Page 60 of Bad Moon Rising
“Let’s assume, then, the name means something. In Latin,novameans new. Does it mean a new name, a rebirth, a new life? Then, there’s the fact she was sent to you by someone unknown. Whyyouin particular, Roman? Why not Flynn or Ky? What do you have that’s special that someone would send her to you?”
“Magic,” he muttered.
“What was that? Speak up, son.” His mother set her cup down more forcefully than necessary. Water sloshed over the edge. “No one knows you lads exist or what you do. How did someone find out? Beyond that, how did someone find outyouhave a fascination with magic?”
Nerves tensed his body as she echoed his concerns. “I’m not fascinated with magic. I must understand it to fight the mega-shits I’m sent to execute.”
His mother glared.
No one moved for several seconds.
“Freaks me the hell out that she was sent to you,” Evie finally said. “It should freak out all three of you, too. It screams colossal set-up. But why? Who’s setting who up? What’s the endgame here? Is it as simple as someone wanted you to save her? Or do they want Nova dead? But if that’s so, why wipe her memory and not kill her outright? Is it someone on the inside, someone in the small circle that knows about you? Then, there’s FenCor…them involved is bad news.”
Roman cleared his throat and pushed a few peas around on his plate without making eye contact with anyone. “She’s got elemental magic powers confirmed by Dom.”
His mother’s lack of instant reply caused him to glanced up.
Evie’s cheeks had flashed pink, which was unusual. She rarely showed that kind of instant emotion. She pretended interest in the bread basket. “You involved the mage?”
Now his mother was being evasive and not meeting anyone’s gaze. Hell, he hoped she wasn’t having one of her flings with that being. He didn’t care if she had liaisons, but Dom seemed too abrasive for her. Too beyond her control.
“He thinks her amnesia was chemically induced and is probably irreversible.”
“Someone wiped your mind with no chance to go back? You got sent to Roman?” Roman started to speak, but she held up her hand. “This might go way beyond magic. Maybe it has to do with someone messing around with the kind of paranormal insanity that you boys contend with on a weekly basis. Maybe it’s something else entirely.”
“You’re not helping,” Roman muttered and swirled the glass of red wine that had been set in front of him, not in the least interested in drinking it. Instead, he downed the Scotch.
“What is this clue at the house?”
“A key.” Nova took it out and slid it across the table.
Evie held her hand over it but paused before touching it. She pushed it around with her knife to avoid contact. “That thing has some wicked juju coming off it.”
“You can tell it’s magical?” Nova asked.
“Can’t you?”
Nova’s eyes met Roman’s. “Yes.”
He’d actually have been interested in her explanation of how the hell she magically turned on a car usingthatkey. Or how she inherently knew certain magic.
Roman said, “It’s got the symbol for a car maker on it, but there wasn’t a Valliante vehicle at the house. There weren’t any cars. I figured we have to go to Spain where they’re made to find out more.”
Evie said, “Could be the brand mark, but given it’s infused with some sort of magic, let me point out that’s also the symbol in elder Futhark Runes for Kenaz.”
“It went through my mind, but seemed too esoteric,” Roman said.
“What are you talking about?” Nova asked.
Evie said, “The Kenaz symbolizes energy and transformation. Maybe it’s not about its meaning, but it’s just a name?”
“You’re into magic, too?” Nova asked.
Evie clasped her hands on the table. “I’m not interested in using it.” She pushed the key around with her knife and then flicked it back toward Nova. “Can anyone link what we know: amnesia, Roman, Nova, Kenaz, and FenCor? How do they fit together?”
“Do you have a phone with internet?” Flynn asked.
Evie signaled to a man at the door, who handed him a cell phone.
