I had, but I didn’t believe she actually carried. Getting into most courthouses was a nightmare with a weapon, no matter what kind of permit you had. Plus, she’d favored smaller efficient-looking handguns with easy-load cartridges back then, not beautifully detailed revolvers with wooden grips inlaid with silver.
“Besides, this isn’t mine. Technically, I think it’s yours.” At the incredulous look I gave her, she laughed. “Okay, it belongs to the firm. Stella used to have an R&D department up until about twelve years ago. This was left down in the basement. According to the files I found, I think she either Made this one or had a hand in it.” She flipped it around and held it out to me, grip first. “It has her initials on it.”
I took it from her and almost dropped it when I felt the faint buzz of magick. Recovering quickly, I checked to see if it was loaded. It was. I’d gone shooting with Sam back when she was in the process of getting her permit and had enjoyed it, though not so much that I felt the need to get one. I’d been a decent enough shot at the time, but that was a long time ago. As I turned it, I noticed it had good balance and fit my hand perfectly. Squinting in the low lighting, I caught the initials on the side. S.D. Bending over, I pulled the knife I wore in an ankle holster out and inspected it. There, on the end of the handle, were the same initials, in the same looping design. I tried to recall the letters on the band of the Citrine ring from Margo’s. Had they looked the same? I would have to figure that out later, I decided, handing the gun back to Sam.
Sebastian came bounding up the steps ahead of Danai. Between Rasta and the healer, they’d gone through everything in Danai’s bag and Danai had received a crash course in fae healing basics. Her excitement over everything she’d learned warred with the gravity of the situation, which was understandable.
Sebastian’s whiskers twitched when he saw the knife still in my hand. Ah, I remember that knife. Spellbreaker. Will you be using it against the enemy’s barrier?
At my expression, Danai stopped, looking from her familiar to me to the knife in my hand to Sam—who still held my aunt’s gun. “Roxanne, is everything all right?”
“Oh, yes, it’s fine. Your familiar just reminded me that I have a magickal knife capable of breaking spells in my hand. Right now.” My voice sounded a little hysterical, even to me. I held the knife up, as if to show her. Was this what some called a senior moment or had magick started to burn out my brain?
“Roxie, take a moment and breathe, okay?” Sam motioned for Danai to come closer. I didn’t catch whatever it was she mouthed to the healer, but Danai gently touched my shoulder and I felt instantly more calm.
Swallowing, I held up a hand—the one not holding the knife. “I’m fine. Thanks, sorry, and all that. I just feel really stupid considering how much time we’ve spent trying to figure out how to get past that stupid barrier only to realize I’ve been wearing the answer all night.”
I became aware that the coven, Jeremy, Shay, Rasta and her flight of pixies, and even Rand had all witnessed my mini-meltdown. Cappy was the only one oblivious, up in the cockpit, so that was something.
“Well, we don’t even know if it will work, so the vials are good backup. The important thing now is to get to those kids. Just out of curiosity, how would you get close enough to use the knife anyway?” Sam raised her brow, as if to drive her point across.
She was right. It’s not like I could swim over. I looked at the knife in my hand. Would it work for one of the fae? In the back of my mind, I pictured Olen piercing the barrier with the knife, the barrier breaking, and the knife falling into the depths of the ocean, or at least Lake Borgne, never to be found again. My hand tightened possessively around the hilt, then relaxed. Getting to those children was the most critical thing right now.
“Sebastian, call Olen over please.”
He must have been close, for he appeared within seconds. Leaning over, I dropped the knife to him. He caught it effortlessly.
“Use this to break the barrier spell. We’re going to drop a potion on it at the same time, just in case. That knife . . .” Would I insult him if I asked him not to lose it? I closed my eyes. The children were far more important than a knife, no matter how magickal it was. “It was my Aunt Stella’s. She’d be very proud to know it was used to help save your people’s children.”
“I will do everything in my power to be worthy of the great trust you’ve given me. I can feel the magick it holds.” The solemnity in his eyes assured me he meant every word. “Now, we have wasted too much time. Are you and your people ready?”
“Yes. Keep the knife in front of you. That should take care of the go-away spell or whatever it is turning your people away. You may have to hit the barrier, too, if the spells are separate. Shay and Jeremy will hit it from above at the same time and Rand will send flares in different directions to try to distract the pirates while the pixies fly over. Once we see what we’re up against, we’ll do our best to help in whatever way we can. Please remember, we need at least some of these people left alive. It may be the only way we’ll find out why the children were taken or what we’re up against.”
