Page 41 of Pints & Potions

Relief so great, Cian closed his eyes and compressed his lips as he inhaled deeply. The tension left his body, and optimism replaced it. “Picture pink tissues and open airways, darlin’.”

Within ten minutes, Piper was sitting up and breathing normally once again, much to everyone’s relief.

“You had us worried, child.” GiGi cupped Piper’s cheek and kissed her forehead. “Please don’t do that again.”

“I’ll try not to,” Piper responded wryly. “Does anyone know what caused the cave in? Spring?”

“No, but I’d bet my favorite rare orchids it wasn’t a natural occurrence,” she replied.

“It wasn’t.” All eyes shifted to Knox. “I didn’t say it earlier, but I felt malevolence in the air right before the earth shook. No one was in the area, though. If they were, my magical feelers couldn’t find them.”

“Do you think someone used a cloaking spell?” Spring asked.

“Don’t know. It would’ve had to be unbreakable after what I threw at it. Who has that kind of power?”

“There’s a spell in the Thorne grimoire to recall the past. What if we cast it to see if anyone entered the area around the time we did?” she suggested.

“It’s worth a try. But first, you and I need to go reinforce that ground above the cavern so this can’t happen to unsuspecting mortals.”

“Ryker and I can cast.” GiGi waved a hand in their direction. “You two go now. I’d feel awful if anyone else was hurt.”

“Spring? Did you find the root for the elixir?” Piper asked, clearly concerned about the wrong thing, to Cian’s way of thinking.

“Darlin’, that doesn’t matter right now.”

Grim determination was stamped firmly on her face. “Itdoes. We promised to recreate the elixir for your family, and a Thorne never goes back on a promise.”

With a sigh of frustration, he glanced at Spring.

A small smile played on her lips as she watched the two of them. “We discovered it right before the earthquake. I know exactly where it is.”

Bridget touched Cian’s arm. “A word.”

After they separated from the others, she spoke in a low tone. “Ruairí was sitting at the bar today, asking questions about Piper and who she might be. He recognized her light.”

“So?”

“I may have told him you were at Glencar.”

“May have or did?”

“Did.”

Cian had known Ruairí since they were children, and he’d never detected any ill will from the man. Frustration whenever he looked Bridget’s way, yeah, but never the standard spite and loathing between two feuding families. “Was anyone else present?”

“A few regulars, but Ruairí and I spoke outside their hearing.”

“I can’t see Ruairí hurting her, Bridg. What’s the point?”

Her lips tightened and her expression grew stormy. “Maybe we aren’t the only ones those conniving O’Connors are at war with.”

“I’ll speak with the Thornes and have Ryker investigate Ruairí. If we’re speaking plain, I’m not convinced it’s him, though. He loves you, Bridget. He’d never do anything to hurt you that way.”

“Butyouweren’t hurt, now, were you? So by association, neither was I.”

“Does he know about the elixir? Did you confess to him we need it?”

“What do you take me for?A brathadóir?”

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