Page 71 of Witch Queen

Sergio’s confused gaze swung between his daughter and Bryony. “What Plan B?”

“This place is about to be gripped by mass panic, which will make evacuating people a nightmare,” Bryony explained stiffly. “We suspected as much, so we came up with some ways to deal with all the possibilities we could encounter ahead of this battle.”

Anya met her father’s wary stare. “I’m going to use an Illusion Sorcery spell on New York. It will persuade non magic users to abandon everything and leave in an orderly manner.”

“Anyone that doesn’t make it out in time before the Sorcerer King gets here will be guided to the safe zones where we’re erecting defensive barriers,” Abraham added. “Half the covens gathered in New York are already there, preparing for evacuees.”

Valentina’s eyes widened. “You planned all that in a day?”

Bryony smiled faintly at Barbara and the others. “I had help.”

Felipe fisted his hands. “Is that safe?” He studied Anya with a heavy frown. “You’ll be messing with a lot of innocent people’s minds.”

Bryony registered the dread and anger in the sorcerer’s voice. His family and the Medellin coven had lost his nephew because of an Illusion Sorcery spell after all.

Anya faced the sorcerer squarely. “I promise you. I will not harm them.”

“You can trust my daughter, Felipe,” Sergio murmured.

Felipe hesitated. His shoulders slumped.

“It’s a shame, though,” Regina told Bryony. “We could do with someone who can use Illusion Sorcery when we fight Vedran.” She squinted at Anya. “She did a number on the Dark Council when they attacked your coven.”

“Let’s not forget the warehouse incident where she made them believe they were chickens,” Eric remarked.

Anya flushed in the face of a battery of impressed stares. “They totally deserved that.”

Sergio’s expression hardened. “Unfortunately, the few sorcerers and witches we knew of who could use Illusion Sorcery have all disappeared. No doubt, the Sorcerer King went after them when he lost his hold on my daughter.”

Abraham rubbed the back of his neck. “We’ll have to make do with Anya for?—”

A cheerful beep from up the avenue cut out the rest of the sorcerer’s words. They turned.

A green Vespa was puttering around the vehicles stuck in the middle of the road. A Chihuahua in a yellow coat sat barking at the sky in the front basket.

Eric’s eyes bulged. “Is that Mrs. Son-Ha?!”

“Who’s Mrs. Son-Ha?” Valentina asked, puzzled.

“She’s a Shaman who’s been helping us,” Karin explained. “You’ll like her.”

Mrs. Son-Ha pulled up at the curb. She patted Dexter’s head and eyed the churning clouds with a jaundiced stare before meeting their surprised gazes.

“Looks like we got here in time.”

Jared drew a sharp breath at the sight of the middle-aged woman in a gypsy outfit sitting on the back seat of the scooter. She was holding a black cat in her lap and studying them warily.

“Gloria?!” the Immortal spluttered.

“What are you doing here?” Violet asked, similarly shocked.

Recognition darted through Bryony.This must be the witch from the circus! The one who helped Mae find Anya when we were all under the influence of her Illusion Sorcery.

“Who’s Gloria?” Regina hissed as the woman climbed off the scooter behind Mrs. Son-Ha.

“She’s a witch who can use Illusion Sorcery,” Miles explained excitedly.

Sergio stiffened when the sorcerer explained the circumstances under which he, Violet, and Jared had met her.

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