Page 81 of Black Willow Witch
Carver shook his head, the image of horrified. ‘This is . . . there aren’t words.’
Reena straightened her shoulders. ‘I will be launching a full investigation into this matter.’ She said it as though everyoneelse could thereby relax; that there was no need for them to involve themselves.
Ripper raised an unimpressed brow. ‘Like you did about the curse jars? How did that work out?’
Reena’s lips flattened. ‘I have not yet identified who is responsible. It seems probable that it’s the same person – or people – who bespelled Lincoln.’
Claris shot her a narrow-eyed glare. ‘I thought you don’t teach such magick in your coven.’
Ward’s head whipped in Claris’s direction. ‘She does not. It is forbidden. But there are those who secretly practice such spells,’ he admitted.
Shane stilled, his gaze bouncing from Reena to Ward. ‘Who?’
She licked her lips. ‘I do not yet know, but I am working on finding out.’
‘You don’t know a whole lot, do you?’ Colton snarked.
‘Or,’ began Logan, ‘maybe you just don’t want us to be aware of who’s responsible because you want to punish them yourself, just like with Rosemary.’
Reena inched up her chin. ‘The culprits will be found, named, tried and punished. I assure you of that.’
‘I don’t feel assured,’ Logan told her.
‘Neither do I,’ said Ripper. ‘And I’m not leaving this in your maybe-capable hands, Reena. I will be looking into this matter myself.’
‘As will I,’ Shane announced.
‘Same here.’ Carver plucked at his collar. ‘In the meantime, consider the housing development project canceled.’
‘What?’ Reena burst out.
Carver’s expression firmed. ‘One of your witches used magick to trap a Rabid into a state of bloodlust and use him as their pet killer. Once they’ve been identified and punished, I’ll reconsider. But for now, the construction plans aren’t going ahead.’
‘It wasn’t one of us,’ Sera swore. ‘It washer. Emberlyn.’
Emberlyn rolled her eyes.Oh, here we go.
Ripper glared at the slim blonde who’d shot to her feet and stabbed a finger in Emberlyn’s direction. ‘I suggest you sit down.’ Even he heard the menace in his tone. ‘Emberlyn isn’t on trial here.’
Sera reluctantly sat, at which point a smirking Tyra whispered something into her ear.
‘Though it pains me to say it, since Emberlyn is my niece, I would have to agree with Sera,’ said Gill. ‘The only witch who’d do something so unethical is Emberlyn.’
Paisley groaned. ‘God, Gill, would it kill ya to leave Em alonejust once?’
Gill glared daggers at Paisley. ‘She’s an opportunist. She could have bespelled Lincoln into a killing rage herself after putting him to sleep. It enables her to implicate the coven.’
Emberlyn sighed at her aunt. ‘That theory doesn’t make any sense. Even if I was so cruel as to do something so horrid, I’d see no reason to do it. I want to know who’s sending Rabid my way. Implicating the coven would influence the direction of the investigation, which could then lead to the culprit being unidentified if they’re not a witch. Seriously, think before you speak.’
Gill’s eyes went squinty. ‘You’re not—’
‘Enough,’ said Ripper, his tone clipped.
‘It makes no sense that it be Emberlyn,’ said Reena. ‘She has nothing to gain from any of this.’
‘Untrue,’ Sera contradicted. ‘Look at how the clans no longer trust us. That could have been her goal; to isolate us from them.’
‘To attempt such a thing would risk her being alienated from her newfound allies, which would mean she then had no one,’ Reena pointed out.
