding. I remember she was sweet. Quiet. Forgettable.”
Moira rose and walked over to Caroline’s desk, leaning over it. She made it easy to forget how deadly she was usually, but today, with her dark hair swinging forward and hypnotic magic swirling around her, Moira looked every inch the predator.
The audible noise of Caroline swallowing made Moira smile. “Who dropped it off the day of the wedding?”
Caroline flinched. “I can’t remember.” Her voice quivered. “That’s not normal. What is happening to me?” She exhaled heavily. “A woman? A man?” Caroline shook her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know.”
Moira and I exchanged a grim look. Caroline was showing classic signs of memory tampering. The most likely culprit?
Finn.
Dammit.
I came closer to Moira, guilt eating at me. “Try harder, Caroline. Remember.”
Caroline blinked, tears filling her eyes. She squeezed them shut. The room shuddered. I turned toward the door only to see the rose petals dampen with blood, the liquid dripping onto the pristine glass table.
