Page 19 of The Witch Queen of Halloween (Immortals After Dark 20)

SheknewIcould get out of there.Surely, she knew.

Hejogged up the steps after her.Okay, maybe he could have been cooler in the moment, but when he’d seen her eyes brimming with concern for him, an uncontrollable thrill had seized him. “Waitup,” he called.

Shoulderstense, she strode back in the direction of the foyer.

Hefollowed her out into the spottily lit entryway. “Whatgives?”

Sheturned to him with shimmering hands. “Youlet me waste a pouch on you!Eachone takes a day to prepare, and now it will fizzle away to nothing.”Thelight from her palms intensified. “UnlessIuse it.”

“Ah, but you wouldn’t, becauseI’mgrowing on y?—”

Herblast sent him tumbling down the hall. “Thehell, witch!”Hescrambled to his feet, then loped back to her. “You’reout-of-bounds.”

“Becauseit’s all a game?Tonightmight be a joke to you—a bit of seduction for fun—but this is my life!NowI’mdown a pouch with hours left to go.”

“You’rehere to break the curse, aren’t you?Ican’t imagine you’d take bullshit like this lying down.”

Herchin rose a notch.Unwillingconcession.

“Whyhere?Didthis wizard hex you?”Rök’sfangs sharpened again.

“No, he died before the curse struck.Butsomething in this castle is supposed to help me.”

“Howdo you know?”

Exhaling, she lowered her hands, her pique dwindling.He’dlearned this witch had a fiery temper, but the storms were quick to pass. “Iwent toMariketatheAwaitedlast week.Shetried to sense how to break the curse and came up with one instruction: go to this castle on this night, a lone witch, to find my answer.”

“That’sit?Fortunecookies say more!”

Poppysighed and gave him a look:You’renot wrong.

“Can’tyou get some otherWiccanto help you?”

“I’vetried.I’vetried everything.”

“Ifyou found out who did this to you, couldn’t you force them to lift it?”

“If.Ifonly.We’vefound no trace of whoever did this.”Shepinched the bridge of her nose. “Ifirst saw a visitor for only an instant.Nowthey come sunset to sunrise onHalloween, getting stronger and stronger.Soon, they’ll start to bleed over into other days.I’veplotted the trajectory ofvisits; eventually the nightmares will be constant, andI’llbe insane.”Shegazed up at him. “Orworse.Rök, what if they stay embodied outside the castle?Isense they will.They’vegot a real taste for it now.”

“Thenwe have to uncover who cursed you.Whoare your main suspects?Ican help you track them.”

“I’mnot telling you anything else until you reveal why you’re here.Whohired you, and what are you looking for?”

Whenhe hesitated, she said, “Whatif your job is to find the very thingIneed?Mariketagave me a last piece of advice:Ifyou find your prize in the castle, don’t let them steal it from you.Ithought the tip was strange, because she knowsI’ma witch merc; no one steals from me.”Poppyraised her hands again, managing a faint glow. “Noone.”

“I’mnot here to steal from you.”Recognizinghe had no choice but to come clean, he admitted, “I’monly here because of . . . you.”

Shecanted her head. “Whyme?”

Hescrubbed a palm over his mouth, debating how much of his day he should divulge.

* * *

Earlier. . .

Röksat at the bar inErol’s, phone in his hand, staring at the selfie of him andPoppyfrom their date.They’dbeen standing side by side, all but melting into each other, and he’d had the crook of his arm around her neck.Hereyes had been merry, those coral lips curled into a smile.

Theylooked like they’d taken a thousand such pictures together.Secondsafter that snap, they’d been kissing as a warm rain fell.

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