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

know if the children were the actual targets or if they were taken just because the opportunity to do so was there. I would prepare your colony, just in case.”

Tess handed me several large Ziploc bags. I’d felt her pass through the privacy bubble when she’d gone back into the restaurant and grabbed them moments ago. Gently, I took the papers from Dorn and carefully sealed them in the bags. “This should keep them dry on your way back. We’ll need to know where your people have already searched. We have a couple of leads to follow up on before we start searching the coastline.” I handed the bags back to him.

“Do you have a map?” he asked, accepting them.

“Jeremy gots one. Jus’ a minute.” He hurried inside and reappeared moments later with a map and a marker. He spread the map out on a small picnic table off to the side of the doorway.

Dorn studied the map, looked out at the water, then back at the map. Unerringly, he put his finger on the spot where Jeremy’s was located. Tracing back to the inlet that led to the estate, he began circling areas. When he was done, he said, “We still have many small hunting parties out searching, but we have found nothing. Soon we will be moving away from the coastline and expanding further east and west.”

I studied the areas he’d marked. “Okay. We’ll have to figure out a way to keep each other updated so we’re not searching areas you’ve already covered. This is a start, though.”

“I will take these back to my people and begin searching for the devices.”

“You’ll need to be thorough,” Rand said. “They can easily be hidden in unlikely items. They’re often sewn into the hems of clothing.”

Dorn arched a brow at Rand and snapped his fingers. His clothing—similar to what we’d seen him in this morning—suddenly changed into something completely different. He now wore a long, loose robe.

“Can the shifters in your colony do that little trick, too?” Rand asked, crossing his arms.

With a frown, Dorn shook his head. “No. They do require clothing for their time on land. They rarely keep any at the colony, as it is not needed there, but I concede your point. I will make sure the search is thorough. Madame.” He gave me a curt bow. “I will take my leave.” Without another word, he made for the water, disappearing beneath the waves with a splash.

Sam turned to me. “So, what now?”

Instead of answering her, I held up a finger and motioned Jeremy over. “Are there any bird shifters here that you trust?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Maybes. Depends. Wit’ what?”

“I need someone fast, someone who can stay a step or three ahead of Margo so we can see if she can actually track the things that leave her shop.” And how far.

Rubbing his chin, he said, “Jeremy gots jus’ da one fer dat job.” He cackled, making both Sam and I jump. He rubbed his palms together. “Jeremy goin’ ta have fun wit’ dis.”

“Great. Have your person pick up the package waiting at the front desk of the law offices. If you’ll give me a name, I’ll tell Louise who to expect.”

We spent the next few minutes going over my idea, with Rand, Jeremy, and Sam adding to it. By the time we were done, I had to say I was impressed. Jeremy stepped to one side of our small group to make the call to his person.

“So how are we going to do this?” Tess asked. “Will we split up? Half of us watch Margo and the other half search for the missing water fae?”

Deflating a little, I said, “I’d rather not, but I think we’ll have to. I just wish we had a real direction to begin searching for them.”

“Jeremy’s peoples watch dat Margo an’ let you know what’s goin’ on. You jus’ find dem kids.” Jeremy may have stepped away, but he was still paying attention to our conversation.

“We need to go back to the estate and search the rest of the vehicles.” Clyde was right. Even though, as Rand had said earlier, the estate’s location was likely already known, we needed to be sure. “Dutch and I won’t be much good out on the water anyway.” That statement got all of our attention.

“What? Why not?” We all turned to the horse shifters.

Looking somewhat guilty, he gave me a sheepish grin. “We’ve just never done well on boats or planes. No idea why. If we can’t travel by road or over land, we don’t travel at all.”

I’d definitely come to depend on their steady presence more than I should have. Knowing I had to respond somehow, I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “We’ll be fine, I’m sure. I’ll feel better having you guys keep an eye on what’s going on here, anyway.”

Neither of the brothers looked overly convinced, but they nodded.

Alerts chimed on all of our phones and we looked at each other in momentary confusion. Rand was the first to open the app on his phone. “It looks like Jeremy’s lookout person just forwarded something.”

He held the phone up so we could both see. Tess did the same for Sam, as did Clyde and Dutch. The video showed Harris leaving Margo’s shop, clearly recognizable despite the ball cap he was wearing. He looked around nervously as he stepped out onto the sidewalk.

“Someone needs to follow him!” I hissed. Even if he didn’t have anything to do with the missing kids, I wanted to know what he was doing back here—and if he had his memories back.

“No worries, Jeremy gots dat covered. Ms. Roxanne will knows where he stay by de end of de day.” He motioned down to the phones and we all watched as the view suddenly changed