Chapter Fifteen #2
“Thanks for that, Captain Apparent. I know,” I shot back. “Because no one bothered to tell me anything until Alice was gone. I’ve been figuring this out blind—and shockingly, ‘interdimensional maintenance’ wasn’t on my Manhattan résumé.”
“She died suddenly?” he pressed.
“Yes. That’s how dying tends to work.”
Something flickered in his eyes. Calculation. Worry.
“That’s… unfortunate,” he said. “The Council will not be pleased.”
I laughed, short and humorless. “The Council can get in line.”
“Who’s running the flower shop?” he asked. “That was Alice’s cover.”
“I am.”
“And you’re not?”
“I’ve been busy not dying.”
“If you don’t return to it, your cover will be compromised.”
That was it.
I grabbed his bicep—solid as carved stone—and turned him toward the door, giving him a firm shove. To my surprise, he moved.
“That’s enough. Bu-bye.”
“You can’t remove me,” he snapped, bracing a hand on the frame, leaning in close. “You’re making a serious mistake.”
Owen was right behind me now—a presence, not a threat, but ready to become one.
I met Voss’s gaze, voice low, dangerous. “I’m done with secrets. I’m done with everyone knowing my life better than I do. You explain what is happening—right now—or you leave.”
Something in my voice—or the magic I hadn’t learned yet—made him ease back.
“All you had to do was ask,” he said carefully.
“Okay, then. I’m asking.” I stepped aside. “Sit. We’ll get you coffee.”
I motioned to the worn sofa then gave Owen a pleading look. He muttered something under his breath but complied. Voss sat. Willow immediately claimed his lap, purring smugly. He scratched her head between the ears.
“Your cat likes me,” he said.
“Willow,” I corrected. “She hates being called cat.”
He blinked. I took the sofa opposite him, clasping my hands in my lap. Owen returned with coffee, handing one to the agent and one to me. I beamed as he settled next to me—close enough our knees brushed. Quiet solidarity.
“Tell me everything,” Voss said.
He took a sip of coffee, then set aside the cup and pulled out a notepad and pen from the inside of his coat pocket—while still maintaining Willow, who seemed determined to fuse herself permanently to his lap.
I told him what mattered.
Alice. The will. The tree. The ritual. The attic tear. The shadow-things. The grimoire responding like it recognized me—and the moment in the shop when something on the other side had listened hard enough to find my name.
Voss’s pen stilled.
“A listener,” he repeated, quiet.
My stomach dipped. “That’s what he is?”
His gaze lifted to mine. “Yes, and I know what it means.”
“What does it mean?” Owen asked, voice flat.
Voss looked between us. “It means the crossing it’s just open. It’s loud. The portal at the tree is still open,” he said. “That makes it accessible. Everything coming through is using your gate.”
“I know.”
“You need to close it.”
“I plan to.”
He stood abruptly. “Then my work here is done.”
“Oh no,” I said, springing to my feet. “Sit back down.”
Owen stood too. “That wasn’t a request.”
Voss studied us for a long second. Then he sat. Willow immediately hopped back into his lap, turned once, and settled with a satisfied purr.
I blinked.
That… wasn’t normal. Willow barely tolerated Owen.
Voss glanced down at the cat like he didn’t know what to do with her, then sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “The Council oversees all active crossings. All realms.”
“How many realms?” I asked.
“Infinite.”
I stared. “That’s not helpful.”
“It’s accurate.”
Pink glitter exploded at the doorway. The fairy queen was normal size, standing in the center of the room.
“Tani,” I groaned. “We talked about poofing.”
“Old habits,” Tani said with a dismissive wave.
“Titania,” Voss acknowledged with a dip of his head. His expression was grim.
“Insufferable man.”
“You two know each other,” Owen said.
“We have history,” Tani snapped.
“A long one,” Voss agreed, eyes narrowing. “Why aren’t you in Faery?”
Tani’s eyes flashed. “Because I can’t get back without Oberon.”
That gave him pause. “Where is he?”
“Trapped in another realm. I brought the Fae treasures to get him out. Alice was supposed to help me—but she died before she could.”
Voss’s mouth thinned. “Alice was a hedge witch. She wasn’t powerful enough to pull that off.”
I stiffened. “She said she found a way.”
Voss looked at me then, really looked at me. Worry carved deep lines into his brow.
“How did she die, Piper?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “But she was afraid. She left me a letter because she thought someone might kill her.”
“Do you believe someone did?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“That could explain why the shadow-things are after you,” Voss said.
He stood abruptly, dislodging Willow. The cat landed on the cushion with a disgruntled chirp.
Before I could comment, Voss reached into the air and pulled out a small, glowing device, pressing it to his ear.
“I need the Council. Immediately.”
He turned away, lowering his voice.
I watched him pace, heart hammering. Where was this Council? Another realm? Somewhere watching us right now? I realized I hadn’t asked—and that he hadn’t offered.
Voss stopped.
The color drained from his face. His eyes went wide, unfocused, like he was seeing something no one else could.
“Right,” he said finally. “Thanks.”
The device vanished.
He turned back to us, expression grim.
“I know why the listener came,” he said. “And why they’re circling you.”