Page 16 of Shadow Witch

“Dickens,” Paige corrected. “And I appreciate you looking after my cat, but this is a matter of life and death.”

“Yes, it is,” Henry answered, eyes wide. “Your life and death.”

“No,” Paige said with a curled fist and a stamp of her foot. “My mother’s. Unless I marry Devon, I have no chance of finding her.”

“Well, isn’t this a fine mess,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Hey, she could do a lot worse,” Devon answered, his chiseled jaw flexing.

“I doubt it,” Henry spat. “You are bottom of the barrel, creature.”

“Stop calling me creature.” Devon clenched his teeth, his fingers curling into fists.

“I will not, you foul beast,” Henry answered, matching his stance.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough of the tough guy, macho crap,” Paige said as she stepped between them. “This is a business transaction, okay? It has to be done. Period, the end. I’m not going to keep arguing about it.”

Devon offered the other man a smug smile.

“With any luck, we’ll get the compass, find my mom, quietly get a divorce, and no one will be any the wiser.”

Henry smirked at Devon after her words.

“Look, let’s just get this weekend over with. It’s not going to be easy. My dad isn’t exactly thrilled.”

“Wait, whoa,” Paige said, waving her hands in the air, “time out. Is he even going to give us the compass if we go through with this?”

“Yeah, definitely,” Devon said with a bob of his head. “He’s not happy, and he’ll be happier once we’re actually married, but…I mean, you weren’t his first choice.”

Paige’s features settled into an unimpressed stare. “Really? I saved your life. Doesn’t that count for something?”

“That’s probably the only reason he agreed to this. He likes you. He thinks you’re smart and brave. But the union with the Delacroixes was still his priority. And I can’t imagine they’re going to be happy either.”

“They’re not,” Drucinda said. “Ivy has made that very clear. Now, if we’re finished discussing this to death, can we please get on a plane and get to the castle?”

Paige’s stomach turned over as she nodded. “Fine. Yes. Just give me a minute to…center myself.”

Drucinda rolled her eyes. “Whatever, darling. I’ll be on the plane.”

“Hey, Paige–” Devon began when she waved him away.

“I’m centering!” she snapped as she sank into a chair.

“Right, see you on the plane.”

Dewey fluttered closer, landing on the desk next to her. “Are you mad at me, too?”

“No,” Paige said as she rubbed her forehead. “I’m not mad, I’m just…centering.”

“Do I have to leave so you can center?”

“No,” Paige answered. “I actually wanted to talk to you.”

Dewey tugged his lips back into a wince. “Why?”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you had a big thing, then you collapsed into the chair, and then you said you had to center. And now you want to talk to me. I feel like you’re about to say something I won’t like.”

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