“But when the spell on you broke, the entire coven felt it.”
Her mom and dad hadn’t betrayed her.
They’d been trying to protect her all this time. She looked over at Fionn, tears blurring her vision. “My mom and dad … are they safe?”
Bran answered. “According to my warlock, they’re still in hiding. The coven doesn’t know where they are, but they’re not a priority for them. The priority is finding you.”
“Then how are they tracing Rose?” Fionn asked. “I assumed they were using personal items from her home back in the States.”
“Apparently, you left a jacket behind at the Zagreb nightclub, Rose. That’s what they’re using. But the witch who has the jacket is relaying your position to others coming after you. They don’t want to take the chance that the jacket will fall into your hands during a confrontation with the coven.”
“How many are following us?”
“They’ve sent out a witch and warlock. They don’t know where you’re going, only where you are, so they’re following by road. The problem occurs when you stop too long in one place.”
Fionn stared impassively at Rose as she fought back tears of relief. “We need to destroy that jacket if we can.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Offer your informant double what you’ve paid them to take out the witch with the jacket and burn the damn thing.”
Uneasiness swamped Rose. This was no longer defense playing. This was offense.
It felt like war.
“Because it is a war,” Fionn said softly.
Had she spoken out loud?
“Aye,” he replied. “I’m not a mind reader, Rose.”
“Fionn,” Bran said, his voice cutting through their staring contest. “Just a reminder—the Blackwoods are using Barcelona as a trap.”
“I’m aware I have two covens on my arse, Bran,” he said. “Anything else to report?”
“Not at the moment.”
“Thank you, Bran,” Rose said before Fionn could hang up.
“No problem. I’m sorry my news is so fucking dismal.”
“It wasn’t,” she promised him. “It’s good to know my parents have been trying to protect me and that they’re safe.”
Fionn hung up before Bran could reply.
“That was rude,” she huffed.
He ignored her and took a few steps down the carriage in her direction. “We can leave training to later. Your mind might not be in the right place now.”
Rose straightened. “No, I can do this. I want to … but …”
“But?”
“I need to let my parents know I’m okay. I don’t want them traveling to Europe and getting caught up in this when they could be safe at home in the States.”
Fionn let out another heavy sigh and then began typing on his phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Asking Bran to keep checking on your parents. If they make a move, we’ll get a message to them.”
Rose felt her whole body relax. Gratitude swamped her. “Thank you. I know you’re helping me for reasons bigger than me, but thank you.”
He frowned and strode to the other side of the carriage. He turned to face her again, his expression blank. “Don’t thank me. Let’s practice.”
Bracing her legs to face him, Rose’s body thrummed with anticipation. “Okay. How?”
“Sometimes, as much as it sticks in the craw, it’s better to hide than to fight. The more supes you fight, the greater the likelihood of them discovering you’re not a witch but fae. Witches can’t travel, for a start.” Fionn gestured beyond her. “What I did to my belongings, you’re going to do now to yourself.”
Confused, Rose blinked rapidly. “Uh … say what, now?”
“It’s a trick that works best at night; you can pull the shadows of the dark to you, to hide, to walk undetected. The shadows also cloak any noise you make.”
“Seriously?”
Fionn nodded. “It’s a fae talent that was passed onto vampires too. Concentrate on the shadows. Reach out to them with your mind and imagine pulling them over you like a hooded cloak.”
Rose closed her eyes and saw the shadows in her mind’s eye. She did as Fionn instructed and imagined tugging shadows toward her. Tingles prickled all over her skin at the telltale sign of magic.
“Concentrate, Rose.”
She nodded and focused on the magic, turned that magic into hands and reached out into the carriage to gather the shadows. She pulled on them and felt something physically give way.
“What the …” She stumbled back.
“Keep going,” Fionn ordered.
Rose centered herself and repeated the process. This time when she felt the shadows peeling away from their natural positions in the carriage, she kept going. She kept going until she felt them surround her like a cloak.