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CIARA, BILL, AND KELLAN used magic to get to the right block.
Ciara looked around, keeping her eyes moving, so she was aware of her surroundings. She didn’t move her head, though. It would have looked too obvious if someone was watching.
They made it to the right building without seeing anything—or anyone—suspicious.
They took the stairs. On their way up to the right floor, they only saw one of Ciara’s neighbours. On the upper floors, they could also hear people closing flat doors.
Nothing seemed out of ordinary.
Until they got to the flat door. Once again, there was a note.
Soon.
That was all it said.
Kellan snapped a photo of it, and then he let Ciara take it off the door. Ciara observed it, flipping it in her hands. There wasn’t any more text on the back. It was just a one-word message.
Thanks to magical features, Kellan could check the note for any fingerprints with his phone, based on the photo he had of the note. The system, however, didn’t find anything in the database.
Ciara kept the note, folding it and shoving it in her pocket. Then she unlocked and opened her flat door.
They went over the entire flat but found nothing out of the ordinary. They told Owen it was safe once they were finished.
“They are planning something,” Kellan said when he walked into Ciara’s room, scratching the side of his neck.
Ciara was in there packing. Even though they had found nothing in the flat, it wouldn’t have been safe to stay there.
Bill walked in, too. “How are they always ahead of us? I mean, even this. They’re playing with us.”
“We have to figure that out,” Ciara said while throwing her stuff in her bag.
“But not before the holidays,” Kellan said. “We should all take some time off.”
Ciara froze and turned to look at Kellan. “After that note? Something is going to happen soon.”
“I’m staying hopeful enough to say the witch hunters will celebrate Christmas as well,” Kellan said. “We’ll all have to be on alert throughout the holidays, though.”
“We could find them before Christmas. Then—”
“No,” Kellan said strictly. “They’re ahead of us, so it’s too risky. Besides, we all deserve to spend Christmas with family and friends.”
Ciara couldn’t disagree with that.
It was unlikely they were going to get ahead of the witch hunters. They didn’t even know what their source of information was. And the team deserved a break after the rough few months.
***
ONCE CIARA WAS DONE at her flat, she switched off the lights and locked the flat door. She, Bill, and Kellan enforced the security spells to make sure they were still working.
They left, using magic again to get back to their workplace. Each of them grabbed their stuff from work and headed home.
For Ciara, that meant the Rosslers’ place. Liam had spoken with his mother, and he and Ciara were going to stay with his parents for however long they needed to.
It was raining when Ciara appeared in front of the Rosslers’ house. She used a magical shield as an umbrella. If she hadn’t, she would have been soaking wet in an instant. Ciara walked up to the front door and knocked.
The door swung open. Mary, smiling widely, stood there. “Come in, come in, dear,” she said joyfully. She let Ciara in and closed the door behind her.
Ciara smiled at Mary. “Thank—”
Mary cut Ciara off by pulling her into a bone-crushing embrace. “It is so wonderful to hear about you and Liam! I am so happy for you two!”
Ciara chuckled as Mary let go of her and stepped away. “I’m glad you think so,” Ciara said, relieved by Mary’s reaction.
“Of course I do!” Mary was trembling with excitement, and her smile looked like it could be stuck permanently. “And it’s so great you’re staying here for longer! We haven’t seen you in such a long time. At least not under good circumstances. I mean, I suppose your reason to be here could be better, but well—”
“Mum, stop rambling,” Liam said, descending the stairs.
Ciara turned to look at her boyfriend, smiling. He walked up to her and wrapped his arm around her. Looking down at her, he kissed the top of her head.
“I’m glad you’re fine,” he breathed out.
“There was nothing to worry about.” Ciara gazed into Liam’s eyes and placed a comforting hand on his forearm.
“Oh, look at you two!” Mary gushed.
“Mum,” Liam groaned.
“But you’re such a cute couple. Even years back you were!” Mary said, smiling. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. “Anyway, I’ll have dinner ready shortly.”
“We’ll take Ciara’s bag upstairs,” Liam said and took Ciara’s things from her.
“Of course. No hurry,” Mary said, grinning.
Liam and Ciara walked upstairs to Liam’s old room. Looking around, Ciara noted he had already unpacked some of his stuff. His laptop was on the desk. The closet was also open, and Ciara could see some of his clothes in there.
She smiled, looking around the room.
“What are you thinking about?” Liam asked, setting Ciara’s bag down next to the bed.
“This room has a lot of memories.” Ciara thought about all the wonderful memories—including their first time on that very bed.
Liam smiled. “Good ones especially.”
Ciara agreed.
Gesturing to Ciara’s bag, Liam asked, “Is it okay if I help you unpack later?”
She nodded. “Do you know the last time I was here? In this room, I mean.”
Liam tilted his head to the side, thinking. “When we were dating?”
Ciara shook her head. “In July, when Henry and I stayed here for a weekend. The weekend your parents stayed at a spa.” It had also been the weekend Ciara had first heard about the group and had remet Doherty.
“I completely forgot about that,” Liam admitted.
“It feels like ages ago.”
“It does.” Liam set his hands on Ciara’s waist and pulled her closer to him. He pecked her lips and pulled away, smiling. “So do you think we should make some fresh memories in this room or—”
“Liam!” Ciara hissed, wide-eyed. “It’s your parents’ house.”
“If you think I’ll be able to keep my hands off you the whole time we’re staying here, you’ll be surprised.”
“You could at least try to control your urges during the day.”
Liam kissed Ciara’s shoulder. “If you insist.”
“I do!”
Chuckling, Liam raised his head from her shoulder and kissed her lips.
“Dinner’s ready!” Mary called from downstairs.
“We should go.” Grabbing Liam’s hand, Ciara pulled him downstairs.
Ray had just come home from work. He found out about the new relationship when he saw Ciara and Liam walk down hand in hand. His face was priceless, and he was as thrilled as Mary.
***
AFTER DINNER, THE FOUR of them were in the living room. The conversation had turned more serious than earlier at dinner. The television was on, but no one was watching it.
“So do you have any news on the witch hunters?” Ray asked.
“Josh could tell us that some witch hunters had been spotted near my flat. They know where I live, so it was unlikely a coincidence. We checked the flat, but we only found one note.” She had Kellan’s permission to share information with the group, so she didn’t hold anything back.
Liam’s brows furrowed. “What note?”
“It was on the door like last time,” Ciara said. “There was just one word. ‘Soon’.”
“Soon?” Ray checked, frowning.
“Yes. We suspect they’re planning something. Kellan thinks they won’t make an appearance until after Christmas, but the team will be on alert throughout the holidays.”
Liam turned to look at his father. “We should warn everyone in the MPG.”
“The MPG?” Ciara asked.
Liam chuckled. “It’s short for Magical Protection Group. I know, uncreative, but it’s better than no name at all.”
“It works.”
Liam nodded.
Mary sighed. “Let’s hope we get to have a peaceful Christmas,” she said, and everyone nodded in agreement.