“Maybe.”

“And remember—there’s trouble coming to town. Big trouble. If Elizabeth knows anything about it, we should find that out sooner rather than later.”

“Okay, okay.” Though Verlaine didn’t sound enthusiastic, she gave in. “Text me the second you’re done, all right? Which should be soon.”

“A few minutes. That’s all. Promise. I’m going now, all right? Catch you later.”

Finally Nadia slid her cell into the pocket of her jeans. Within another couple of blocks, she’d reach Elizabeth’s home, and she needed to concentrate. There were certain basic protective signs to look for—plantings by the front or back door, certain stones, things like that; Nadia had done a little of this around her family’s new house already. Maybe she could spot Elizabeth’s own wards against evil. In the end, though, she thought she might end up peeking through Elizabeth’s windows like any Peeping Tom.

Was that weird and creepy? Even if she was doing it for a good cause?

But Nadia didn’t know what else to do.

Just as she got within a couple blocks of her goal, though, she saw Elizabeth.

She sat on a cast-iron bench in a weedy, bedraggled garden—a public garden, Nadia now saw from the chipped sign. Before, when she’d gone past it, she had assumed it was an abandoned lot. Swiftly she ducked behind one of the overgrown hedges, so she wouldn’t be seen.

To herself she said, You know, this is definitely going over the edge into stalking.

Elizabeth’s white cotton dress was painted periwinkle blue by the dusky sky, and her curls blew softly in the breeze. In one hand she held a bottle of water, which caught the last rays of sunlight. Nadia heard an engine’s roar—a familiar sound. Peering through the leaves of the hedge, she saw Mateo’s motorcycle zoom down the street toward her.

No. Toward Elizabeth.

He braked his bike, shut it off. The look of rapt adoration on his face as he took off his helmet—it cut Nadia deeper than she would have thought possible. Elizabeth held out her arms, and Mateo went to her. Their shadows became one as he was enveloped in her embrace.

Nadia couldn’t look anymore. For one split second, she was angry with him; then she was angrier with herself.

Why are you upset? Why are you even surprised? He cares about her. Something horrible has just happened to him. Of course Mateo would turn to Elizabeth.

No doubt Mateo was telling the truth about him and Elizabeth. But even if they weren’t together—maybe he cared more for her than he’d revealed. Maybe even more than he realized.

Nadia started walking back the way she’d come—then running. As the pavement slapped beneath each step, she felt like more and more of an idiot.

Why would Elizabeth be connected to the evil force behind everything in Captive’s Sound? Okay, she didn’t freak out today. So what? You’re pretty sure she’s a witch—that’s all—and so you ought to be making friends with her. Not spying. Not having some kind of a freak-out because she’s being nice to Mateo, the guy she’s known her whole life.