I didn’t know much about the Rowan Coven. I only knew it was small considering how old the Rowan name was which was unusual. Had I done the right thing bringing Wilder here? Or was this going to open a can of worms that we wouldn’t be able to get the lid back onto?
Only one way to find out, I guess.
“Good morning, you two,” Genevieve said brightly as we walked into the main reception area. She looked a vision in an emerald-green blouse and black pencil skirt but how she managed to walk on those heels, I’d never know. Her soft brown waves framed her delicate face, and her blue eyes were clear and perceptive.
Wilder grunted in response and the temptation to slap the back of his head for being rude to his sister-in-law was almost too hard to resist.
Genevieve arched a brow in question as she turned to face me, but I shrugged. If Wilder wanted to be an ass, he could go ahead.
“Hello Genevieve, where is Dara?” I asked, wanting to get this over and done with. I wanted to take Wilder home where I could keep him away from the world.
“Straight to the point as usual, Byron,” Genevieve chuckled as she put her blazer on. “She’s waiting for you in the spell room. I’m sorry I cannot stay; I have an important meeting this morning with a client. I hope it goes well for you both and you find the answers you’re looking for.”
Then she brushed past us and left the penthouse. I pursed my lips and watched her leave. It would have been better if Genevieve could have stayed. For Wilder’s sake. She could have at least run interference between the siblings if things got heated. Which was likely considering the mood that Wilder was in.
“Let’s get this over with,” he grumbled and headed deeper into the apartment. This place was large and encompassed the entire top floor of the building. There were floor to ceiling windows along the length of the outer walls and there was a terrace with a pool as well. This place wasfancy.
I followed Wilder into the spell room, and it was like I’d stepped back in time. The rest of the apartment was all modern but in here, it was dimly lit and smelled like the earth. Everything was made of a dark wood and in the centre of the room was a large wooden table that looked like it had come straight from the medieval period. Above it hung all manner of tokens, symbols and swathes of herbs and plants. The far wall was stacked with jars and books and there was a large open fire on one side with a cauldron bubbling away.
“You really give ‘witch aesthetic’ a whole new meaning, Dara,” I said as I approached the table. I’d seen plenty of spell rooms in my lifetime, but this one was by far the most impressive.
“Good morning, Byron. I’d say it was a pleasure, but I really don’t like you,” Dara said, her arms folded across her chest and her green eyes sparking in the low light. “Care to tell me why I got a call from the Morozov number two saying I had to grant this visit?”
I looked to Wilder, but he’d disappeared into the shadows of the room. He radiated nervous energy, hopping from one foot to the other and his breathing was erratic. Something wasn’t right, and I didn’t like it.
I strode over to him and pulled his hood down. He flinched when I touched him so I held my hands up so he could see them. His eyes were wild, darting all over the place and his bottom lip was red and swollen like he’d been biting it.
“I can’t do this,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “I don’t—I can’t…”
“It’s okay, Wilder,” I said softly. “You’re not on your own here. We can figure this out together.”
He held my gaze for a long time, searching for something within the depth of my eyes. I wasn’t sure what he found there, but it was enough to have him nodding with determination and taking a step towards the stupidly large table.
I wonder what it was that he saw.
Dara watched the pair of us closely, curiosity in her gaze as I stood next to Wilder.
“Is there something going on here between you two?” she asked.
“No,” Wilder said quickly, a blush creeping over his cheeks.
I shrugged but didn’t answer. It wasn’t her business.
She settled her hands on the table and leaned forward. “Fine, be weird. Now, what are you both doing here?”
Wilder took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. “I’ve been having visions and during the last vision, I blacked out and my magic fled me and stored itself safely within Byron.”
Dara’s expression remained suspiciously blank. “Anything else?”
“Nope,” Wilder replied with a shake of his head.
“He’s been having nightmares and wakes up screaming,” I supplied helpfully.
“Byron,” he hissed.
“What? You might as well tell her everything.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered ‘asshole’ under his breath.