Page 32 of Ancient Magic

Chapter 7

Reaching the strip mall, Skye pushed open the front door of the magic store and stepped inside. There was no point in trying to sneak around. Lynx knew she was coming. If she tried to take them by surprise it would only put her friend in more danger.

Walking down the narrow row between the glass counter and the shelves loaded with cheap merchandise, Skye forced herself to shove aside the curtain separating the private office. As she’d expected, Clarissa was seated at the table, while Lynx and his buddy, Yugan, were standing next to the back wall, watching her enter with wary anticipation. They were both wearing jeans and matching red leather jackets, as if they were in some sort of badass-demon club.

What she hadn’t expected was the third demon, who was poised behind Clarissa, pressing a large dagger against her throat.

Unlike the other two demons, this one was short and broad with the red aura of a goblin. He also was missing the red jacket. Clearly he wasn’t in the club.

Fury blasted through Skye at the pure terror on the older woman’s face.

“Clarissa.” Skye stepped forward, intending to wrench the dagger from the male’s hand.

“Stop,” Lynx commanded, his tone sharp. “Check her.”

Grudgingly, Skye halted, standing in rigid silence as Yugan slowly circled her, holding a large crystal that he waved from her head to her toes. She assumed that it was sensitive to magic and created to detect any hexed weapons or potions she might have hidden. Thankfully, her charms were loaded with spells that wouldn’t set off the detector. Not until she was in the process of using them.

And then it would be too late for them.

At last, the demon returned to the wall and Lynx stepped forward.

“Happy?” Skye demanded in a tight voice.

She’d never been a violent person. Not even when she was being held captive by the demon horde. But right now, she desperately wanted to punch the smug grin off Lynx’s face.

“You can’t blame a demon for being too careful,” he drawled.

“Release her, you bastard,” Skye snarled, her hands clenched into tight fists.

“Now, now.” Lynx sent her a chiding frown. “It’s not nice to call people names.”

“Nice? You’re holding an innocent woman hostage. You call that nice?”

“You left me no choice.” Lynx spread his arms as if she was being ridiculously unreasonable. “I preferred to use your father as leverage, but he has proven to be a failure.”

“Nothing new in that.”

“True.” He nodded. Everyone could agree that Harold Claremont was worthless. “Thankfully, I’ve been following you for a few days. I knew there must be someone you cared about.”

“You’ve been following me? Ew. What a creep.”

“I’m thorough.”

Skye grimaced. She would chastise herself later for not realizing she was being watched.

“What do you want?” she demanded.

Lynx smiled. They both knew he had her well and truly trapped. “As I said before, I need you as my escort.”

“Escort?” Skye narrowed her eyes. “You’d better clarify that term.”

“A platonic companion,” he smoothly offered.

“Why?”

“First I need your agreement to assist me.”

Skye scowled in frustration. She was desperate to save Clarissa, but there was a limit to what she would do.

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