This was magic; and what’s more, the spell had been intended for me.

Chapter 10

Cécile

I found Sabine in the storeroom filled with costumes. At the sound of my footsteps, she turned, and I caught the bright glow of expectation in her eyes. It faded quickly at the sight of my expression.

“Julian took it upon himself to drink the brandy you gave me,” I said. “Not an entirely surprising thing for him to do; what made it interesting was what happened to him afterward.”

Sabine paled.

“I think we’ll skip the part where you deny the very obvious fact there was a potion in that brandy,” I said, my voice shaking with anger. “And past the part where you obviously intended to magic me out of love with my husband. Let’s go straight to the point where you explain to me why, knowing that I’ve spent months hunting for witches who could help me, you decided to keep the fact you’d found one a secret?”

“I wasn’t keeping it from you,” she blurted out. “I only met her last night.”

“And instead of telling me straight away, you decided to take advantage of the information yourself? Anything else you’ve been keeping from me?” Had she lied to me all along?

“No!” She reached for my hand, but I stepped back, crossing my arms. “I only wanted to help you. To give you a chance to live…”

“By stealing away the most precious thing in my life?” I snarled out the words. “You want to know where Chris and I were last night? We went to see the troll king. And he tortured Tristan in front of me until I gave my word I’d find the witch for him. A binding promise. I could no sooner turn from this path now than an addict from her absinthe.”

Sabine’s face crumbled and she pressed a hand to her mouth. “Oh, Cécile. I’m so sorry.”

“Spare me,” I said, furious that Tristan would suffer so much for humanity, and this was how he was repaid. “Tell me the name of the witch and where to find her.”

“I can take you to her myself.”

Her voice was desperate with the need to make amends, but what she’d tried to do to me wasn’t something I’d forgive lightly. “So you can sabotage me further?” I shook my head. “I’ll go with Chris. At least him I can trust.”

Tears flooded down Sabine’s cheeks. “You know I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

“I thought I knew that,” I said. “Tell me her name.”

Her breath hitched. “They call her La Voisin – the neighbor. She’s got a shop in Pigalle.”

The words sang through me; and for a moment, they chased away my anger, fear, and even my love for Tristan in order to make room for the single-minded purpose of my hunt. I clenched my teeth and dug my nails into my palms to regain control of the compulsion, but it was like trying to stop a wave with my bare hands. “Let’s hope she can help me, and some good might come from this.”