Page 17 of Dottie's Forbidden Wizard
A sudden growl to my left makes me squeak in alarm. Hand covering my mouth, I turn to stare at Leo in shock. His expression is a mixture of anguish and fury.
"Leo—"
Nick is cut off as Leo jumps up from the table and storms out of the house.
I scramble to my feet, throwing a confused look at Granger and Nick as I take off after him. But by the time I get to the front door, Leo has vanished.
"Let him go, Dot Dot. He's not ready to talk," Nick warns from behind me.
I turn, opening my mouth to question him.
"Neither am I," he states before I can, heading down the hallway to his room.
Granger shrugs when I turn to him in confusion. He plants a kiss on my forehead and heads out the door. Hesitating on the bottom porch step, he shields his eyes from the morning sun and gives me a grin that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Stay away from Vera, Dottie. She's rotten to the core."
I stare after him in bewildered silence. After a moment, I sit on the top step of the porch, my brain swirling with the events of the last twenty-four hours like an emotional cyclone. The wicked witches of my past, the sexy, broody man I thought hated me, the danger I put myself in by trying to snoop in the home of a man who could squash me like a bug without a second thought—everything flies through my brain in a dizzying whirl.
But the thought that needles me the most is that I had a mission last night, and I'm now back to square one.
A movement out of the corner of my eye has me jumping to my feet. I glare suspiciously at the winged monkey, who lands on the porch railing with a heavy thud. He glares back at me, making it clear that my very existence on this earth irritates him. In his hands is a rectangular shoebox. The monkey looks around, as if to ensure he wasn't followed, and sets the box on the railing. He nudges it toward me and takes off again with a huff of exertion.
I watch him fly up and over the trees before returning my attention to the box. What’s inside? A deadly snake? A ticking time bomb? A poisoned apple? My guard is up, and I worry about the danger I might bring to my brothers if I keep pushingboundaries. What would’ve happened if one of Frank Ozella's minions had made me disappear forever last night? Would they be next? I need to stop taking stupid chances. And yet... what if this box holds something wonderful?
I approach it with caution, lift the lid, and gasp. Wonderful indeed. Sparkly silver stilettos that look like a work of art glitter back at me. I run my fingers over the inset stones, admiring the stitching and construction.
Shoes are my love language.
A light blue envelope sticks out from underneath the bejeweled beauties, and I wiggle it from the package.
I'd like to see you in nothing but these tonight. Follow the trail and come alone.
M.
I flip the note over to see two words written in neat lettering at the bottom:Aperta coeur.
The first word I recognize as Latin, thanks to a year of private education, but I haven't had much occasion to use Latin during my nights bartending in Kansas. According to my phone's translator, "aperta" means "open," and the second word is French for "heart."
Open heart.
I clutch the shoebox to my chest and rack my brain, trying to figure out what trail the note refers to. The most obvious answer is to follow the yellow brick road, which is the most famous trail in all of Oz. But in doing so, an untold number of people and creatures might see me. It would be impossible to ensure anonymity.
I close my eyes, remembering Maddox between my legs. My heartbeat quickens, and my nipples tighten. I want to shake my head free of the obsessive thoughts about the man I thought was my enemy. But he didn't kiss me like he hated me last night.
When I open my eyes again, I spot something glinting in the treeline twenty yards away. Standing, I race to the spot, but it disappears as I get close. I peer through the dense trees, and my eyes widen as golden footprints extend in a hologram-like path along the forest floor.
I bite my lip as I look back at the house, wondering if I should leave a note for my brothers, but I can’t risk the trail disappearing. I don’t know if it leads to my doom or my desire, but my lovesick heart is willing to chance it.
Taking a deep breath, I follow the magical path.
After half an hour, the footprints end at the base of a gnarled tree. I walk around the thick trunk twice, searching for a hidden door or passage of some sort. Gazing up at the tall, leafy branches, I wonder if the grumpy monkey will return with a second clue. My skin prickles as I consider that I may have walked into a trap. Sadly, the horny part of my brain is willing to risk it for a repeat of last night's salacious activities.
My eyes fall on the box in my hands, and I remember the rest of the message.
"Aperta coeur," I whisper against the tree.
A glowing doorway appears, beckoning me, drawing me inside. I glance around to make sure I haven't been followed, and step into the void.
A whoosh of air surrounds me as I slip into the darkness, the gust of wind pushing me along. The sensation persists for what feels like minutes, but probably only lasts seconds, and I emerge from the darkness at the mouth of a small cave.
