“I don’t have it,” Sabine said.
Cassandra was no fool; she knew when someone was lying to her. She walked up to the old woman and pressed the gun against her wrinkled neck. “Where is it, Sabine? Tell me, or your aunt will get a bullet in her skull.”
Sabine’s eyes darted to her aunt, then to her left, then quickly back to Cassandra. Sabine probably didn’t even know she’d done it, but she’d just shown Cassandra precisely where the precious elixir was.
Max watched Cassandra’s London estate come into view as the carriage made its way up the drive. Sabine had gone into the shop to help Calliope today, so Max had taken the opportunity to pay Cassandra a visit. It had been years since he’d been here, but the stone structure looked the same—still large and ornate and hideously grand. Ten years ago, he should have known simply by looking at her house that she was not the right sort of woman for him.
But there was no right kind of woman for him. He was only interested in a few nights of pleasure, here and there, nothing long-term, nothing serious. Though it seemed he would never tire of Sabine. But that had no bearing on anything. He’d promised himself a long time ago that he’d never have a family again.
He rapped on the heavy wooden door and waited.
A few moments later, it swung open to reveal Johns. The man’s eyes widened. “What do you want?” he asked.
“Where is Cassandra?” Max asked. He elbowed his way into the foyer and walked down the hall.
“She’s out.” Johns’s voice echoed down the high-ceilinged hall.
Max turned to face the man. “And she left you here alone?”
“I don’t know where she went.”
Max started to argue, but for some reason he believed Johns was telling the truth. It could have been that he questioned whether the man was bright enough to formulate a lie, or perhaps it was simply the honesty in his expression.
Max stepped back over to the front door. “If I find out that you and Cassandra are behind all of these murders—” He paused and took a deep breath. “Leave Sabine and her aunts alone.” Then he strode out the door.
CHAPTER21
“Silly girl,” Cassandra spat as she walked over to the cabinet.
Cassandra was right, Sabine realized, she was a silly girl. Of course, they kept some of the elixir here at the shop to use when putting their concoctions together. A guardian could always separate the elixir, but the amphora with the main supply had to remain safe. She was thankful that was safely tucked away at Max’s house. Still, it appeared the small amount here was in danger of being stolen.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sabine lied, though she knew it was too late to fool Cassandra.
Still aiming the gun at both Sabine and Calliope, Cassandra knelt at the cabinet and opened the drawers.
Sabine had never considered that the Chosen One might be a woman. Foolish, really, considering her mother and now aunt had been guardian. It would take Cassandra a while to locate the bottle; still it seemed unlikely that tonight would end well.
Cassandra had obviously figured out the connection Sabine had with Atlantis and thus believed she was the remaining guardian. Evidently, she thought Sabine kept the entirety of the elixir here at the shop. Once she realized that the rest of it was elsewhere, she would, no doubt, return.
Or perhaps Cassandra would simply shoot both Sabine and Calliope and be done with it. Thankfully Agnes and Lydia had remained at the townhome today with Max’s guards to protect them. So at least they were safe.
Cassandra withdrew the baskets of scented oils, herbs, and other ingredients for the beauty products Sabine sold. With a basket in hand, Cassandra made her way to the table closest to Sabine and Calliope. She picked up a couple of bottles, examined them, then placed them back.
“How do you tell what is what?” she asked tartly. “None of these bottles are labeled.”
“It is not difficult to know the difference between rosemary and rose oil,” Sabine said.
Cassandra eyed her for a moment, then recognition lit her icy blue eyes. “The scents.” She stood and walked back to Sabine and Calliope. “But first, we need to make certain that the two of you hold still. We can’t have you trying to be brave while I’m distracted. Where is some rope?” she asked.
“Why should we help you tie us up?” Calliope asked, then crossed her arms over her chest. Her diminutive frame did little to make her appearance formidable.
“Because, old woman, if you don’t, I’ll simply shoot you and then I’ll know the girl here will hold still. Should I just do that instead?” Again, she held the gun to the woman’s throat.
“No, please,” Sabine said quickly. “There’s rope, under there.” She pointed to a shelf to their right. “On the bottom. I’m afraid it’s rather thin, since we only use it for parcels. We’re currently out of rope for tying up people.”
“Watch your tongue and don’t move,” Cassandra said. She walked over to the shelf Sabine had indicated and bent to search for the rope.
Sabine wasted no time in seizing the free moment and picked up a chair, slamming it down over Cassandra’s back. The woman screeched and dropped the gun. Sabine dove for the weapon, slamming her body onto the hard floor and reaching for the pistol.