Page 70 of Enspelled

His lips quirk in a smile. “I’m just saying that’s a whole lot of something to happen all at once for it not to be connected.”

“But how could Briar’s first spark have anything to do with the Destin pack? She didn’t summon the demon.”

“You just said summoning a demon demands a sacrifice. One bigger than a person usually expects.” He gazes at me expectantly.

“I did. And?”

“So, what happened first? The explosion at Briar’s house, or the Destin slaughter?”

I stare at him as I struggle to remember. But it was so long ago that I shake my head. “I can’t remember, but Briar caused that explosion. She didn’t mean to, but it was her.”

“I thought her powers didn’t work.”

“What?”

“You told me that her powers didn’t work. That they’ve never worked. So, what is it? Either she’s a powerful witch capable of a massive explosion that destroyed her house and killed her parents, or she isn’t. Which one is it?”

I don’t have a response for him.

“Because it seems to me that since these explosions started happening in town, someone has been determined to make it look like it was your friend. But since you’re so sure it isn’t, and you don’t strike me as stupid or gullible, I believe you.”

I chew on my lower lip as I consider what he’s saying. “You think the person who’s turning the town against Briar caused the explosion at Calla’s Cauldron and the tearoom, and might have done the same ten years ago?”

“Someone wants Briar alone and friendless. It can’t be the wolves, because they don’t care about witches. They would’ve just killed her and been done with it if she did something to piss them off. It isn’t the locals because they know to keep their noses out of witch and wolf affairs. Unless I wasn’t listening properly when you gave me a rundown of this town?”

I nod. “Yes, the wolves wouldn’t care and the locals wouldn’t interfere.”

“So, it was a witch. A green witch, most likely if you’re right about elementals doing nothing but looking down their noses at Briar and the rest of the green witches.”

“But why?”

Bodie turns away. “Maybe she knows or saw something important that someone didn’t want her to see. Or maybe it’s just plain hate. But it’s a witch.” He nods firmly. “A green witch.”

My lips part as I prepare to tell him all the reasons he’s wrong. But I can’t. Because something about what he’s saying doesn’t just seem plausible—it feels right. “Do you have the cell phone?”

Bodie nods.

“Call Briar.”

Without another word, he pulls the phone from his pants pocket and dials. We sit in silence, waiting for Briar or Keane to pick up. When it eventually rings out, he hangs up.

I turn back to the front. “We’ll swing by Vera’s house and see if she’s there.”

“And if she’s there?”

“I’ll be more concerned if she’s not,” I mutter as I pull into the road.

21

KEANE

The few wolves lingering outside the cabin slip away. I wait beside the window, motionless in case my movement attracts their attention. But when their almost silent steps fade enough that I can no longer hear them, I turn to Briar.

“Time to go.”

She doesn’t move. Just continues to lie flat on her back on the narrow bed.

I know she isn’t asleep. Her eyelashes fluttering is a big giveaway. She’s just ignoring me.

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