Page 36 of The Noldrin Witch

The bird flew slower and slower. Elise was frightened at the thought that this unnatural force had singled her out and come to attack her again, but the crow did no such thing. Instead, the black bird took on a peaceful air and settled on Elise’s shoulder with the ease of a well-trained companion.

No one dared to speak, and Elise stood there, too fearful to turn but brave enough to hold her head up. It was a delicate balance that didn’t go unnoticed by the witches and the demons. Devon and Seth exchanged a look while Morgaine and Beth shared a grin.

“It seems you have your answer, demons,” Morgaine whispered.

Devon glanced at Morgaine, though his attention seemed to rest on Elise’s feathered new acquaintance. After a moment, it became plain the crow had made a home of her shoulder. Elise gathered enough courage to look at it, and when she did, the bird gave a few small hops as if welcoming the attention.

“Divinity of the north or not, the girl got it fair and square,” Beth remarked as if that settled it.

Chapter 16

Morgaine was still trying to understand how Elise had managed to attract the attention of one of the divinities from the far end of the magic world. She had read the name Danu long ago during her years of employment with the king. The inglorious name was inscribed on a stone hidden in one of the secret gardens in the castle. She knew nothing about the divinity, though she had the feeling that would change soon. The only thing that seemed certain was that the demons were not pleased by the sudden turn of events. Devon drew her aside for a private word, the faint scent of sulfur about him suggesting he was not in the best of tempers.

Once they were in the woods, Devon closed the distance between them, the aroma of the infernal mineral growing to a noticeable degree. A faint vapor began to rise from his shoulders. Morgaine had never succumbed to his charms, though certainly not for lack of interest. It had taken all her resolve to refuse the many indecorous proposals he had made over the past century.

In all the years of heated exchanges, this was the first time they were truly alone. And as the good telling among the witches goes: What happens in the woods stays in the woods. Morgaine was measuring the chances of a small fling. She knew she was not at her strongest when good looks were involved, and Devon was as fine as one can get.

She had often been told that being with a demon was a delicacy, a rare dish one ought to try. Some said witches and demons were meant to complement each other. Those who had borne demon descendants were said to have a stronger connection to the magic world. But there were drawbacks to meddling with gentlemen of the other side. Demons were territorial creatures, and they were not easy to escape once crossed. Morgaine knew well enough that no such relationship ever ended without trouble for her. Henrik had been the calmer sort, and even then, they had their disagreements. She preferred not to imagine what those quarrels would look like with someone like Devon.

To Morgaine’s good fortune, she didn’t need to weigh whether the matter was worth the trouble for long as the handsome demon began speaking with an unfamiliar seriousness.

“Tell me all you know about the woman under your protection,” he rasped.

Morgaine’s brow furrowed. “Elise?”

“Do you have another who has been claimed by Danu?”

A ghost of a laugh escaped Morgaine. “What’s the problem with that, anyway? I didn’t do anything to make it happen, and clearly neither did you.”

Devon drew closer as he tried to regain his usual smile. “Morgaine,” he purred. “Please tell me you didn’t bring the girl only to cause trouble.”

“Why would I do that?”

The demon’s gaze swept across her cleavage. “You come wearing this and pretend you didn’t mean to disrupt?”

Satisfied that her dress had produced the desired effect, Morgaine closed the distance and looked Devon in the eye. She stood close enough to breathe in the scent of sulfur as though it were her own. The demonic perfume grew more pleasant, and somehow more tempting, the longer she lingered there.

“How could I have known Elise would summon your precious Danu?” she said, batting her eyelashes just a bit.

“Morgaine.” Devon shook his head and glanced at her lips. Morgaine felt a delicious sense of danger and an inconvenient warmth between her thighs.

She let her lips hover near his, kissing the air between them before smirking.

“I swear it was not my doing,” she said. “I found Elise wandering between kingdoms and, as you saw with your own eyes, she is too pretty to leave without protection. She turned out to be quick-witted and hard-working. On my account, those are already enough virtues for most mortals. I didn’t have the heart to deny her the chance to learn the craft.”

Devon listened attentively, his breath quickening as she spoke, his lips drawing closer and closer to hers.

“Is that all?” he asked, his mouth slightly parted.

Morgaine stretched her arms, revealing a little more of what the low neckline of her dress failed to conceal. “Devon, have I ever lied to you? Why are you treating me like a criminal?”

Devon, seemingly unable to resist the enticing sight any longer, took Morgaine by the waist and pulled her close. Their bodies were an inch apart. Morgaine could feel the insufferable heat that was surely driving the demon mad.

She gently pushed him away. “I don’t mingle with infernals and you know it.”

Devon drew a sharp breath, looking at her with long naked desire. Morgaine thought she caught the faintest tremor in his arms, though she knew this was no innocent fellow like Volker. Devon was a commander of Hell and this was merely child’s play for him.

“I believe you,” he said. “Though I must tell you that Elise has to come with Seth and me to the other side after what happened.”