Ancient Magic (Dragon's Gift: The Huntress #1)(43)

“For a price.”

Oh, damn. We hadn’t talked price. I hadn’t even realized. “You’re waiting until after to tell us the price?”

“Once you see what you’ve requested, you want it more.” She rolled the glass ball in her palm. “So you’ll pay more. I’m a businesswoman.”

So was I, and I knew that we weren’t above gouging people who could afford it. “How much?”

“A favor. From you.”

“Not from the big guy?” I nodded at Aidan.

“No. He’s powerful, but you’re good at finding things.”

“So are you.” I really didn’t want to owe her one. She was dangerous.

“It’s something I can’t find. Just like this charm”—she held up the glass ball—“is for something that you can’t find. We all have our blind spots.”

“What is it?”

“I prefer not to say until you agree.”

Okay, that definitely made my spidey sense pop up. “Sorry, no can do.”

“She’s right,” Aidan said. “I’m the one seeking this Magica, not her. I’ll pay.”

Mordaca huffed her disappointment, then turned her sharp gaze on Aidan. “Fine. Twenty grand.”

I almost choked on my gasp.

“Will you take a card?” Aidan asked. “I believe I’m a bit short on cash.”

No joke.

“Of course. What kind of operation do you think this is?”

I glanced at the herbs and crystals and incense. A creepy one! She was a freaking Blood Sorceress, for magic’s sake!

“Excellent.” Aidan handed over his card, and she pulled a phone out of her dress pocket. It had one of those little swipey things on it, and within a minute she’d taken his payment and handed over the glass ball.

She looked at me. “You’ll use that glass ball to find the link to the Magica you seek. It will jumpstart your own tracking ability. Just hold it close and do what you normally would when you are seeking.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

“It should be. Good doing business with you. Please come back soon.” She waved—more of a finger wiggle than anything else.

“We’re dismissed,” I muttered to Aidan.

“Exactly,” Mordaca said. “I need my beauty sleep.”

“Thanks for your help,” Aidan said.

I followed him out of the room and through the dim foyer. We let ourselves out onto the bright street. The sunlight just made this part of Darklane look even dingier.

“That wasn’t so bad,” I said as we walked to his car.

“Speak for yourself. I just paid for a midsize car, and all I got was this glass ball.”

“Worth it, though.” Even if I’d had to come up with the cash, I’d have found a way. We really needed to get that scroll.

“Very much so.”

We climbed into his car. I reached out for the ball. “Let’s do this thing. I want to know where those bastards are.”

Aidan handed it over. The ball was cool and heavy in my hand. I held it close to my chest and focused on my memory of the man who’d stolen the scroll. Mordaca’s magic twined with mine. Hers smelled musky and felt dark. Though it made my skin prickle, it didn’t feel evil like some people’s magic. It smelled like cigar smoke and tasted like whiskey.

After a moment, the familiar string wrapped around my waist, pulling me. Our prey was close. A sense of the location bloomed within me, clear as glass.

I sucked in a breath.

“They’re at Ancient Magic,” I gasped.





CHAPTER ELEVEN





The drive to Ancient Magic felt like it took forever. Aidan drove like a demon, breaking at least five traffic laws. By the time he pulled up beside my shop, I was vibrating with tension.

The car screeched to a halt at the curb. I flung the door open and leapt out. Ancient Magic’s door was shattered, jagged pieces of glass protruding like teeth. Within, figures fought, wrestling on the ground and throwing magic in bursts of smoke.

Shadow demons. An icicle of fear pierced my heart, sending cold streaking through me. They had found us.

I drew my copper-hilt knives and burst into the shop.

There were at least five demons fighting Nix, Claire, and Connor. Even Del was there, wielding her short sword like a master against the same man from the tomb in Norway. He was the only non-demon assailant, but he was strong. He threw blasts of flame at Del that she repelled with her enchanted sword. Blade and shield in one, it was her first choice of weapon.

How had he found us? Fear sunk its claws into my back. My magic surged within me, a tidal wave of power that threatened to overwhelm my control and burst out of me in a horrifying show of force. I could blast them all away, but I couldn’t keep my magic from hurting my deirfiúr as well. Or Connor and Claire, who fought two huge demons in the back corner.

Nix grappled with two in front of the counter. Behind her, a demon ransacked the shelves. In quick succession, I threw both of my copper-hilt daggers. They plunged into his back, near where I hoped his heart would be.

The demon turned and growled. Damn. Despite the blades in his back, he was still standing. He was at least as strong as the demon at the temple of Murreagh. Not all shadow demons seemed to be that strong, but perhaps he was old.