Deception (2 page)

Layla found Quin’s eyes, trying to draw strength from their dark depths, but all she could think about was her family. “Alana,” she sobbed, imagining the toddler’s peaceful slumber interrupted by wicked witches and wizards. “She must be so scared right now.”

“The coven will protect her,” Quin assured. “They'll keep her safe.”

“Who's going to protect them?”

“They’re a capable group of magicians. We did our part by getting out of there. Now try to calm your breathing. If you keep gasping and shaking like this, you’ll crack a rib. The healed bones are still susceptible to injury.”

“I hate this,” she objected.

“I know,” he whispered, touching his lips to her forehead.

His magical warmth soothed her trembling muscles, but only their family’s safety would ease her aching heart.

Agro gestured toward his army while watching Caitrin’s eyes. The Conn patriarch was once again accompanied by a member of the Kavanagh family, but it wasn’t Catigern. This one called himself Cadman and claimed to be Catigern’s eldest son.

Guthrie remained at Agro’s side, but the rest of the unit split into smaller groups and headed for the houses.

“What are they doing?” Caitrin asked.

Agro raised his eyebrows, delighting in Caitrin’s fear as doors flew open around them. “They’re searching your homes.”

“Shit,” Caitrin hissed, anxiously watching one house in particular. “Don’t hurt them. They’ll come peacefully.”

“So they are here,” Agro approved, following Caitrin’s gaze. “Shame on you for lying, Mr. Conn. Now I can’t trust a word you say.”

Two soldiers ushered Caitrin’s mate from their house, and Agro smiled as he looked to the house next door, finding another couple being herded onto the porch. Coven members poured from nine of the eleven houses, followed by obedient pets of various sorts.

While the family and animals were collected in the middle of the lawn, Agro flipped his gaze between the two houses that hadn’t yielded fruit. They were located on opposite sides of the lawn, one to the east and one to the west. Soldiers eventually walked onto the porches and shook their heads at their boss, indicating the houses were empty.

Agro grabbed Caitrin’s collar and yanked him from his mate’s embrace, pulling him toward the house to the east. They were halfway there when two soldiers emerged from the shadows, shoving a witch and wizard in front of them. Each captive hugged a small child to their chest, doing their best to shield innocent eyes and ears.

“We found them trying to sneak out the back,” one of the soldiers revealed.

“There’s always at least one runner,” Agro mused, looking in the opposite direction. “Anyone sneaking out the back of that one?”

One of the wizards charged with searching the two-story Victorian passed the question on, then listened for an answer. “No, sir.”

“Interesting,” Agro murmured, returning his gaze to the witch and wizard who’d attempted escape. “Shall we interrogate the rebellious family first? Kids do tend to have loose lips.”

“No,” the coven objected.

Still stuck in Agro’s grasp, Caitrin quietly spoke. “Leave the children out of this.”

Agro chuckled. “Now why would I do that when they’re such a rich source of information?” He motioned toward the soldiers surrounding the family of four, and they moved to take the kids from their parents.

“No,” several people yelled.

Agro glanced over his shoulder as a shuffle ensued – crimson cloaks tackling insubordinate coven members. Then he called to the soldiers reaching for the children. “Wait.”

Caitrin’s held breath whooshed from his lungs as his shoulders sagged, and Agro pulled him closer, aiming him toward the kids. “You know what I want from you. Let’s make a deal.”

“Let the children and their parents leave,” Caitrin stipulated, “without being followed.”

“And what will I get in return?”

“The rest of us will reveal our auras to their full extent.”

“That’s it?”

“We’ll offer no resistance as you search our homes,” Caitrin added, “and we’ll ensure our pets’ obedience. You’re getting a good deal here. The children know nothing of what you seek, so there’s no reason to involve them.”

“Perhaps,” Agro mumbled, noting the efforts being made to shield the children from their surroundings. “Very well, the kids and their mother may go, but the father stays.”

The coven sighed as the mom and dad sadly looked at each other. Then the father whispered in his son’s ear before passing him to his fair-haired mate. “Don’t come back until you hear from us,” he instructed, touching his forehead to hers.

She nodded, tears streaming from her pale-golden eyes. Then the man kissed the backs of his kids’ heads and motioned for the mom to go.

Agro kept his word, letting her fly away without a tail, so the dad tensely looked away from the sky and joined the rest of the coven.

“Now,” Agro said, pulling Caitrin to the others, “time to keep your end of the bargain. Release your auras.”

While the family exposed their souls, soldiers ushered them into a line, and Guthrie organized a thorough search of the homes.

With the hunt underway, Agro slowly walked down the line of coven members, scrutinizing the emerald-green ribbons swimming through their bright hazes. The evidence was mounting, his case growing stronger with every aura he examined… until he reached a man with a familiar emerald gaze.

“You,” Agro whispered, glancing at the woman tucked under the man’s arm. She had long pitch-black hair, smooth olive skin, and the kind of curves men love to get lost in. Agro turned and found Guthrie. “Which house did these two come from?”

“There,” Guthrie answered, pointing at Caitrin’s house.

Agro grinned as he returned his attention to the emerald-eyed wizard. “You’re the witch’s paternal grandparents. Serafin and Daleen, right?”

The mates glanced at each other then released their golden mist.

“That’s more like it,” Agro approved, ignoring the hatred rushing through their auras. If they only knew what he’d done to their son. Or maybe they did know, in which case they showed great restraint. “Don’t you live in Virginia?”

“Yes,” Serafin answered.

“Am I to believe your presence here is merely a coincidence?” Agro pressed.

“No,” Serafin confessed. “We arrived a few hours ago, after receiving word of your visit.”

“Am I so popular,” Agro mused, “that you must rush across the country to greet me?”

“You opened old wounds Caitrin and I share. Does it not make sense for us to heal them together?”

“You flew all this way to offer Caitrin a shoulder to cry on?”

“Caitrin and I stand on common ground anchored by ties that defy distance.”

“Right,” Agro smirked, moving down the line.

The coven was obviously scared, but they retained a unity and bravery Agro had to respect. Even the youngest members kept their heads up and their shoulders back.

Agro reached a couple in their forties – a man with dark hair and dark eyes, and a woman with platinum hair and pale-purple eyes. Both had a tinge of gold swirling close to their forms.

“What have we here?” Agro hummed, reaching for the elusive shimmers clinging to the woman’s face. “Another bonded couple?”

The male slid his hand over his woman’s cheek, blocking Agro’s touch. “Yes.”

“This family does impress,” Agro commended. “I’ll give you that. No sense in hiding now. Release your lights.”

Their golden hazes flowed free, and Agro clucked his tongue as he took them in. “Which house did these two come from?”

A soldier shouted from a house to the northeast. “This one, sir.”

“Do they have kids?”

The soldier conferred with those searching the house then called across the lawn. “Looks like they have a son.”

“Bring me a photo,” Agro demanded, moving further down the line. “Catigern,” he greeted, slapping the old man’s shoulder. “Good to see you’re still breathing.”

Catigern’s jaw flexed, but he didn’t respond, so Agro moved on, stepping in front of a young man with blond hair and blue eyes. “Are you the bonded child?”

“That’s not him,” a soldier interrupted, approaching with a photo.

Agro glanced at the bonded couple on the other side of Catigern, smiling at the terror in their eyes as he reached for a photo of their child. He immediately recognized the young man – dark-brown hair with eyes to match and a dimpled smile. He was the wizard Catigern couldn’t stop thinking about during their previous encounter.

“So this is the young man you were so worried about,” Agro noted, flashing the picture at the Kavanagh patriarch.

“Naturally,” Catigern confessed. “He’s my great grandson.”

“And a bonded child.”

“Yes,” Catigern whispered.

“Where is he?” Agro pressed.

“Gone,” the bonded couple claimed.

“Heard that before,” Agro replied. “Right, Caitrin?”

“They speak the truth,” Caitrin insisted. “They sent him away after your first visit.”

“Away where?”

“Far removed from you,” the mother snapped.

Her mate pulled her to his side as he evenly met Agro’s stare. “We sent our son abroad, to stay with distant relatives. I’m sure you understand why.”

Guthrie approached to quietly relay a message, and Agro leaned in to listen. When he returned his gaze to the bonded couple, he raised his eyebrows and smiled. “It would seem your son left behind nearly everything he owns. Will you be sticking to your story?”

“Yes,” the man answered. “Material objects hold no value to my son.”

“The lies,” Agro simmered, sweeping his gaze down the line. “They spew forth like Niagara. I’m going to ask this one time. If I don’t get an answer, we’ll do this the hard way. Where is Aedan and Rhosewen’s child?”

The coven remained quiet, so Agro motioned to his army. “Separate the men and women.”

A few murmurs echoed across the lawn as the men were herded several yards away and forced to their knees. Bravery waned as several witches sobbed and bowed their heads, but Agro told his soldiers to force their gazes back up.

“Guthrie,” he called.

“Yes, sir,” the lieutenant replied.

“Let’s see what you can do,” Agro suggested. “What’s your specialty?”

“Lightning.”

“Air child, eh?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Very well, but remember, we don’t want them dead. Why don’t you start with the wizard who claims his son is abroad?”

“Yes, sir,” Guthrie agreed, heading for the dark-haired man who looked so much like the son he aimed to protect.

“Your name,” Guthrie demanded, moving him away from the others.

The wizard’s expression remained stoic as he answered. “Kemble.”

Guthrie vanished Kemble’s t-shirt then walked behind him. “Do you have anything to tell my boss before I start?”

“No,” Kemble refused, meeting his mate’s fearful stare.

Guthrie looked at Agro, who gave a nod.

An electrical charge lifted the hair on Agro’s neck as Guthrie raised his right arm, his wrist bent, his fingers curled into a fist. His hand reached its apex, and a string of lightning unfurled – slender, beautiful and deadly. Guthrie flicked his wrist, and the mystical whip gracefully slithered through energized air, lashing Kemble’s back.

Kemble vibrated, his teeth clenched, his eyes squeezed shut, but he stayed silent and upright.

Without missing a beat, Guthrie flipped the sizzling whip around and struck again, marking Kemble’s back with a burning X.

Kemble’s mate choked on a scream, and Agro laughed as Guthrie’s whip glided down his victim’s spine. “Impressive,” Agro commended, “but unproductive.”

“I’ve just begun,” Guthrie noted, moving in front of Kemble, who withstood several more strikes before falling to the ground.

“Is he conscious?” Agro asked.

A soldier knelt and gave Kemble’s face a slap. “Barely.”

Kemble’s mate wailed, and Agro narrowed his eyes on her. “Somebody shut that bitch up.”

Her cries muffled into a wizard’s hand as it closed over her mouth, and her knees gave out, dropping her into the soldier’s arms.

Agro rolled his eyes and turned toward the coven’s men. Surely one of them would crack, so he picked four more and ordered their torture.

Shouts, sobs, curses and prayers echoed through the clearing as the army followed orders, but not one person uttered the name Layla. And when Agro went down the line, tapping into the wizards’ minds, he found nothing but jumbled and useless information.

Agro’s thin patience neared a snapping point. If he didn’t get answers soon, the entire coven would wind up dead, and his only link to the witch would go up in smoke.

“You,” he ordered, pointing at a young witch with inky-blue eyes. “Come here.”

The witch cowered and looked to the women beside her, who protectively wrapped their arms around her.

“Pick someone else,” one of the women insisted.