Page 63 of Shield of Fire

His mouth moved for several seconds before he was able to say, “Pink... Unit fifteen... Newport.”

I had no idea how far Newport was from Swansea, but I knew it wasn’t close. “Have you got the keys?”

“Pin,” came the whispery response. “Phone.”

“You don’t know the number?”

He reeled off three numbers before his voice faded, leaving me wondering if that was it or he simply couldn’t remember the rest. I mean, he was dying, and there I was forcing him to remember things. Bad things, irrelevant things, at least where life and death was concerned.

I glanced up again, saw that the woman hurrying back with a dark blanket. I rose and met her on the pavement.

“You don’t want to come too close. It’s… well, he’s a mess.”

“Oh,” she said, in that same small voice. Then she touched my hand lightly. “Are you okay, dear?”

“I’m fine.” I let my magic rise again, threading it through the fingers still on my hand. “Go back inside and keep warm.”

She nodded, released me, and went in. I quickly returned to Gannon and lightly placed the blanket over his broken body. Then, with my back to the woman’s building so they couldn’t see what I was doing from any of the windows, I quickly rifled through his pockets until I found his phone. I shoved it into my coat pocket and tried to ignore the wash of guilt. Robbing a dying man wasn’t an action to be proud of, but it was nevertheless necessary if we were to bring down his killer.

His breathing had become more labored, and wings of death were now so loud they almost drowned out the howling wail of an approaching siren. I pressed my fingers against his neck again. His pulse was whispery. May death be kind to his soul...

I swallowed and said, “Why was Loudon targeted, Gannon?”

“Knew names.”

“What names?”

But I knew, even before he replied.

“Ninkilim.”

“Were you a devotee?”

“Yes, but not... same extent.”

“Who called you and told you to get out of the shop?”

“Tyr...”

His voice faded, and his eyes fluttered open. Just for an instant, recognition sparked.

“Meabh,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. So very sorry...”

And with that, death claimed him.

Chapter

Ten

Shock held me immobile for too many seconds.

He’d known Mom. More importantly, he’d known what had happened to her. Why else would he have apologized?

I hadn’t even thought to question him about her.

Which was stupid. Absolutely stupid. For fuck’s sake, I’d known Loudon had been friends with her, so why hadn’t I taken the next logical step and presumed Gannon would have been too? Margaret might have said he avoided her, but maybe that hadn’t always been the case. And maybe he kept attempting to find a spell to counter pixie magic for a damn good reason.

I sat back on my heels and tiredly rubbed my eyes, smearing moisture across my skin. But I wouldn’t let those tears fall. I couldn’t. Not until her killer was found.

---