Concealed (Unbound, Book 4)

Chapter Forty-One

*****

"Now what?" Calin asked as we sat in the library at his house.

I rubbed Onyx's head as I read over the spell I'd written and crushed herbs together. Idly, I asked, "Do you have the charms you took? We could look for clues while we wait for your mom to get home."

"They've been cleansed."

"Oh." Bending over, I took a white candle out of my bag and started to dress it so that it would cleanse the area before I cast the spell. I rubbed the essential oils I'd brought just as I had during the test for WC-1, then sprinkled the herbs I'd crushed near the base and at the indent by the wick at the top.

"You're way too calm, Nora, and you haven't explained anything to me."

"We're waiting for your mom to get home," I said as I took a lighter to melt the bottom of the candle enough so that the wax would stick to the base. Pressing them together, I looked at Calin. "I need the Book of Shadows I gave her that Devland spelled. It's the only thing that hasn't been cleansed and we know has his signature on it. I'd call Nancy, but I've been avoiding doing that so he wouldn't think the entries I made in that Book of Shadows were false."

"It's like you've been planning this all along."

"No, it's like I've been keeping my guard up," I said, smiling. "It simply works in our favor."

Calin laughed but quickly sobered as the door to the library opened. Islene walked in and Onyx lifted her head from my toes. Islene's eyes darted towards the dog, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she crossed the room and stopped at the table, looking directly at me. I let go of the candlestick and licked my lips, opening my mouth to speak.

"Nora—"

"Islene—"

"I think Devland is Maible's father," we both finally said in unison as Calin's eyes widened and darted between us.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I had lunch with Maible's mother, and it was the only outcome that fit." She shrugged. "You?"

Calin laughed and I shot him a shushing glare. Turning back to Islene, I said, "I have sensed Maible, but it's always been limited. I was talking with Calin and something about what he said made something Devland told me click."

"You can't sense people who are related to you," Calin said.

I nodded. "But, since I can already sense the part that isn't, it made sense that that was what was inhibiting me from discovering who bound her. When I tried to sense who that was, I always drew a blank." I stood up. "Do you have the Book of Shadows that Devland spelled?"

"Nora, I don't think that writing an entry is going to resolve this situation," Islene said.

"Oh, that's not what she wants to do," Calin said and, despite sounding disbelieving, he came to stand beside me and put his hand on the small of my back.

Islene looked at me and furrowed her brow.

"Well, I..." I turned my head to glare at Calin, then looked at Islene. "I can't sense half of Maible or Devland at all. It's like a wall."

"I could sense him," she said.

I shook my head, recalling the sense of familiarity I felt when I tried to figure out who bound Maible. Thinking back, I felt stupid for thinking my own magic was getting weaker when I felt stronger all the time. Maible had been able to go through the barrier into my suite when I had spelled it so no one except Calin or a blood relation could cross it. Not once but twice I had overlooked it.