Page 26 of Magic Unleashed

As Maeve turned to leave, her final words echoed in the room. “Be careful, Detective. You’re on dangerous ground.”

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Griff and Phoenix alone once more.

Phoenix crossed her arms, her face a mask of frustration. “I’m sorry about her. She’s protective, but she doesn’t understand.”

Griff shook his head. “It’s fine. I get it.”

But as the weight of Maeve’s words settled in, Griff knew he had a decision to make. He couldn’t just sit on the sidelines whilePhoenix and the others faced this threat head-on. He had to do something—something drastic.

Phoenix watched him, her eyes searching his. “What are you thinking, Griff?”

He took a deep breath, the plan forming in his mind even as he spoke. “I need to go undercover. In the cult.”

Her eyes widened, fear and anger flashing across her face. “Have you lost your mind? It’s too dangerous. Fontaine knows you, and some of the others have seen you and will know you’re a cop.”

“It’s the only way,” Griff said, stepping closer. “Don’t you have some kind of fae magic that will disguise me long enough to get inside? We need to gather evidence that will hold up in court, and if we get lucky, maybe we can sabotage their plans from within. I’m the only one who can do it.”

Phoenix shook her head, stepping back. “Griff, Fontaine knows you…”

“What’s to know?” he teased. “They all wear robes with hoods over their heads to obscure their identities, and with your help, mine will be even more obscure. These kinds of groups thrive on secrecy. I doubt very much that any of them could pick one of the others out of a lineup.”

“You don’t know what you’re getting into. If they find out who you are, they’ll kill you—or worse. I’ll do it.”

“You can’t. They’ll know you’re fae. I can handle it,” he insisted, his voice firm. “We don’t have time to argue. If we’re going to stop this summoning, we need every advantage we can get.”

For a long moment, Phoenix stared at him, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re risking everything.”

“I know,” Griff replied, his heart pounding. “But what choice do we have?”

The air between them crackled with unspoken tension, the weight of their growing connection hanging heavily in the room. Griff knew the risks, but he couldn’t turn back now—not when Phoenix was involved, not when the city’s fate was on the line.

Phoenix closed her eyes, her voice thick with emotion. “I hate this.”

Griff reached out, his hand gently cupping her cheek. “I know. But we’ll be okay.”

She leaned into his touch, her eyes meeting his with a mix of concern and longing. “Be careful. The spell to hide who you are won’t last for more than a couple of days, especially if threatened by other magic.”

Phoenix raised her hands, closed her eyes, and began to murmur a spell that would disguise Griff so that Fontaine and his followers wouldn’t recognize him.

Griff’s heart ached at the vulnerability in her voice, but he kept his resolve. He would go undercover, he would face whatever dangers came his way, and he would protect Phoenix—no matter the cost.

PHOENIX

The streets of New Orleans were a blur as Phoenix raced through them, her heart pounding in her chest. Griff had been undercover for days, his communication growing more sporadic until, finally, it had gone silent. She’d waited, telling herself that he was fine, that he was simply doing his job. But deep down, she knew something was wrong. Very wrong.

She skidded to a stop in the middle of the street, her chest heaving. Dammit, Griff, where are you?She fumbled with her phone, staring at the last text message he had sent her.

Getting close. Don’t worry about me.

That had been two days ago. The spell she’d used to obfuscate his identity had to have worn off.

She cursed under her breath, knowing that waiting any longer was not an option. The celestial event—the full moon eclipse—was fast approaching, and she had a sinking feeling that whatever the cult was planning, Griff was now directly in the crosshairs.

She’d tried to work alone, tried to handle this without outside help or that of her family. Her sisters, Savannah and Catalina, had been picking up the slack, keeping the other demons at bay while she and Griff focused on Fontaine and his cult. But as the hours ticked by, she knew she couldn’t do it by herself. She needed someone who could keep up with her, who could fight just as fiercely, who would understand the risks.

Which meant she had to team up with Ash.

“Itold you it was a terrible idea to let Griff go undercover,” Ash said, his voice casual, as if he hadn’t just been summoned out of nowhere. He leaned against a lamppost, the smirk on his face unmistakable even in the fading light of dusk. “And yet here we are.”

---