He shook his head. “They’re evil, Claudia. Pure evil.”

My jaw dropped open before I could stop it. The hoped I’d been feeling smashed into a million pieces. “No. They can’t be.” I looked back at the spot. The pure white aura was there. A bit of darkness surrounded it if I really squinted, but the center of the aura looked like freshly fallen snow. “It’s white. What I see is white. White magic always means good magic.”

“I can’t explain why you’re seeing what you’re seeing, but I know those mages. They’re beyond bad. We’ve had a few run-ins with the foul things they’ve summoned, and they weren’t pretty. I can’t take you there.”

I chewed on my lip as I thought it through. There was only one possibility that made sense. “Regardless of whether they’re evil, they must have something that belongs to the white mages we’re looking for. I have to go check.”

Lucas grasped my arms. “I meant that literally. I can’t take you. The second I step on their land, they’ll know I’m there. Even if I could bring you there, they won’t help you or give you what you want. There has to be something else. Take another look.” He spun me around. “Please.”

I looked, methodically scanning the view and hoping for once there was a solution that didn’t involve me reaching out to dark mages, but none of the energies out there came close to pure white. Except that one spot. “No. If we had a better lead, I’d take your advice, but I don’t have that luxury. There’s nothing else.” Someday, I’d be allowed to make a choice that wasn’t a last resort, but until then…

If had to go through more dark magic to save Raphael, then I’d do it.

Regardless of the cost.

“I can’t take you.” He let go of me, and ran his hands through his hair, pulling it for a second before letting go. He looked down at me with resignation. “Nothing will change that.”

Then I remembered something that made everything that much more awful.

Boy did I not want to do this. But if Lucas wouldn’t—couldn’t help me, then I had to find someone who would. “There’s another way I can get in.”

His expression changed from resignation to anger. “Please tell me you’re not talking about that asshole from this morning.”

I winced. “He’s the next in line to his coven in upstate New York. He knows all the other coven leaders. They have meetings over winter solstice. He can get me in for sure.”

“No. No. Just no,” he said the word fiercely. “I don’t like you spending any time with him. At all.”

I wasn’t sure if he was jealous or just plain didn’t like Matt. I was probably imagining the former, but he did seem a little jealous. “Me neither, but I don’t have a lot of options.”

Lucas grabbed my hand before starting back down the path. He didn’t say anything the whole hike back, but he never once let go of my hand. Not until after he’d helped me into the van.