All three witches tensed at his words.
“We can’t allow that,” Susanna said. “Shifters are already forces of pure destruction—”
“Hey!”
“—and if they get any worse, we’ll never be able to maintain balance,” Susanna finished as if Johnny had said nothing.
“You’ll help us, then?” Garret pressed.
“We don’t make it a habit of dealing with shifters,” Edwina said, “but yes, we’ll help if we can.”
“Thank you.” Johnny released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Whoever kidnapped her is using some kind of concealment spell. We need a way to counter it.”
“Do you have anything of the Maiden’s?” Hattie asked. “Some of her blood, perhaps?”
“Or a bone chip?” Susanna asked. “I can do wonders with even a tooth if you have one.”
“What kind of people do you think we are?” Johnny shook his head. “I’m not carrying around bones and blood along with my phone and wallet.”
“I am.” Hattie grinned. “It makes unplanned spells so much easier to pull off.”
“Whose blood?” Garret looked at Hattie from the corner of his eye.
“None of your business.”
“Right.” Johnny pressed his lips together. “Well, none of us have anything of Holly’s right now, never mind bones and blood.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Edwina turned her gleaming gaze on Johnny.
Up until now, he’d made a point not to look her directly in her lack of eyes.
“All three of you carry something of hers. Her affections. That will make quite a powerful tracking spell.”
“Will you do it?”
Something took hold of Johnny’s heart. The breath fled his lungs. His vision tunneled. As quickly as the sensation started, it stopped.
Edwina looked rather pleased with herself.
“Yes. You’ll have her by nightfall so long as your hearts are true.”
CHAPTER FOUR—Holly
“You haven’t said a word since you got back.”
Holly was jolted awake by the sound of Loch’s voice. She’d slept little since she was taken. The sleep she had managed to snag was uncomfortable and ineffective, but it was better than nothing.
She fixed Loch with a glare.
“Did it ever occur to you that I wasn’t speaking because I wasn’t awake?”
“You only fell asleep twenty minutes ago. You’ve been back for hours.”
“Then why didn’t you make your little comment twenty-one minutes ago?” Holly snapped. A headache was quickly setting in. Was there any water?
She reached out blindly until her fingertips brushed against the cold tin of her water cup. It was only half full.
“Loch, did you drink my water?” Holly asked.
“Not all of it.” He shrugged. “Did Trevor not wine and dine you when he took you away? That’s a poor way to treat his future wife.”
“Don’t say that,” Holly snarled. “I’m not marrying that prick. He didn’t wine and dine me, either.”
“Oh. In that case, I’m sorry for taking a sip of your water.”
“Whatever. Just let me sleep.”
“Did Trevor tell you anything useful?” he asked.
“Yes, he told me his entire plan in great detail. He even included whatever shitty background information he thought relevant and wrote everything down so I could reference it later.”
“There’s no need to be hostile,” Loch bristled.
“There is every need to be hostile!”
“Shh!” Loch hissed.
“Did you just shh me?” Holly’s upper lip curled in a snarl. “Don’t you dare—”
“Someone’s coming. If you don’t hold your tongue, it’s probably going to be cut out of your mouth. Not once in any of the readings does it say the Maiden has to speak.”
Holly pressed her lips together and held her breath.
Footfalls echoed through one of the nearby corridors. It wasn’t the one Holly walked through earlier with Trevor. It was from somewhere behind them. Holly couldn’t bring herself to look.
“Who the hell is that?” Loch muttered, the fear gone from his voice.
Holly twisted around to see Elise approaching. She clutched her narrow blade in one gloved hand. Holly scrambled to her feet and moved to the middle of the cell, as far away from the bars as she could physically be.
Loch didn't ask questions, but he was smart enough to do the same.
“I haven’t heard the voice of the Maiden, I swear!” Holly cried out.
“Shh!” Elise hissed. “Silence.”
Holly pressed her lips together and looked at Loch. She prayed he’d be wise enough not to bait Elise.
Elise came around to the entrance of the cell. Taking the lock in hand, she jammed the tip of her narrow blade into the keyhole. Holly wanted to move closer, but she didn’t dare.
Within minutes, the lock yielded, and the cell door swung open.
“Let me see your wrists,” Elise commanded.
Holly stuck out her bare arms. Elise produced a small pouch from her pocket. She poured a small amount of dark powder into her palm. Holly backed away, recalling the paralyzing powder Loch accidentally dosed her—and himself—with.
“Stay still.” Elise gripped Holly by the forearm and held her in place. She sprinkled the dark powder over Holly’s wrists. The powder settled on her skin in the shape of wrist bindings. Holly felt a zap against her skin, and then the powder faded away.
“What was that?” she asked.
“Invisible irons were enchanted onto you after we removed the fairy-glass bindings,” Elise replied. “This powder is the key.”
“Will that work on my bindings?” Loch held up his wrists, still bound with rope threaded through with fairy glass.
“It will,” Elise nodded, “but you won’t need it. You’re not going anywhere.”
“What?” Holly looked between Loch and Elise.
“You need to get out. I’ll show you the way, but we have to be quick,” Elise replied.
“Holly,” Loch called out. “You can’t let her leave me in here.”
“We have to take him,” Holly protested.
“Why?” Elise narrowed her eyes. “He
