Page 133 of Hand-Fasting and Other Hazards
Helen and Jimmy from the bookstore were out canvassing streets and alleyways, asking anyone and everyone in town if they’d seen Nia and Jade. Natasha and the other goblins were searching the tunnels and canal, hoping to find any clues as to where they’d gone.
But Lochlan knew they wouldn’t find Nia. Not like that.
He didn’t know who had her, or why, but his gut told him the truth he didn’t want to face. Nia had been taken, and Jade had either been kidnapped with her, or managed to escape during the fight. The thought of Jade running scared through the streets—or worse, lying hurt somewhere—made his chest tighten painfully. And Nia…
He couldn’t finish that thought.
Wulfric and the Videt were doing their part, working with magic Lochlan didn’t pretend to understand. Wulfric’s frustration was razor-sharp, his scowl deepening with every passing minute. “It’s useless,” he growled, making Ivy glance up. “The block is still there. I can’t see her thoughts at all.”
They were trying everything—spells, tools, methods Lochlan didn’t have words for. But none of it was working. Every failed attempt felt like another weight pressing down on him.
The front door burst open. Lochlan turned, his heart leaping at the thought of Nia walking through that door. But it wasn’t her.
It was Thane.
Dressed in all black, he strode inside with a large bag slung over one shoulder. Echo padded in beside him, his sleek black shepherd’s head low as he sniffed the floor.
Without a word, Thane dropped his bag on the counter and pulled Lochlan into an embrace. Lochlan closed his eyes for a moment, letting his brother’s steadiness anchor him.
Thane pulled back, one hand firm on his shoulder as he met Lochlan’s gaze.
“Tell me everything.”
Lochlan hesitated, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I was a fool,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair. “I left her when she was upset. After what I’d done?—”
“Logistics, Lochlan,” Thane interrupted, his tone cutting off the spiral of guilt.
Lochlan exhaled, dragging his focus back to the facts. “I left here around nine this morning,” he began. “About twenty minutes later, the ducks found me and brought me back home.”
Thane gave him a look, one brow lifting.
Lochlan sighed. “Logistics.”
Thane nodded, motioning for him to continue.
“When I got back, there was a smell in the air,” Lochlan said, his voice tightening. “And an empty canister of what we think was a sleep-inducing substance. The house was a mess, and Nia and Jade were gone.”
Becket looked up from his laptop, his expression grim. “We asked the neighbors if they’d seen anything, but no one has come forward.”
Across the room, Ivy began to pace, her hands twisting nervously. “What if it was someone she… you know.” Her voice trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken.
Lochlan dragged a hand down his face but nodded. “It could be.”
Thane glanced at him sharply. “What?”
“There was a man,” he said, his voice tight with anger and regret. “I’ve seen him once before, but the other afternoon, he was watching us. Nia said it was nothing. But he’d threatened her before, yelled at her, in her office.”
“So it was something,” Thane said. “Who is he?”
“I’m not sure,” Lochlan admitted, raking a hand through his hair. “But I think she coerced him into giving money to some charity.”
He’d tried to remember, but if Nia had mentioned the name of the organization the purple-faced man was supposed to donate to when they’d argued in her office, he couldn’t remember it through the haze of stress and panic.
“I wonder…” Ivy’s fingers flew over her keyboard as she searched. Her movements were frantic, her breath coming faster. “Nia put a note in here, but we don’t have any record of receiving the funds and—” She froze, her eyes widening as she looked up. “Wait. The man who threatened Nia. Was he a big guy?”
Lochlan nodded, his brow furrowed. “Yes?”
Becket leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “You think it’s the same man who came up to you at the autumn festival?”
