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Daegan sized up this Luigsech woman, trying to pinpoint why his senses were yelling at him that she hid something important. He could feel an energy in the room, but not coming from her. Could she be a witch with something majikal close by to use against him?
She might be shielding more than what she’d discussed with Cavan.
“Threatenin’ to kill me is not the best way to be gainin’ information.” She spoke through clenched teeth.
“I never said I would kill you,” he argued in a calm voice.
“You said hidin’ anythin’ would be a deadly mistake. That’s a threat.” She frowned so hard fine lines cut into her forehead.
“’Tis not.”
“Liar.”
He signed heavily. “For someone who works with history, I would expect ya to be better at listenin’. I said if ya hide anythin’ about that bein’ ya spoke to at the grocery it could be deadly. Think about it. That means you could be at risk from this Cavan. He hides his identity with a glamour. That should concern ya.”
She seemed surprised then recovered. “He didn’t break into my home uninvited.”
“I have already explained I intend ya no harm. I would not have come here if it were not of the utmost importance.”
She tossed her hands up and dropped them back to her sides. “I can’t even believe I’m havin’ this conversation. Bottom line is that confidentiality is part of my business. If I were huntin’ somethin’ for you, would you want me to share your business with a stranger?”
“Ya would be foolish to do so.” He stared her down, determined to intimidate her into giving him what he wanted without terrifying her. Sure, he’d teleported in without her permission, but she would never have allowed him inside otherwise.
The longer his presence remained hidden, the better for both of them.
“Oh, I see. I should protect your interests, if you were my client, which you will never be, by the way. But I would not be foolish to share what another client asks me to hunt. I get it.”
Tart wench. Daegan pressed on. “So Cavan does have ya huntin’ somethin’?”
She grabbed hair on each side of her head, pulling strands loose from the twisted up bob on top of her head. “Stop it. No more talkin’ about his project. What the hell do you want? Just tell me and get movin’.”
At that moment, Tristan’s tight voice came into Daegan’s mind. Cavan is ...
Daegan’s pulse pounded in his ears.
He tried to lock onto where Tristan had been when he called to him and ... nothing came through. Daegan couldn’t find the pathway for teleporting. He called back, Tristan! Tell me where ya are!
Still nothing.
The woman had moved from the table toward the entrance. She stopped and took a step back from him, bumping into a waist-high bookcase. True fear surfaced in her face. “What’s wrong? Why do you look like you’re thinkin’ to murder someone?”
Daegan no longer cared who he frightened. He pinned her with a furious glare. “Not only will I be stayin’ as long as I choose, but ya will start answerin’ questions and stop dancin’ around.”
Whatever she saw in his face had her nodding. “Okay, just calm down.”
“I do not need to calm down. I have people in danger and every second you waste they pay a higher price. Now what did Cavan want?”
“To, uh, find an old book.”
Daegan’s anger built. “What book?”
She looked physically sick about answering, but finally said, “A grimoire. It’s called the Immortuos Grimoire.”
This was no longer a series of coincidences, but connections. “As I understand, ya have a reputation for findin’ rare books and translatin’ the ancient languages. Ya will find the volumes for me and translate the text.”
“Who are you people to come into my life and make all these demands?” she shouted at him, fear sliding through her angry words.
“Do not confuse us. I have good reason to find this grimoire. Can you claim Cavan does?”
She lifted her shoulders with a lost expression. “I have no idea. I haven’t even looked for that stupid grimoire yet. I have no idea if it even exists.”
“It does, in three separate volumes. I want them.” She might have to hunt all three to find the one he needed. Now that he had her talking, he asked, “What else did Cavan want? Who was he?”
She nibbled on her lip, clearly debating how much to share.
Fear for Tristan pushed power into Daegan’s voice. “Tell me!”
She flinched, then swiped a hand over her head and sounded resigned. “I have no idea who he is. Cavan originally came in days back askin’ about a family known as Treoirs. We gave him nothin’, because I had to leave town for a few days and just returned today. I haven’t had time to look into that.”
For the first time, Daegan looked at this woman and wondered if she could actually be related to the Luigsech squires. “What do ya know of the Treoirs?”
“Nothin’. I told you I haven’t had time to research it.”
“Lie.” He might not have Storm’s gifted lie-detecting ability, but Daegan knew when someone tried to sidestep the truth.
She stared openmouthed at him. Her eyes shot daggers at him. “Do not call me a liar. You have yet to even tell me who the hell you are.”
Ignoring her outburst, he warned, “Tell me what you know about the Treoirs or I will take ya somewhere and keep you there until ya do.”
Color washed from her face.
He felt bad about that, but the longer his Beladors remained captured and now with Tristan silent, the less Daegan’s conscience dwelled on minor things.
He hadn’t sensed any power from her and took a chance to share something he normally would not. “A Luigsech family was once squires to the Treoirs.”
The minute he spoke, the truth showed in her eyes.
She knew.
Her gaze shot past him, not touching his face. “I’ve heard bits and pieces of the Treoir history. It’s hard to miss in my line of work.” When she did meet his eyes, she stood straighter and claimed, “In fact, that’s the family responsible for the red dragon torchin’ forests in innocent countries.”
“That dragon is an imposter.”
She arched an eyebrow challenging his words. “How do you know this?”
He couldn’t believe the backbone of this one. “I did not come here to debate your lack of Treoir history knowledge. How much did you tell Cavan about the Treoirs?”
“Nothin’. Nothin’. Nothin’. Don’t you dare call me a liar,” she snarled at him. “Cavan expected to meet with me to discuss the book he left at our centre. I tried to tell him I needed time to research the grimoire, but that didn’t fly. He has the patience of a gnat, just like you.”
Daegan had to find Tristan. “My friend was followin’ Cavan and now he is missin’. Ya will help me find him.”
“Oh, hell no. I didn’t cause any of your troubles, buster. You and Cavan need to leave me alone and work out your differences.” Her hands shook when she reached back to grip the bookcase for support.
That was the moment her energy pushed through the room, banging against Daegan.
She was definitely not human.
