Page 150 of Fallen Court

“Should something be happening?”

Her scowl deepened. “Oh, so you’re one of those rush-the-magic types. I hope for Cate’s sake you’re more patient in bed.”

“Life and death, remember?” I didn’t have time to deal with her attitude. Moving behind the desk, I took out a loaded clip and put it in my pocket. Something told me I was going to need it.

“Do you solve every problem with bullets?” she asked with a sigh. The pendulum remained static over the map.

“Only the ones that need a bullet.” And if someone had taken Cate, that’s what they were going to get.

Willow returned to muttering, her voice growing louder and more insistent, but still the pendulum didn’t swing. Finally, she slumped against the desk. “It’s not working. How much of that shit did you give me?”

“Maybe it’s the spell you put on her?” I suggested. Maybe it was both our faults.

No. Somehow, I knew it was mine.

“No, the occlusion should be helping me,” she said with a shake of her head. “It blocks others from seeing the secret. Not the one who binds the spell. So it was definitely unraveled. If you’re right—if she’s fae…”

Whoever was with her would know, barring a miracle.

“I don’t understand.”

“I think I do,” she said grimly, “and you aren’t going to like it.”

I didn’t like anything about this situation.

“I tried to find the killer before I came to see you,” she admitted, “but I think they’re under protection of their own.”

And the hits just kept coming.

“Like the occlusion spell?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Different and more powerful. It’s like the bona fides spell, in a way. I couldn’t get close enough to see anything, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence. If they had Cate…”

Every thought emptied from my head.

I strode toward the door before she had finished her sentence.

“Where are you going?” she demanded.

“I need to find her. Now.” If there was any chance that the killer had her, if they had discovered what I’d known in my heart even when that stupid ring had come off—that she was fae…

“You can’t just run around New Orleans hoping you run into her.” She planted her hands on her hips. “That’s stupid, and right now, we need to be smart.”

She might be right, but that didn’t change the facts. “Your magic isn’t working. I don’t have another choice.”

“Try tracking her phone?” she suggested.

I stared at her.

“Look, magic doesn’t solve everything.”

“It’s off,” I reminded her. “There has to be a more powerful spell.”

“There is, but it requires tapping into ancient magics and more power than I can muster on my own at the moment—thanks to you. We could go to the shop—”

But her tirade jogged something loose in my frantic brain.

“Wait,” I cut her off. “What kind of ancient magic?”