Page 86 of Enchant the Dawn

Pushing away from the table, Ava picked up the cage and set it in front of Maddy. “I give him to you. Do with him as you will.”

Maddy stared at Ava, her thoughts chaotic. How could she possibly return Jasper to his own form? So far, all her magic consisted of summoning small objects, turning water into hot chocolate, and basic scrying. Hardly the kind of talent she needed to undo a spell cast by a powerful wizard who had years of practice in the Dark Arts.

The toad croaked softly. Maddy stared at the helpless creature, who stared back at her. Was it her imagination or were its eyes filled with sadness?

Later that night, after Ava had gone to bed and Dominic had gone hunting, Maddy carried the toad into the backyard and set the cage in a patch of weeds alongside the house. With luck, he might catch a bug or two.

Wary of being alone outside after dark, she moved to stand in the kitchen doorway. Gazing up at the stars, she wished she could see into the future. What would her life be like when she married Dominic? Where would they live? Would they always have to be wary of vampire hunters and the Knights of the Dark Wood? Would his parents like her? Would hers like him? What was his sister like?

“So many questions.”

Maddy glanced over her shoulder to see Dominic standing behind her. “Reading my mind?”

“Guilty as charged,” he admitted as he came to stand at the door beside her. Jerking his chin toward the cage, he asked, “What are you going to do with him?”

“I don’t know. Turn him loose, maybe?”

Dominic grunted softly as he stepped outside. Hunkering down on the grass, he dug a hole, pulled out a couple of fat, wiggly worms, and dropped them inside the cage. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

Maddy grimaced as the toad quickly devoured his dinner.

“Have you tried revoking the spell?”

“I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

“Maybe you could borrow Ava’s grimoire.”

“Maybe.” She shivered as the air turned suddenly cool.

A moment later, Claret materialized beside Dominic.

He rose fluidly to his feet and moved between the vampire and Maddy. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I came to check on Jasper. I was hoping Ava had revoked the spell.”

“It’s not gonna happen,” Dominic said. “So why don’t you take him and get out of here?”

“I thought you might like to know the Elder Knight is in New Orleans. He’s searching for you high and low.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“Why does he want you so badly? I wonder,” Claret mused.

Dominic shrugged. Picking up the cage, he thrust it toward her. “Don’t come here again.”

“We should be allies, Dominic, not enemies.”

“I’m not crazy enough to trust you. Go home, Claret. There’s nothing for you here.”

Before she could reply, Dominic pulled Maddy into his arms, stepped into the house, and shut the door.

Claret stared after them, her eyes narrowed with rage. “You’ll rue the day you rejected my help, Dominic Falconer,” she hissed, then turned her attention to Jasper. Opening the cage door, she dumped the frog onto the ground and dropped the cage beside him. “As for you, Jasper, you’ll stay out of my way if you know what’s good for you,” she warned, and vanished from sight.

* * *

“He’s gone?” Ava stared at Maddy across the breakfast table the next morning. “What did you do with him?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Maddy said defensively. “After dinner last night, I took him outside to get him something to eat. Dominic joined me and dug up a couple of worms for him. And the next thing I knew, Claret was there. She had a few words with Dominic, and he as much as told her to go to hell. The next thing I knew, we were in the house. I don’t know what happened to the toad.”

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