Read Online Women of the Otherworld 10.5 - Counterfeit Magic by Kelley Armstrong - Free Book Online
Authors: Kelley Armstrong
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the mud-flaps.
“Classy,” Savannah said. “Love the mud flaps. I didn’t think they still made those.”
“No hit on the plate,” I said as I finished searching it on my phone. “Fake.”
“Like I said, a classy guy. Since we don’t have a name, I vote for Guido.” She caught my look. “Yeah, yeah, I’m sure there are perfectly nice guys named Guido. In some universe.”
We made our way inside the barn. Ethan and his guest—no, I wasn’t calling him Guido— were in the office. We zipped into the main room under blur spells. In the silence, the voices came clearly through the closed office door.
Ethan was talking. “—listened to what you have to say. Now I’d like you to leave.”
“I’m only trying to help,” the other man whined.
“No, you’re trying to blackmail me. I suspect you’re new to it, so let me give you some advice. In order to effect a successful blackmail scheme, you need to know something blackmail worthy. Something important to your victim.”
“Important? Your brother is trying to sabotage your operation here and—”
“The second piece of advice? Do your research. Make sure your information is reliable. If you’re going to try passing off lies, at least be sure the lie will work. Know who you’re dealing with.”
“I know who I’m dealing with. A guy who gave up his life to look after a kid brother who’s now—”
“Turning on him. Ruining the business. After I devoted my life to raising him. After I built this club so he’d have a place to fight. Is this where I start ranting? Swear vengeance? As I said, sir , do your research. You’ve cast me in a very poorly fitting role. You can bring me all the evidence you want; my answer will remain the same. I trust my brother.”
“Then you’re a fool.”
“Perhaps I am. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
* * * *
We zipped out ahead of Ethan and his visitor. The other man left. We followed and got a few pictures of him. Then we went back to the barn.
Ethan was still in his office.
“Hey,” Savannah said. “I hope it’s okay coming by like this—”
He turned in his chair, the squeak cutting Savannah short.
“Hello, Georgia,” he said. “Or do you prefer Savannah?”
Before I could find my voice, Ethan continued. “You woke me up in the middle of the night, you know. I suddenly remembered where I knew you from. Well, not you. Your mother. I met her once. I was sixteen, just starting to see ghosts. My father had heard that Eve Levine knew a spell that would fix that.”
“Fix it?”
“Take away my powers. Or at least make them more manageable. Necromancy drove my grandmother mad. An old story. My father didn’t want that for me, so he took me to your mother. Turned out the rumor was false. There is no such spell. She was nice enough about it, considering her reputation. Gave us some vervain to help me banish ghosts and told us where to buy more.”
“Since you know my mother’s rep, you know why I used a fake name. No one’s going into a ring against Eve Levine’s daughter.”
“True, but that’s not the side of the family you’re trying to hide. I contacted a few sources this morning. Information is still trickling in, but I did get the identity of your father. Clever of the Nasts, sending a witch as a spy. Please tell your family that if they insist on sending spies and blackmailers, I’ll file a complaint with the interracial council. I hear they’re actually getting off their asses and doing something about issues like this.”
“We’re trying,” I said.
Ethan turned to me, as if he’d forgotten I was there.
“If you want to complain to the council, that’d be her,” Savannah said. “Alternatively, you could hire Lucas Cortez to defend you. That’d also be her. But if you want to send a message to the Nasts, that wouldn’t be me. I could try, but
“Classy,” Savannah said. “Love the mud flaps. I didn’t think they still made those.”
“No hit on the plate,” I said as I finished searching it on my phone. “Fake.”
“Like I said, a classy guy. Since we don’t have a name, I vote for Guido.” She caught my look. “Yeah, yeah, I’m sure there are perfectly nice guys named Guido. In some universe.”
We made our way inside the barn. Ethan and his guest—no, I wasn’t calling him Guido— were in the office. We zipped into the main room under blur spells. In the silence, the voices came clearly through the closed office door.
Ethan was talking. “—listened to what you have to say. Now I’d like you to leave.”
“I’m only trying to help,” the other man whined.
“No, you’re trying to blackmail me. I suspect you’re new to it, so let me give you some advice. In order to effect a successful blackmail scheme, you need to know something blackmail worthy. Something important to your victim.”
“Important? Your brother is trying to sabotage your operation here and—”
“The second piece of advice? Do your research. Make sure your information is reliable. If you’re going to try passing off lies, at least be sure the lie will work. Know who you’re dealing with.”
“I know who I’m dealing with. A guy who gave up his life to look after a kid brother who’s now—”
“Turning on him. Ruining the business. After I devoted my life to raising him. After I built this club so he’d have a place to fight. Is this where I start ranting? Swear vengeance? As I said, sir , do your research. You’ve cast me in a very poorly fitting role. You can bring me all the evidence you want; my answer will remain the same. I trust my brother.”
“Then you’re a fool.”
“Perhaps I am. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
* * * *
We zipped out ahead of Ethan and his visitor. The other man left. We followed and got a few pictures of him. Then we went back to the barn.
Ethan was still in his office.
“Hey,” Savannah said. “I hope it’s okay coming by like this—”
He turned in his chair, the squeak cutting Savannah short.
“Hello, Georgia,” he said. “Or do you prefer Savannah?”
Before I could find my voice, Ethan continued. “You woke me up in the middle of the night, you know. I suddenly remembered where I knew you from. Well, not you. Your mother. I met her once. I was sixteen, just starting to see ghosts. My father had heard that Eve Levine knew a spell that would fix that.”
“Fix it?”
“Take away my powers. Or at least make them more manageable. Necromancy drove my grandmother mad. An old story. My father didn’t want that for me, so he took me to your mother. Turned out the rumor was false. There is no such spell. She was nice enough about it, considering her reputation. Gave us some vervain to help me banish ghosts and told us where to buy more.”
“Since you know my mother’s rep, you know why I used a fake name. No one’s going into a ring against Eve Levine’s daughter.”
“True, but that’s not the side of the family you’re trying to hide. I contacted a few sources this morning. Information is still trickling in, but I did get the identity of your father. Clever of the Nasts, sending a witch as a spy. Please tell your family that if they insist on sending spies and blackmailers, I’ll file a complaint with the interracial council. I hear they’re actually getting off their asses and doing something about issues like this.”
“We’re trying,” I said.
Ethan turned to me, as if he’d forgotten I was there.
“If you want to complain to the council, that’d be her,” Savannah said. “Alternatively, you could hire Lucas Cortez to defend you. That’d also be her. But if you want to send a message to the Nasts, that wouldn’t be me. I could try, but
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