Page 36 of Of Magic and Murder

Now that gets my attention. I just thought Faith was in charge of bolstering them due to her speciality, not that she found that they were failing in the first place.

Delilah folds her hands in her lap. “There had been fluctuations for a while, but nothing we were overly concerned about. The wards around Moonburrow are old. They need maintenance occasionally. Then Faith found a few areas that were much weaker than they should’ve been.”

“Faith specialized in ward magic,” I explain to Riordan. I’m not sure if he knew that already, but he nods a thanks my way before turning his attention back on Delilah.

“One of the best I’ve ever known,” Delilah adds softly. “She volunteered to survey the boundary before we attempted any repairs. We needed to know how extensive the damage was first.”

“And she went alone?” Riordan asks.

Delilah nods. Her expression crumples for a second. “I should’ve gone with her.”

“You had no reason to think she was in danger,” I say.

“I know.” She gives me a sad smile. “But knowing that doesn’t make me stop wishing I’d made a different decision.”

Riordan purses his lips. “What happened after Max cleared the scene?”

“We brought Faith home. Performed all of the ritual ceremonies that we do when we lose a sister witch, and then, after her burial, we finished the job.”

I blink. I mean, I was aware that that the wards were closed a day or two after Olivia snuck into town, but it’s still a surprise to me that they went straight to work instead of mourning their sister witch. “Already?”

“We had to, Penelope. Especially after Faith died.” Delilah’s grief gives way to something firmer. “We didn’t know whether whatever killed her had come through one of the weak spots. And Olivia was outside Moonburrow by then, causing all sorts of trouble for the coven. It was better if she couldn’t return. Leaving the wards vulnerable wasn’t an option, and the sheriff agreed. They’ve been closed ever since.”

I knew that, too. It was a recent change, but without knowing about Faith’s murder, it just seemed like a little too little too late, that Max was shutting down the wards to stop all known threats from coming into Moonburrow because he finally accepted that Riordan wasn’t coming back.

But he did. He came back because of my spell, and now he’s sitting so close to me, I can feel his shifter heat pouring off of him…

Riordan nods. “And the wards are stable now?”

“As far as we can tell. I went out with three other witches to make sure of it. Nobody went anywhere alone, and Max ordered some of his trusted predators to stay nearby while we worked until the borders were closed. There shouldn’t be any other weak spots.” She shudders out a breath. “Though I’m sorry that Olivia was able to sneak in before we were done. I banished her from the coven because she wanted trouble. To know that she was another victim… I’m sorry that happened to her.”

Olivia… I reach out with my senses, checking to see if there’s a hint of her spectral energy nearby. I wouldn’t put it past her to pop in while we’re talking with her old coven leader. I don’t feel her anywhere near, though. Of course, that could be because Delilah has the coven house warded against witches, or because Olivia used up her energy coming to nag me while I was talking to Riordan last night.

Either way, she’s not here, but I don’t feel all that comfortable talking about her now. We’re here to ask about Faith, and that’s what I do.

“There was something else Max found when he was checking over the crime scene after Faith was removed,” I say. “A potion bottle.”

“Yes. The broken one. He brought it to the house after. I’ve been trying to figure out what Faith brewed before she died. It might’ve been a protection spell, but I haven’t been able to reverse it yet. But I promise you: the coven is just as determined as the pack to find out who killed her. And you can tell that to Serena when you talk to her.”

If I talk to her.

“You’re the head witch in Moonburrow,” Riordan says. “If anyone can figure out what potion Faith brewed, I’m sure it’s you.”

Delilah’s eyelashes flutter. “Oh. Thank you, Beta. I’ll try my best with what I have, but if you think it’ll help… Faith has a notebook. I offered it to Max, but he didn’t seem interested.” She leans in conspiratorially toward Riordan. “Because it’s about magic. Her wards and her potions… I can give it to you if you’d like.”

“I would appreciate that.”

Delilah smiles at him.

And Riordan smiles back.

Not the little twitch of his lips I’m already becoming accustomed to. A full, easy smile that changes his entire face and makes him look less like a dangerous alpha wolf and more like the sort of male who could charm just about anyone when he wants to.

Right now, it seems like he does.

Delilah fluffs her hair as she rises up from the armchair before turning, leaving the room, and disappearing down the hall. A moment later, she returns with a notebook.

She hands it to Riordan who accepts it with one of those grins that has my fingers curling.