Page 11 of A Match Made in Coven
“Something gruesome?”
“Yep.” Sarah Michelle sipped her coffee, inhaling the rich aroma. The hit of caffeine soothed the pounding in her temples.
“Gargoyles, what happened?” Andromeda set her laptop aside, leaning forward.
“A murder, and guess what?”
“What?”
“I had a Black in custody. Lorcan Black.”
“Wait, as in the heir to the kingdom?”
“The very same.” Sarah Michelle massaged her temples as if that could erase the memory. “I was forced to let him go after his otter lawyer strong-armed the judge.”
Andromeda snorted. “Come on, Shelly. No judge would release a suspect without good reason.”
Sarah Michelle shot her roommate an irritated look, but couldn’t argue the point. “Not after the stunt he pulled,” she muttered begrudgingly.
Interest flickered in Andromeda’s whiskey-colored eyes. “Ooh, do tell. What did he do?”
Sarah Michelle contemplated jinxing a rash onto herself just to avoid this conversation—hex, by the way her skin was prickling, she may not even need to use magic. But her tech-savvy bestie was more tenacious than a bloodhound on a scent trail. Andy would pry it out of her, eventually.
With resignation, Sarah Michelle recounted the surreal scene that had played out in court. How Lorcan had commanded the room with this insanely powerful spell that shattered the protective enchantment on his truth-telling dagger and drew it right into his hand.
She swallowed against the unsettling memory. “I thought he was going to stab me. But he just placed the hilt in my palm.”
Sarah Michelle absent-mindedly traced the faded rune etched into her skin, a souvenir from her academy days. “Then this shimmering bubble shield encased us, blocking out the rest of the world. And within that impenetrable magic cocoon, Lorcan solemnly declared his innocence.”
Andromeda leaned back in her chair, tilting her head. “And that’s it?”
Sarah Michelle took another sip of coffee, but its warmth failed to touch the chill that had settled in her bones. “No. When the blade didn’t react, I called him out on it. Accused him of putting on a show.”
“And?”
“And…” Sarah Michelle hesitated, heat creeping up her neck as she recalled what had happened next. “He lied on purpose, saying his name was Binky Bananahammock. And…” She mumbled the last part into her mug. “That he found me wildly unattractive. He almost melted my hand.”
A feral grin split Andromeda’s face. “Hold up. So, he lied about finding you unattractive?”
Sarah Michelle’s cheeks burned as she avoided her roommate’s gaze. “It’s not important,” she muttered, taking a hasty swig of coffee. “The point is, the blade reacted, proving it could detect lies and that he hadn’t lied about not killing his partner.”
“Uh-huh. Sure. That’s the takeaway.” Andromeda leaned forward, x-raying Sarah. “Not the fact that Mr. Tall, Dark, and Magical just heavily implied he’s into you.”
“What? No. He’s not dark, for starters. And that’s not—he wasn’t—” Sarah Michelle sputtered.
Andromeda’s fingers flew across the keyboard of her laptop, her eyes alight with mischief. “Let’s fact check.”
Before Sarah Michelle could protest, images of Lorcan Black in vivid high-definition flooded the laptop screen. But not the somber, grief-stricken man she’d encountered in the courtroom. No, this Lorcan exuded charisma and confidence, his eyes sparkling with a roguish charm that made her breath catch.
In one photo, he wore a tailored tuxedo that hugged his broad shoulders and trim waist, a champagne flute dangling from his long fingers as he laughed at something off-camera. In another, he was mounted on a sleek broomstick, his blond hair tousled by the wind, a playful grin tugging at his lips.
Sarah Michelle swallowed hard, unable to tear her gaze away from the screen. Seeing Lorcan so carefree and magnetic was a punch to the gut.
Andromeda smirked, clearly enjoying Sarah Michelle’s discomfort. “Mr. Black is fair, I’ll give you that. Still very easy on the eyes.”
Sarah Michelle tore her gaze from the screen, her face on fire. “That doesn’t mean anything.” She gestured at the photos. “So what if he looks…” She trailed off, not wanting to say the words “drop-dead gorgeous” out loud.
“So, we’re sticking to the version that we don’t care if Tall,Blond, and Magical is into you? Not even when he looks like he stepped straight out ofWizards Weekly’s Most Eligible Bachelorissue?” Andromeda supplied helpfully.
