Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Moira looked decidedly green around the gills when we went inside. Her hair was tied into a wet and loose bun on the top of her head, and she’d found a pair of old joggers and a tank I’d left behind.
Mom produced a long cardigan out of thin air. Moira gave her a grateful smile as she shrugged into it, tugging it close as she curled her legs under her on the couch.
“We’ll talk while we’re eating,” Mom announced.
I helped get everything ready, Sirena assisting by opening one of the bottles of wine left behind.
When we were all settled in, Moira pulled out her cell. “She’s guilty. Her scent is all over everything, but I didn’t sense Twyla’s. It’s possible she knows about what’s going on, but she had no hand in the creation or application of the spell.”
Mom took the phone and swiped through the images, her lips thinning the further she went along. “Do we take this to Caelan or handle this ourselves?”
Sirena leaned over to peer at the photos. “Since you two are persona non grata, this might be easier to hear coming from me.”
I shook my head. “Caelan is the kill first, ask questions later kind of leader. Marnie is only half the spell. We need to find out who she helped.”
Moira nodded. “Agree. But how do we get that information?”
We all looked at Sirena. She blinked at us.
“Umm. Marnie is going to know something is up after tonight. I, a siren who has very few, if any, friends, came in with two unidentifiable women, and it was just a coincidence someone broke into her private shop on the same night?” She winced. “We all know Marnie isn’t that dumb.”
A thoughtful look stole over Moira’s face seconds before a slow smile tipped her lips up. “Then we make it look like she wasn’t the only one affected.”
Everyone, meet my devious friend, Moira. “You want to make this look like a rash of burglaries?” I chewed on my lip. “Good plan, but it may further weaken Caelan’s hold on power.”
Mom snorted. “So?”
“As Lords go, he’s not the worst.” I shot Mom an exasperated look. “He’s kept crime down and his people all live in relative comfort. What happens if someone like Ethan comes in?”
Moira’s brow furrowed. “Ethan has flaws, but he’s not a bad Lord either.”
My eyebrows rose at her defense of the unlikable Lord. “I thought you didn’t care for him?”
She snorted. “I don’t, but none of the Lords are as bad as Donovan. They all have different styles, and Ethan can be trying, but in my opinion, and overlooking how he treated you, he might be a better Lord than Caelan.”
Interesting. I was going to tuck this conversation in my back pocket and reexamine it later. “You think Joy Springs might be served better with another leader?”
Moira shook her head. “No. I’m saying I don’t give a shit what happens to Caelan. If he can’t hold his territory and loses it to another Lord, I won’t shed any tears.”
I blinked. “Um. Alright.” Moira was rarely one to be so openly blunt in front of people other than me, Ash, or Tess, but she obviously had unresolved feelings over what he’d done to me.
“A rash of burglaries, then,” I said after a moment of tense silence. Sirena watched Moira with a thoughtful look. “Are you really going to steal anything?”
Moira nodded. “Yes, but I plan to put their things around town. Still a burglary, but a temporary and confusing one.”
“Messing with their minds even more and making Caelan look completely inept,” Mom theorized before she grinned. “I like it.”
We all looked at Sirena. She shrugged. “I’m with Moira. If Caelan can’t hold his territory, he shouldn’t be a Lord.”
“Then let’s go steal some shit,” Moira said. “After I finish eating.”
Moira hit five stores, including the one that had just opened in the place where mine had been for all those years.
Caelan hadn’t wasted any time in filling the empty storefront.
At first, the knowledge stung, but that chapter of my life was over, even if Caelan and I still had some unresolved issues, mainly his dying land.
I’d come to terms with the end of our relationship.
In that store, Moira had taken her time, carefully rearranging almost everything in the front room and taking some of the more expensive jewelry from the case.
I didn’t ask where she put anything she’d taken.
Moira assured us the pilfered goods would be found within 24 hours.
In the other stores, she took one or two hard to miss things and broke a few windows.
I winced at that, but Moira assured me the cost of repairs would be taken care of. The specifics of how remained trapped inside her deviant little brain.
“Tomorrow,” Moira said, stretching her lithe body out on the couch, “Caelan will wake up to chaos.” A slow smile tipped her lips up. “Well deserved.”
Sirena’s wicked chuckle made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. She was more than a woman. The siren was human sexuality in monster form.
“If I had any idea of how much fun you all could be, I would have come around a lot sooner.”
Mom gave the siren a dark look. “And we’re all the better for your lack of attention.”
Sirena winked. “I believe you owe me a little something, Cliona.”
Mom rolled her eyes and fished out one of her magical cigarettes.
“No smoking in the house!” I barked as Mom tossed it over.
“No fun,” Sirena pouted.
I pointed to the back door. “Out.”
The siren waved the joint at us and glided outside.
“The gods help us,” Mom muttered. “That woman is insufferable.”
Moira burst out laughing. “You two have some history. Care to share?”
Mom sighed. “No. I would not. Let’s wait for the siren to finish up and get the hell out of here.”
“Can we trust her?” Sirena had never moved against me or done anything to make me worry about her loyalty. She had no loyalty, and I liked knowing that more than being kept in the dark and wondering if she’d strike me when I was weak.
Mom shrugged. “In this case, I believe so. She was telling the truth about her kind not being accepted.” She sighed. “Sirens are universally hated.”
Moira sat up. “Because of the whole sailors jumping to their death thing?” She rolled her eyes. “Stay away from small islands in the middle of the ocean. Like it’s hard.”
I got up and peered out the window. Sirena was sitting in the middle of the yard. A small orange light flickered close to her mouth. Guilt speared me.
“She helped us tonight. Maybe we can give her a break. Just this once.”
Mom’s lips thinned. “She’s not to be trusted, Evie. Don’t think she’s your friend.”
I snorted. “I rarely think anyone is my friend. But we can wave our white flags. Just for tonight, can’t we?”
Moira rose and linked our arms together. With her other hand, she pulled out the joint Mom gave her and wiggled her eyebrows. “How safe are these wards?” she called out to Mom.
“Unbreakable,” Mom assured her. She held the door open for us. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
I glanced back. “Everything okay?”
She brushed a hand over my hair. “Everything is fine. Back in five, I promise.”
She disappeared in a shower of light. Moira and I walked outside and sat in a semi-circle by Sirena.
Her eyes lit with surprise. She waved the joint at us. “Your mom is a godsdamned genius. Do you know how much of this we have to smoke to even get a buzz?”
Moira grinned. “A lot.”
Sirena laughed. “Your mom is already a rich woman, but this on top of her booze?”
The siren shook her head. “Icon status.”
Moira pulled out a Zippo and lit the joint. The sharp scent of the herb filled the air. I’d never been around drugs. My human friends in high school used illegal substances, but I was never interested. Why would I be if they never worked?
Mom reappeared in a flash, standing next to—
I got to my feet and launched myself at Rowan. He caught me with a sharp laugh, large hands spanning the backs of my thighs.
“Hi,” he murmured against my neck.
“Hey.”
Moira let out a wolf whistle.
He turned to Mom. “Caelan can’t see me here,” he said quietly. “I’m no longer allowed in his territory.”
Mom shook her head in disgust. “A small glamour will tweak your appearance.” She waved her hand and a shimmer of magic appeared around Rowan. I glanced at Mom quizzically when I couldn’t see a difference.
“Only Caelan and his people will see something else. The spell won’t last longer than a few hours.” Her eyes glittered with amusement. “When he sees you, he will see a young blond man. Just think. If you and Evie make out, Caelan will think she’s dumped you too.”
Mom laughed and walked away, going over to join Sirena and Moira.
Rowan’s hands were right under my rear end, cupping the backs of my thighs. “Hey,” I said again, quieter this time.
His hazel eyes crinkled at the edges. “Missed you.”
Our gazes locked. “I missed you, too.”
He pressed a soft kiss to my lips, gentle and tender. I resisted the urge to tackle him to the ground. “Should we join them?”
I wanted to say no, to ask him to take me home so we could be alone. I ran my fingers up his neck and let them tangle in his hair. “Moira has a joint. Mom’s newest experiment.”
Rowan’s eyes lit with a ring of gold at my touch. His surprised laugh warmed me from the inside. “Does it work?” Was his voice a touch rougher?
I lifted my shoulder in a shrug. “We’re about to find out.”
His eyes narrowed. “And you?”
“I grew up knowing they wouldn’t work on me, so I was never into them.”
“Never worked on me.” He hitched me higher and walked me over to where everyone was sitting.