MAKING MAGICKAL ALLIANCES: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Novel Leigh Raventhorne (read the beginning after the end novel TXT) 📖

for the purchase of this shop.” She made an elegant gesture to encompass the space we were in. “I don’t know how much your aunt told you of our friendship before she passed, but we did discuss her selling this place to me. Unfortunately she passed before we could make that happen. She and I knew each other for a very long time. She entrusted this shop to me nearly twenty-five years ago, you know. I’ve been leasing the space for almost fifteen years now.”

She was fishing. “Oh? How odd that she never mentioned you. I’m afraid you really would need to discuss anything like that with my business representative.”

Her gaze turned calculating. “Of course. I too, found it unusual that she never mentioned having a niece. Or even a sister. Do you have a card with your address or a phone number where you can be reached?”

“As I said, that’s something you’ll have to discuss with the firm, should I even decide I want to sell. Many of these little places,” I flicked my wrist dismissively and looked around, “do generate a surprisingly impressive amount of income.” I saw her eyes lock onto my bracelet as my sleeve slid down. Oops. Dropping my hand, I turned to hide the movement and noticed the two teenagers surreptitiously watching Margo. With Margo’s attention on me, one of them slipped something from the bin into her pocket, then the two of them walked out the door like they didn’t have a care in the world. As the bell tinkled, I felt a small flare of . . . magick? Interesting. Margo’s eyes snapped over to the door, and she started to move. She passed me, but pulled up short when Jeremy stepped over, effectively blocking her path. Backing away, she moved back behind the counter, but her eyes followed the teenagers until they were out of sight. Since I was standing further back, I saw the two duck in the store next door—probably to see what they could pocket there, also. When I turned back to face Margo, her eyes were on the wall that divided her shop from that one. And they still seemed to be following some sort of movement. A quick glance at Rand told me he’d noticed that too. Curiouser and curiouser. Did she have some sort of spell on items that left the shop? Something that allowed her to follow where that item was? If so, how was she able to do it? My gaze dropped to the jumble of necklaces around her neck. If any held pendants or stones, they were hidden beneath her clothing and scarves. She had a row of earrings on one ear, but only a couple on the other. Her wrists were hidden beneath the voluminous sleeves on her blouse, but she could have been wearing any number of bracelets.

With a shake of my head, I approached the display case and perused the jewelry in it. Most of it looked vintage, but nice quality, which was definitely reflected by the price tags. Maybe I could put that spell or whatever it was to a little test.

Margo’s interest in the two girls warred with the chance at a potential sale. I saw the moment the idea occurred to her that she might get more than just a sale out of this and I ducked my head to hide my smile. “Does something in the case interest you, Ms. Devraux? I can assure you, it is all very high quality.”

“That necklace, there.” I pointed to an elegant piece encrusted with either tiny rubies or garnets, I couldn’t tell which. “And this ring, here.” The ring had a huge, pale yellow stone set in silver.

“Excellent choices.” She pulled them from their displays inside the case, and set them on the black velvet board she produced from somewhere I hadn’t seen, rather than on the glass of the case. “The ring is citrine and the stones in the necklace are garnet.” She slid the velvet board toward me. The catty smirk on her face gave me enough pause that I almost questioned if this was the right course.

Gingerly, I picked the ring up, wondering if I’d be able to tell if there was magick or any kind of spell on it. Turning it slowly, as if to examine it, I reached out with my own magick. The ring lit up so bright, I nearly dropped it. With a nervous glance up at Margo, I breathed easier when she didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. When I picked up the necklace, it lit up, too, though not quite as brightly as the ring had.

Zara, are you seeing this?

Yes. They look familiar. Purchase them. And take a look at her while you’re at it.

From beneath my lashes, I glanced up at her. She was lit up like a christmas tree. Each earring, all of her necklaces, both wrists, and something under her clothing that was probably a belt, glowed with magick. What the heck?

Setting the pieces down, I slid the board back to her. “I’ll take them both. Is cash okay?”

When we left the shop, we went straight to Jeremy’s truck. As soon as we pulled away, I told the two men about what I’d seen and asked Jeremy to take us over to Lido Law while I texted Sam to see if Rayna was there today. Sam texted back ‘yes’ and offered to meet us in the lobby. Next, I sent a quick text to Clyde to update him on our whereabouts and let him know I’d message him when we were headed back to the resort. Jeremy pulled into the parking space reserved for me, but chose to wait for us in the truck, saying he had a few calls to make. Rand and I went through the tightened security process of having to be buzzed in, and just as