Bait N' Witch (Brimstone Inc. #3) - Abigail Owen Page 0,30
“No progress.”
A flash of irritation crossed Alasdair’s otherwise passive face. Grey doubted anyone else caught it, but he’d known the man for years.
“What’s the holdup?”
“Beyond a physical description—red hair, slender, average height, green or possibly gray eyes—I have nothing else to work with.”
“That describes about half the witches in existence.” Hestia, Alasdair’s sister, who sat to the man’s right, leaned forward to speak.
Greyson nodded. “Yes. Approximately five-hundred-thousand witches in the covens meet that description.”
“Have the werewolves stated why they didn’t take her into custody?” Hestia asked.
“They claim they did and gave her to the demigod Castor Dioskouri, a son of Zeus, apparently. A nymph, Lyleia, now his wife, was Kaios’s target in the first place.”
Alasdair waved that statement away, as always uninterested in the affairs of any non-mages. “And this Dioskouri, what’d he do with her?”
“He claims he never had her. However, so far, I’ve had trouble contacting them. They said they’d set up a meeting, but I have yet to hear back.” Not a single call returned in weeks now. Why? Were they avoiding him? “On the way home from this meeting, I plan to stop by Dioskouri’s offices and try to force the issue.”
Alasdair gave a sharp nod. “Good. Employ a truth-teller’s spell. I don’t like that the wolf shifters allowed her to escape. And with werewolves involved… Given their vengeful natures, they’re probably hunting her themselves.”
Greyson dipped his head in acknowledgment, even as he gave a mental grimace.
A truth-teller’s spell took tremendous amounts of energy. More, he suspected, to apply it to a demigod, if that could be done at all. Alasdair knew this, which meant he knew using the spell would leave Greyson weak and unable to defend himself should things go south.
To risk his best hunter, Alasdair must really want this particular witch.
As the meeting broke up, Greyson gathered his things into his father’s old leather attaché case and strode out the double doors. He needed to get outside to teleport. First, though, he needed to make a call.
He fished his phone out of his pocket and searched for a contact.
Delilah.
He hit the button to call and waited for her to pick up.
“This is Delilah.”
“Greyson Masters here.”
“What can I do for you? How’s Rowan?”
Greyson nodded to a few fellow Syndicate members who walked past where he stood just inside the glass doors of the building and waited for them to get farther away. “Actually, I had a few questions about Rowan, if you have a moment.”
A short pause greeted his request. “Is she working out okay?”
How did he answer? “So far she’s been an excellent nanny. A natural with the girls.”
“I’m glad you’re pleased,” came the smooth rejoinder.
“I am.”
“So, what questions do you have?”
“I know you do thorough checks of all employees you staff out.”
“Yes.”
“Rowan’s background indicates she’s a witch with minimal powers. However, the other night she was able to manifest energy as a defense.”
“She threw energy at you?”
While her tone didn’t exactly change, he could picture Delilah, with her catlike dark eyes and long ebony hair no doubt perfectly coifed, sitting forward in her seat. He’d gotten her attention with that, which meant she didn’t know.
“She didn’t throw them once she realized it was me. I take it by your reaction, you weren’t aware of this ability.”
“Well, someone should throw some energy at your stubborn head someday.” Now lazy amusement laced her voice.
Greyson frowned. Was she avoiding the question?
“Yes, I was aware of this ability,” Delilah continued, shutting down his suspicion.
“Then why not list it in the information? For that matter, why is she a nanny with a power like that?”
“Rowan can’t control the power. It’s a reflex that started when her parents were killed. She was in the car with them, as you know, since you read her bio. A defense mechanism, it rarely manifests. You must’ve scared her badly. What were you doing?”
Now Greyson didn’t want to answer the question.
“I frightened her when we bumped into each other in the middle of the night.”
“I see.”
Now why did he get the uneasy feeling she knew exactly what they’d been up to that night—not just the girls, but that explosive kiss?
“Well, I hope I’ve adequately addressed your questions. I’m surprised you didn’t just ask her.”
Greyson stood up straight, not enjoying the mild rebuke, not to mention the slither of guilt that he’d gone behind Rowan’s back with this. “I will next time.”
“Good. Though feel free to check with me any time.”
“Thanks.” After their goodbyes, Grey hung up and slowly tucked his phone back