ChapterTwo
“Nik!” My hands shake as I hurry back into the house. Hunter bumps his nose against me, trying to give me some comfort. “Nik!” I shout again, trying to wake him up. “Nik!” With trembling fingers, I grip the railing and put my foot on the first wooden step. It creaks beneath my weight and my knees feel like they might buckle.
Ethan just got arrested.For murder.
This is bad. Really fucking bad. I want to believe we’ll figure this out and I’ll go down to the station with evidence proving his innocence, but how?
“Yes, milady?” Nik asks, stepping into the hall. His brown hair is messy and he’s wearing blue plaid PJ pants and a black t-shirt. “If a demon is attacking, tell it to come back when it’s not so early.”
“It’s the afternoon,” I say, voice thin. “And…it’s…it’s not a demon. Ethan just got arrested.” I make it the rest of the way up the stairs, stopping at the landing. Nik blinks several times, looking at me as if he didn’t hear me correctly. “For Patrick’s murder. The hunter who was found burned to death.”
“By Kornath.”
I bob my head up and down. “But they arrested Ethan and I bet the Order is behind this. They’re pissed at him for leaving and they’re pissed at him for dating me:a witch.”
“Okay,” Nik starts and inhales deeply. “Do you know a lawyer?”
“Um, just the one who handled Aunt Estelle’s affairs after she died, but I don’t think he does criminal cases? Fuck, Ethan isn’t a criminal. Well, I guess he is on some accounts of breaking and entering, but he’s not a murderer!”
“I know,” Nik says calmly, eyes wide. “We’ll start by finding a lawyer.”
“And tell them what?” I ask as the reality of the situation comes crashing down on me. “That Ethan is innocent because a demon is the real murderer, but don’t worry about that because I used a flaming sword to kill her!”
“I wouldn’t tell a lawyer you killed anyone.” Nik makes a face. “Even a demon. They might think you’re speaking metaphorically.”
“Right.” I bring my hand to my forehead, feeling like the world is spinning around me. “He said to call his dad.”
“Then that’s what you should do. I know I’ve heard Ethan talk about other times he’s been arrested, and yes—” Nik holds up a hand to keep me from protesting. “I know the Order was able to step in and pull strings and he’s not part of the Order now. But his family still is. They could help.”
“Unless they really are behind this.”
“Well, yes, I supposed they would not be helpful then.” Nik comes down the hall and puts both hands on my shoulders. “It’s going to be okay, Anora.”
“How? I have no idea how to prove Ethan is innocent?”
“You are a witch,” he says slowly. “Surely, we can come up with some way to get Ethan out of jail.”
I nod again, letting his words sink in. I am a witch. I can cast spells and sway opinions and probably do a lot of things Ishouldn’tdo. Though in this case, it’s justified.
Because Ethan didn’t kill anyone.
“I’ll call his dad.”
“Good.” Nik gives my shoulders a squeeze. “He was on his way to work, right?”
“Shit, yes.”
“Did he take his phone, by chance?”
“I don’t know,” I reply. “The police didn’t check his pockets or anything.”
Nik holds up a finger and rushes back into his room, coming back a few seconds later with his own phone. He calls Ethan’s and we hear it ringing downstairs. “Call Ethan’s dad. I’ll come up with a reason for him not to show up to work.”
“Food poisoning,” I offer, not knowing what kind of weird excuse Nik might use. “Send a text. His phone password is zero-eight-two-seven.”
“The day you two met?” Nik’s lips curve into a smile.
“Yeah. The day we met. I thought he was a vampire.” I smile as well, mind flitting back to that night. I was drunk and upset and walked out of the bar with no destination in mind and just happened to cross paths with Ethan. “Thanks, Nik.”