nails were black points, Aerdeca’s white.
“Those chicks have their shit together,” Del muttered as she eyed their outfits.
“Yep.” We were a different breed, that was for sure. But I still liked Mordaca and Aerdeca.
Yeah, they were a bit scary, but I respected that.
Aerdeca smiled serenely as we approached. Mordaca’s red lips remained straight and her gaze impassive.
“Cass. How’re you?” Aerdeca’s gaze was sharp. And curious.
We hadn’t told anyone what had happened to my magic, but she could probably sense my altered power signature and wondered about it.
“I’m great. You?”
“I’m well,” Aerdeca said.
I met Mordaca’s gaze. “You?”
“Fabulous.” But Mordaca’s dark gaze was haunted.
When the portal had frozen the museum, she’d been trapped inside. I got the impression she’d been conscious the whole time. Being trapped like that for days would give anyone nightmares. No wonder they hadn’t been at the memorial, even though the Nullifier’s sacrifice had saved Mordaca.
“You’re looking for Aethelred.” Mordaca raised her smoking gray cocktail to her lips and sipped.
She’d stated the obvious. We’d asked them to keep an eye out for him since they knew him, but Mordaca probably wanted me on edge, explaining myself.
“Yes. Aerdeca helped us before.”
Aerdeca sipped her clear martini—straight vodka served in a fancy glass with a couple olives, if I had to guess—and said, “No. I helped us .” She indicated herself and her sister. “You needed Aethelred to find the Nullifier, which in turn saved my sister.”
When Mordaca had been trapped by the expanding portal, Aerdeca had spat out Aethelred’s location real quick. Now that her sister was no longer in danger, I had a feeling she was about to be a lot more close-lipped.
“Right,” I said. “Which I did. And because I stopped the portal—and saved Mordaca, don’t forget—I now need Aethelred’s help. He knows things I need to know.”
“Well, he’s hiding for a reason,” Mordaca said, her raspy voice sounding like she smoked three packs a day. “Otherwise, he’d be back in town. Tuesdays are Black Bingo night, and he hasn’t missed one of those in a decade. So whatever has him staying away is serious.”
What the hell was Black Bingo? Probably something creepy, considering that this was Darklane. I wouldn’t ask.
“And you were the last person he saw before he left town last week,” Aerdeca said. “So, perhaps you’re the one he is hiding from.”
“All we did last week was talk,” I said. “About how to find the Nullifier to stop the portal. He said he’d answer my questions if I stopped the portal. I did that. Now I just want to see him.”
“Well, I’m not certain that your friend here can pay the right price.” Aerdeca ran her gaze over Aidan. She might look like the nicer one, with her white outfits and sweeter voice, but she was the scarier one in this pair.
Aidan turned to loom over them. “Oh, I’m certain I can. If not in money, then in threats.”
If I hadn’t known Aidan so well, the ice in his deep voice would have sent shivers across my skin.
Aerdeca’s gaze widened only a fraction, but it was enough to tell that she understood. And probably liked the scary side of Aidan.
“You have a lovely shop,” Aidan said. “Which I’m sure is entirely up to code.”
Meaning that it didn’t break any of the Order of the Magica’s dark magic laws.
Aerdeca’s brows lowered. “Of course it is.”
“Of course. Which means that a visit from my friend at the Order’s Magic Enforcement Division would be most welcome.”
Her knuckles whitened where she gripped the bar. “Absolutely. Or, you could pay us five grand and we’ll give you what you want.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Aidan’s mouth. “That sounds fair.”
“That sounds expensive,” I said.
“I imagine the answers you seek are worth far more to you,” Mordaca said. “Your
“Those chicks have their shit together,” Del muttered as she eyed their outfits.
“Yep.” We were a different breed, that was for sure. But I still liked Mordaca and Aerdeca.
Yeah, they were a bit scary, but I respected that.
Aerdeca smiled serenely as we approached. Mordaca’s red lips remained straight and her gaze impassive.
“Cass. How’re you?” Aerdeca’s gaze was sharp. And curious.
We hadn’t told anyone what had happened to my magic, but she could probably sense my altered power signature and wondered about it.
“I’m great. You?”
“I’m well,” Aerdeca said.
I met Mordaca’s gaze. “You?”
“Fabulous.” But Mordaca’s dark gaze was haunted.
When the portal had frozen the museum, she’d been trapped inside. I got the impression she’d been conscious the whole time. Being trapped like that for days would give anyone nightmares. No wonder they hadn’t been at the memorial, even though the Nullifier’s sacrifice had saved Mordaca.
“You’re looking for Aethelred.” Mordaca raised her smoking gray cocktail to her lips and sipped.
She’d stated the obvious. We’d asked them to keep an eye out for him since they knew him, but Mordaca probably wanted me on edge, explaining myself.
“Yes. Aerdeca helped us before.”
Aerdeca sipped her clear martini—straight vodka served in a fancy glass with a couple olives, if I had to guess—and said, “No. I helped us .” She indicated herself and her sister. “You needed Aethelred to find the Nullifier, which in turn saved my sister.”
When Mordaca had been trapped by the expanding portal, Aerdeca had spat out Aethelred’s location real quick. Now that her sister was no longer in danger, I had a feeling she was about to be a lot more close-lipped.
“Right,” I said. “Which I did. And because I stopped the portal—and saved Mordaca, don’t forget—I now need Aethelred’s help. He knows things I need to know.”
“Well, he’s hiding for a reason,” Mordaca said, her raspy voice sounding like she smoked three packs a day. “Otherwise, he’d be back in town. Tuesdays are Black Bingo night, and he hasn’t missed one of those in a decade. So whatever has him staying away is serious.”
What the hell was Black Bingo? Probably something creepy, considering that this was Darklane. I wouldn’t ask.
“And you were the last person he saw before he left town last week,” Aerdeca said. “So, perhaps you’re the one he is hiding from.”
“All we did last week was talk,” I said. “About how to find the Nullifier to stop the portal. He said he’d answer my questions if I stopped the portal. I did that. Now I just want to see him.”
“Well, I’m not certain that your friend here can pay the right price.” Aerdeca ran her gaze over Aidan. She might look like the nicer one, with her white outfits and sweeter voice, but she was the scarier one in this pair.
Aidan turned to loom over them. “Oh, I’m certain I can. If not in money, then in threats.”
If I hadn’t known Aidan so well, the ice in his deep voice would have sent shivers across my skin.
Aerdeca’s gaze widened only a fraction, but it was enough to tell that she understood. And probably liked the scary side of Aidan.
“You have a lovely shop,” Aidan said. “Which I’m sure is entirely up to code.”
Meaning that it didn’t break any of the Order of the Magica’s dark magic laws.
Aerdeca’s brows lowered. “Of course it is.”
“Of course. Which means that a visit from my friend at the Order’s Magic Enforcement Division would be most welcome.”
Her knuckles whitened where she gripped the bar. “Absolutely. Or, you could pay us five grand and we’ll give you what you want.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Aidan’s mouth. “That sounds fair.”
“That sounds expensive,” I said.
“I imagine the answers you seek are worth far more to you,” Mordaca said. “Your
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