Page 50 of Killing Time

Because Devynn and I were in his basement,Seth replied.We saw the altar. He means to do it there.

A silence, and he wondered if what he’d said had upset Ruby so much that she didn’t know how to respond.

But then her voice sounded in his head again, almost amused.

That was bold of you. It sounds like you’re a true McAllister, Seth, and I appreciate you and your friend trying to help me. I’m not sure what you can do, though.

He didn’t know, either. Maybe after he sat down with Devynn, they’d come up with some kind of workable plan.

We’ll figure something out,he said.In the meantime, you just need to sit tight. We still have more than a week until the dark of the moon.

Oh, I’ll sit tight,Ruby responded with one of those mental laughs.There isn’t much else I can do, after all.

Despite everything, he wanted to chuckle as well.

But….she ventured.

Yes?

How is it that the Wilcoxes don’t know you’re here? Jasper should have been able to detect an unfamiliar witch and warlock in his territory almost immediately.

Because that’s Devynn’s other talent,he said.She can mask people’s witch natures.

He figured it was probably better not to mention the amulet, just to be safe.

Handy if you need to do a little spying,Ruby said.Then I won’t need to worry about you quite so much.

Another question surfaced in Seth’s mind.How could you sense I was here, anyway? Devynn’s gift should have hidden us from you as well.

That’s because I didn’t sense that you were a warlock — I sensed that you were a McAllister.

Seth wasn’t sure what the difference might be, but he also knew it was a matter he could lay aside for now. He’d already spent enough time in silent conversation with theprima-in-waiting, and although Devynn had been keeping watch while they talked, they really couldn’t risk standing here for much longer, not when one of Ruby’s keepers might return at any moment.

We need to go. But I’ll be back as soon as we have a plan.

You know where to find me.

Now he allowed himself that chuckle, even as he broke off the contact — rather like hanging up a mental phone — and looked over at Devynn. Her expression was strained, and he knew she’d also been worried that one of the Wilcoxes might stumble over them while he was communicating with Ruby.

“She’s all right,” he said briefly. “Let’s go.”

Obviously relieved, Devynn slipped her hand into his, and together, the two of them went back downstairs and out to the gardens, doing their best to act like a couple of tourists who were involved in nothing more than exploring the hotel as just one of their stops as they drove across the country. Since no one else seemed inclined to wander outside in the chilly air, the two of them had the place to themselves.

“Well?” Devynn asked, pausing near the footbridge and placing her hands on her hips.

“Like I said, she’s fine,” Seth replied. “It sounds like they have her in one of the bigger rooms. She wasn’t conscious when they brought her here, so she doesn’t know for sure whether she was teleported in, but let’s assume that’s what happened. It would be easier than trying to explain carrying a comatose girl through the lobby.”

A corner of Devynn’s mouth quirked. “Well, unless they made her invisible. It’s not a super-common gift, but there are so many Wilcoxes….”

She didn’t finish the thought, but he got the idea. The bigger the clan, the bigger the chance that all sorts of interesting talents might have popped up amongst its ranks.

“But it sounds like you should be able to just teleport in there and bring her out, right?” she added, and he gave a reluctant hitch of his shoulders.

“I don’t know for sure. She told me the Wilcoxes put all sorts of spells on that room to keep her trapped there.” Seth paused and sent Devynn a piercing look. “Is that what the members of the Wilcox clan do? Use spells? Most witches just rely on their internal gifts and abilities.”

She looked both annoyed and puzzled at the same time. “How the heck should I know? The clan now is very different from the one I grew up in. Sure, I heard that Damon messedaround with that kind of magic back in the day, but no one seems to use it anymore — or at least, if they dabble in it, they’re not exactly spreading that information around, if you know what I mean. But I think we have to take Ruby’s word for it when she says there’s some kind of magic going on that we’re going to have a hard time dealing with.”

Well, Ruby hadn’t specifically come out and said that was the case, but he had a feeling Devynn was right. Neither of them had any training in this kind of magic.

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