Page 31 of Commanding Chaos

“Yep. That’s exactly what I meant.” Thank the goddess demons were good liars.

He continued, not missing a beat. “I reside in Maine, but I’m not part of a coven. I prefer to practice my magic alone…or with my brothers.”

“A solitary witch…” Miles eyed him skeptically. “Where are your brothers now?”

“One is missing. The other is in prison.”

Miles stilled, closing his eyes for a long blink before sizing up Chaos. Crap. Did he sense something? Honestly, I didn’t know much about Miles at all. Maybe sensing demons came second nature to him. Maybe the shrouding spell we’d put on Chaos was wearing off.

He sipped his whiskey. “What’s your brother in prison for?”

“We have some more investigating to do,” I said before Chaos could spin an even thicker web of lies. “Once we can prove the BMS is responsible, we can report them and get justice.”

“Or we can make them pay,” Chaos said casually, as if that were a viable option.

“Anyway…” I rose to my feet. “We have to go, but if you need anything at all, let us know.”

“I will. Thanks.” He stood and followed Chaos and me to the foyer, closing the armoire on his way. Whew. Now I could sleep at night.

“Take care.” I stepped onto the porch and waved. Thankfully, Chaos joined me and didn’t put any more violent ideas into Miles’s mind.

“He still suspects me,” Chaos said as soon as we turned the corner.

“Whatever gave you that idea?” We crossed the street and headed home.

“The way he looked at me, questioned me. At one point, he opened his senses to detect my magic.”

“It was a rhetorical question.” I stopped outside an antique shop and drummed my fingers against my thigh. I hated that I’d fallen so far behind in my duties and that people had died because of it. Ember probably wasn’t home yet; I could be in and out in ten minutes. “I need to check for artifacts really quick. Come inside.”

A bell chimed, and the musty scent of old things greeted my senses the moment I stepped through the door. Rows and rows of books, knick-knacks, and dishes filled the room, the more valuable items locked in glass cases.

“We don’t have time for shopping.” Chaos examined a silver hairbrush.

“I’m not shopping; I’m doing my job.”

“Ash! I haven’t seen you in a while.” Betty, the shopkeeper, glided toward us. She’d dyed her silver hair a soft pink, and the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth deepened with her smile.

“I know. Life keeps getting in the way of my shopping.”

She grinned at Chaos. “Who’s the hunk? Your boyfriend?”

“Goddess, no.” I forced a smile. “This is Mark, an old friend of the family. He’s visiting from Maine.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Mark from Maine. I’m Betty.” She held out her hand to shake, but Chaos brought it to his lips, kissing the backs of her fingers.

“The pleasure is mine, Betty.” He winked, and she giggled.

“I have some items that you’re going to love.” She motioned for us to follow her. “I put them all together for you.”

We stopped at a bookcase, and she gestured to the second shelf. “What do you think?”

A marble mortar and pestle, a book on modern witchcraft that you could buy in any bookshop, and a pewter candelabra with red wax clinging to the metal occupied the space.

“These are interesting.” I picked up the candelabra, though none of the items had any magical qualities. I always bought something from Betty, whether I found enchanted artifacts or not. “I definitely want this one.”

“I’ll go wrap it up for you.” She took the item and scurried to the cash register.

“Do you have to go up and down every row?” Chaos asked.

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