Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel #1)(17)

“I’m only letting you in here because you’re friends with Mac.” She flipped a switch, revealing potions that glowed with an unearthly light. “The witches specialize in a lot of these potions, so they’d kick my ass if they knew I was selling them.”

“You do not want to get on the bad side of the witches,” Mac said.

I imagined being hexed by some old crones and nodded.

“So, what do you need?” Eve asked.

“I’m thinking a freezing potion,” Mac said.

Eve raised her brows. “Going somewhere dangerous?”

“Maybe,” I said, hoping that Mac wouldn’t share my destination.

She didn’t.

“Well, this is what you want.” Eve pulled a potion off the shelf and handed it to me. “Uncork that thing and dip your finger in it, and you’ll be immune. When you need to get the heck out of dodge, throw it to the ground hard enough to break it. The mist it gives off will freeze everyone else in the room.”

“Thank you.” Dread uncoiled in my stomach. We were at the payment part, and I had no idea how much magic could cost. I had some cash in my bag and the wad in my pocket, but it wasn’t a lot. “What do I owe you?”

Eve tilted her head, studying me. She seemed unsure at first, and I wondered if she was trying to read my expression. “What can you do?”

“Like, magically?”

“Yeah.”

“I can touch things and people and get a read on their past and future. Sometimes on their present.”

“You can’t control which you see?”

“No.”

“You should work on that. But yeah, if you want, you can trade me in service. Two object readings, one for each potion.”

I glanced at Mac for advice. Was this a good deal? She nodded encouragingly.

“Yeah, thanks,” I said. “I can do that. Now?”

“No, later.”

“Time to take your medicine,” Mac said, nodding at the potions in my hand.

I opened the suppressor potion swigged it back. The sour taste made me shudder, then it felt like all my clothes tightened horribly, holding me in. My gaze flicked up to Mac’s. “That’s weird.”

“Yeah. That’s why you’re going to want to learn to control your magic on your own. Suppressing potions are no fun. Now do the other one.”

I shoved the vial in my pocket and opened the other, dipping my finger into the icy liquid. I shivered and recapped it, then stored it in my pocket.

An idea flared. “What about a truth potion?”

“Oh, those are hard to come by.” Eve chewed her lip. “I don’t have any on hand, but I can make one and give it to you later. It won’t be powerful, and I only have enough ingredients for one. Still, that should get you a single answer from a person . . . if they’re willing.”

“And if they’re unwilling?”

“You’re shit out of luck. Like I said, truth potions are super rare and hard to come by. That’s why I don’t keep them in stock.”

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll take it. Who knows? It might come in handy in the future.”

“No problem. I’ll let you know when it’s done.”

“Thank you.”

“Ready to visit the Devil’s lair?” Mac asked. “I can take you to the entrance.”

“His lair?”

“It fits, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

We said our goodbyes to Eve and headed for the door. A shiver ran down my spine. I looked back and found the raven watching me.

“What’s with the bird?” I asked Mac.

“I’m not sure. Eve says she doesn’t see it, but I don’t buy it.” She shrugged. “I want to push her for more info, but I don’t.”

“Clever.”

“You sure you don’t want to move in over my place?” she asked.

“Um…”

“I can tell you’re on the run from something, and this is a good place to lie low. And it’s fun here.” She led me down the narrow streets.

“How can you tell I’m on the run?”

“Like knows like.”

I nodded. It would be good to have friends. And damn if this place wasn’t cooler than normal London. “I don’t know if I could afford it.”

“You can.” She squeezed my shoulder. “You’ve got a powerful gift. You could definitely set up shop with it.”

“There seem to be a lot of magical shops, though.”

“Not a lot with skills like yours, if you’re hunting a murderer. You could be a PI.” She made finger guns with her hands, and somehow, it was charming. “Magic PI, here to solve the case. Or a bounty hunter.”

I laughed. “Let me catch this murderer first.”

“Well, you’re about to have your chance.”

We walked down the charming streets, passing supernaturals of all sorts. My head spun from the variety.

“What was Eve?” I asked. “She had wings.”

“She’s Fae. Without a court, of course. Since she lives here.”

“What does that mean?”

“All Fae are members of Courts. Magical—magical realms located all over the earth. There are Sea Fae, Fire Fae, Unseelie and Seelie Fae. Lots of others, too. If they leave their Courts, they can go a bit insane if left on their own.”