Free Elemental Moon: The Eldritch Files, Book Three by Phaedra Weldon Page A

accusing me of somehow magically making them disappear with my bare hands?" I ran my fingers through my hair. "Get out. All of you."
    I was juiced with something that smoldered in my very veins at that moment. I also knew if I didn't get them out of there right then, there was going to be more than just exploding water fountains. I had that same red haze in front of me; the same knot in the pit of my stomach, and the voices had become a murmur in my ears. I knew if I wanted, I could reduce each of them to ash. Little piles of gray ash I could sweep into the dirty street outside my shop walls.
    Kyle placed himself between the powerful Witch and myself, his hands balled into fists. If there wasn't a magical cap on the vicinity, I knew those fists would be ignited in blue and yellow light. "You heard her. You have been asked to leave. Without express written consent by the local magistrate of the Parliament representatives in this Parish, you aren't allowed to remain once asked to leave. The only way that can be overridden is if you have legal documentation of a complaint against the property owner. Do you?"
    I peeked out from behind Kyle's shoulder to get a good look at Cromwell's face. It was not an expression I ever wanted directed at me.
    But to my surprise, Cromwell turned, motioned with his right hand and Fred fell to the ground. Fred left with a sneer directed toward me as he pressed a hand to his back, as did Mister Air and Emily. Miss Water didn't even look and hurried out through the door.
    Cromwell stayed in front of the door and faced us. "Samantha, I look forward to your completion of the task."
    Kyle said, "You did this to an innocent woman, Mr. Dryden. Sam's not guilty of anything. How about instead of trying to blame her for things, investigate why they happen and who has it out for her?"
    Cromwell didn't say anything else before he turned and left the shop. The lights immediately flickered and my ears popped again. Kyle snapped his fingers and the blue and yellow lights vanished. Kyle was a good head taller than me, but not quite as tall as Ivan. He put his hands on my shoulders. "You okay? Why were you talking about a gnat? There are no gnats. I spelled all bugs out of this shop."
    "It was nothing." But it wasn't. That voice was still there, but I couldn't make out words anymore. Just…buzzing. "That was a grand speech you gave in front of him and the others. You do know if you poke at a dragon it'll burn you."
    "Dragons aren't real. Clerics are. And Clerics can't work in a vacuum. Trust me, my aunt knows the rules backwards and forwards. That's why she breaks them so often." He pulled me into his arms and we hugged. It was a rare moment for the two of us. We hadn't been particularly close since I took Crwys in as a partner of Bell, Book And Candle . "Sam, I think they suspect something. About you and Arcane. Why else tell you to go chase an Arcane artifact? And when it's all over with, they can't know about your Arcane, Sam."
    "I know," I said, though my voice was muffled into his chest. I finally pulled back and put my hands on my hips as I looked down at Grey looking up at me. "If I tell them about the Arcane, and about what happened at my dad's they'll destroy me."
    "Destroy you?" Jack moved in closer. "What does that mean?"
    "It means they'll kill her. It would be a mercy killing since Arcane always causes…issues."
    I sighed. "Just say it, Kyle. It causes madness."
    "If it does, then why do you use it?" Jack asked.
    I smiled at Jack before I glanced at Kyle, and then nodded to Jack. "You should brief him on what's been going on."
    "I thought it was better not to. The less he knows the less anyone can torture it out of him."
    "Torture?" Now the wolf dude came even closer. "No one said anything about torture."
    "We don't torture," I said. "Much. I think the Faerie still torture. They like things like that."
    You bet your ass they do.
    I relayed Grey's comment.
    "So what happens if you keep using this