Page 49 of Midnight Rules
Marric growled. “He better not hurt my mate.”
“He threatened him, but they still left together.” Emery snuggled in. “Iven wasn’t scared of him.”
Maybe not, but Iven was running on fear regardless. Marric could still feel Iven’s emotions. Nothing about them had changed in the time he’d been sleeping. Iven did everything out of fear for Marric.
Regan came back into the room, holding Zinnie’s hand. He climbed onto the bed and then under the covers. “I got Zinnie.”
“I see that.” Marric smiled at her.
“The herbs are working, I see. You seem a little better.” She felt his forehead and then his cheek before sitting in the chair next to the bed.
“Iven?” Marric wanted to know how the investigation was going.
Zinnie shook her head. “He hasn’t called, but it’s only been a couple of hours since you’ve talked to him.”
Marric didn’t want to interrupt Iven by repeated calls, so he let it go. “Can I talk to Zinnie alone for a moment?”
Emery was the first to move from the bed. She held out a hand to Regan. “Come on. Let’s see if Gran will make some cookies for us. She’ll let you help, I bet.”
Marric winked at her when she left and mouthed the words ‘thank you’. Once they were out of the room, he met Zinnie’s gaze. “How much time do I have?”
The curse worked faster this time. Marric wasn’t sure what fueled it, but he could feel it working through him, killing him every minute that went by. He wouldn’t make it past the last couple of days, but he didn’t know how much time he had.
Zinnie smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Don’t focus on that.”
“I want Iven to raise Regan. He’s a warlock and can teach him how to use his magic properly. Tory, Emery, and I had needed a teacher when we were young like Regan. Dad just couldn’t give us the education. Not with the pack so prejudiced.”
“Iven’s a wonderful dad.” Zinnie smiled. For being exes, they seemed to have a great friendship. They still loved one another and treated each other like family. “He’s hard on himself and doesn’t give himself enough credit. But he’s fantastic at co-parenting, which will be what happens here. Do you want to know how I know that?”
“Yeah. I do.” Marric would love to know how Zinnie knew the future. Because Marric knew it too. He could feel his future growing shorter. “And you still didn’t answer my original question.”
“I don’t know how much time you have because Iven will solve this case, and you’ll live to be an old man. You’ll probably out-live Iven.”
Marric shuddered just thinking about Iven being gone from his life. He pursed his lips at her. “You’re an evil woman. Do you know that?”
Zinnie chuckled, but it was short-lived. She cupped his cheek. “He’s an excellent investigator. Have faith in him.”
Marric nodded. He wanted to take her advice. He really tried, but it was difficult when he could feel himself falling under again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
It didn’t take Iven but a few minutes to find the home of Esmelyn Blackroot, who was an elder in the Timeston coven. Trees and bushes hid the driveway. He almost drove past it.
It didn’t take much to know she imprisoned people somewhere on the property. He didn’t even have to get out of the car to know it. The evidence was obvious, which meant Blackroot didn’t have a lot of visitors.
“Call it in,” he told Cass, who was already punching in the state polices phone number. But just to make sure, Iven said, “This is within the state’s jurisdiction, so don’t call the Timeston sheriff.”
Not that Iven trusted Mattson. He was a part of the coven. Iven wasn’t sure whose side he was on.
“Got it.”
Like most of Timeston, the property was in the middle of farm country, although Blackroot didn’t appear to be a farmer. Iven would bet the surrounding property belonged to a neighbor. She had just enough land for her house and barn. Corn fields isolated the property.
Kinnison, who sat in the back seat, leaned forward. “Why are we calling more cops?”
Iven rolled his eyes. “We aren’t.” Iven gestured between himself and Cass. “Weare. And it’s because this woman has people locked up on the property. This isn’t our jurisdiction, so I’m calling the state police.”
“How do you know that?” Kinnison seemed genuine about wanting to know the answer.
