Captivating Magic (The Thorne Witches #14)

Chapter 19

19

L aszlo appreciated the kindness the others showed Ebba. Curiosity endless, she plagued them with questions about magic and the barrier the Aether had created. Through it all, they displayed nothing but patience and understanding.

For himself, he wanted to be in the kitchen with Damian, examining the artifact. Periodically, the man would nod to himself as he scribbled notes, silently confirming a theory only he suspected. With an abrupt slash of his pen, he drew two lines, dropped the globe back into the water, and shoved it into the oven.

As he approached them, his expression was grim. The removal of the barrier consisted of a single-hand swirl and pull of the crumbling wall toward himself. It folded in on itself, shrinking until it was golf-ball-sized. Instead of dispelling the magic completely, he tucked it into his jeans pocket.

“Saving it for later use?” Alastair asked before taking a sip of the drink he’d conjured.

“You never know when a force field comes in handy,” Damian deadpanned.

“For those who don’t know”—Castor gestured between Ebba and Lo—“this is the lull before shit gets real. Damian becomes all business when he’s in planning mode.”

The Aether’s lips twitched, and he gave his friend a look that was shy of an eye roll.

“Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you’re not plotting something,” the Traveler taunted.

“No.”

“I thought so.” His chuckle was packed with satisfaction, and he rubbed his hands together. “Hold on to your hats, kids. Things are about to get fun!”

Alastair barked a laugh.

“Don’t encourage him, Al,” Damian scolded good-naturedly. “If he believes he has a rapt audience, he’ll double down.”

“I’d double down anyway,” Castor retorted.

“Are they always like this?” Ebba laughingly asked Alastair.

“Yes. It’s a trial.”

Her giggle brought a smile to everyone’s lips.

The skin along Laszlo’s neck prickled, and he cast a searching glance around the room.

Spencer watched them with hatred tempered only by envy. Was it their effortless magic he coveted or the easy friendship?

The man’s ire was redirected, and Lo got a sinking feeling when his gaze locked on Ebba. The jealousy was associated with her ! Had he fallen for her only to be rebuffed? She’d said she was ending things the night of the accident. Perhaps there was more to the incident than they’d believed. Spencer’s reasons for hanging on could have more to do with unrequited love than any attempt to prolong his life.

“What the fuck are you staring at?” he growled, finally noticing Lo’s attention on him.

“You.”

There was no heat in his answer, and confusion shone on Spencer’s face.

Laszlo approached the bed.

“You can’t have her,” he said quietly. “Even if she did love you—which she doesn’t—your life has ended. Your body cannot be revived.”

“I’ll keep this one, and she’ll remain repulsed by you with me at the helm.”

“Spencer. Come on, man. You know that’s not cool.”

Sullen, the guy shrugged. “Cool or not, she’s mine.”

“No. She was mine from the start,” Laszlo said as Ebba joined him and clasped his hand. “And I was hers.”

Alastair came to stand on the opposite side of her. “You can’t fight the pull of soulmates, Mr. Barlowe. Their bond is too strong, and that’s to say nothing of the Fates’ design. As a witch, you should know this.”

“Who said I was a witch?” Spencer snarled.

“Aren’t you?” Ebba asked, inching forward.

Laszlo tugged her back. “Careful, Sweet.”

A knock sounded.

“It’s the cops,” Castor said in an aside. “Quick, everyone form a line and hide our prisoner so it doesn’t look like we’re doing shady shit.”

“How does he?—”

Alastair pressed a hand to Ebba’s shoulder, silencing her. “He’s teasing. The presence on the other side of your door is magical in nature.”

She shot the Traveler a glare. “Tool.”

“Your face was priceless, Dorothy,” he tossed over his back as he strode to admit the newcomer.

Clutch stepped over the threshold, followed by Wilder, and Laszlo couldn’t have been more surprised by seeing his brother than if someone had taken a tire iron to his kneecaps.

“Wilder?”

His brother’s frowning glance around the room deepened when it landed on the bed. “I didn’t know y’all were into weird sex games. I’ll show myself out.”

“Stay!” Ebba surged forward, causing Wilder to do a double take.

“What the fuck?” His eyes widened in horror and met Lo’s. “Why is she blinking in and out that way? And why are there two of her?”

To an outsider, it had to seem bizarre that she was tied to the bed but also standing by the door. Wilder couldn’t know one was her possessed body and the other her spirit.

“Blinking in and out? What do you mean?” Ebba asked.

The rest of them shared a confused look. To them, she appeared solid.

“It’s like you’re here, but not. Ghostly,” Wilder explained, stepping closer to her and touching her shoulder. “You’re solid now. What the hell’s happening?”

“Fascinating,” Damian murmured, studying her with new eyes.

“Thanks, Doctor Spock, but that’s a real problem,” Castor said.

Lo’s stomach dropped. “How?”

“It indicates a time disturbance. Like a computer glitch before the hard drive crashes. It’s bizarre only he can see?—”

Flinging her arms out wide, Ebba gasped. Her eyes grew opaque an instant before her head dropped back.

Lo swore and dove for her, but Wilder reached her first, catching her before she fell.

Behind them, Spencer thrashed and released a cry as Ebba called out, “Save me, Wilder! I love you, my wild boy.”

The blow was crushing, and Lo sucked in a breath. His heart rate increased, and the thudding against his chest wall became painful.

“How…?” Wilder swallowed, and the haunted eyes he turned on Lo added to the betrayal he felt.

“When did you and Ebba…?” He didn’t really want to know, did he? Surely, that path led to heartbreak. The little voice in his head sneered in derision. It wasn’t as if his heart hadn’t just been trampled to death.

“What? No! Christ, have you lost your last fucking brain cell?” his brother shook his head. “Ebba and I have never been an item. There’s never been anyone for her but you , you idiot.”

“Then why did she say she loved you?” Lo demanded, growing angrier by the second. But not at Ebba or his brother. At himself for his instantaneous lack of faith in the two of them. And had she and Wilder hooked up, there wasn’t a damned thing he could’ve said about it. Until recently, he’d been married and didn’t realize he’d buried his feelings for Ebba when he was nineteen.

“I have no idea. Abbie was the only person who called me ‘wild boy.’” Wilder’s voice cracked, and he looked away to hide his anguish.

“Do you think Ebba’s channeling her?” Castor asked.

“It’s possible,” Clutch said. “She’s got one foot in the spirit world. But why would Abigail need saving if she’s crossed?”

“Perhaps you should ask Death the next time you see her,” Lo suggested. “Also, you and I are having a conversation as soon as Ebba wakes. I want to know what the fuck is up with that glowing globe you gave me.”

Guilt flashed in his friend’s eyes.

Waiting be damned!

He grabbed Clutch by the shirtfront.

“What did you do?” Laszlo shook him, praying he had the self-control not to pummel him after he heard the answer. “What is that thing, and why give me something so dangerous?”

“It absorbs renegade souls,” Damian said with a meaningful look at Clutch. “Those spheres are rare. Four exist in the entire world.” He shrugged a shoulder at Lo’s accusing glare. “I recalled where I’d seen it before. What I’d like to know is how one came to be in your possession, Mr. Adams? Those soul transporters aren’t meant for Reaper’s assistants.”

“I’m not an assistant. I’m a Reaper,” Clutch confessed. Expression apologetic, he met Lo’s disbelieving stare. “Five months ago, I replaced the one who failed to collect Ebba. I didn’t know what she meant to you, Lo, but either way, I’m here to finish the job.”

Laszlo growled low in his throat. “You can fuck all the way off. You’re not taking her.”

“I tried to make this easy, but you’re being stubborn. She’s mortal and has been on this plane too long. It creates ripple effects, man.”

“I don’t give a shit if the earth blows apart.” Lo released him with a hard shove. “She’s staying with me.”

“You always were stubborn,” Clutch muttered. “Aether, please talk sense into him. He’ll bring Death’s wrath if he keeps this up.”

Damian smiled. “I’m inclined to side with Laszlo. Had you been upfront and presented your case in a reasonable manner, this conversation may have gone your way. Likely not, as I’m a sucker for love, but there was a slim chance.”

Clutch glanced down at Ebba held in Wilder’s arms, and Laszlo stepped between them and his ex-friend.

“Don’t even think about it,” he snarled.

“Lo.”

“I will kill you where you stand.”

With a shake of his head, Clutch teleported away.

“Now we know why the globe lit up,” Castor said.

Alastair placed a calming hand on Lo’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, son. We’re still within Death’s window.”

Wilder stood with Ebba draped over his arms. “When this is over, I’m going to need a rundown of what the fuck is going on.”