Big Beautiful Witches: I Married A Warlock Read Online Free PDF Page B

is that the merchants have put up a reward for the identities of the culprits.”
    “Me? I…” She took a quick sip of tea, bending down to hide the disappointment that flooded through her. 
    Of course. He hadn’t come up to her apartment to seduce her.   He’d only come by looking for her because of her green witch powers.  Not because he was interested in her in any other way. Had she actually let herself think that for a moment? She was a fool. An utter fool.
    “I don’t know, Erik,” she said, staring out the window without seeing anything. “I don’t see how my powers could help in this case.”
    And she was reminded yet again why she’d always avoided spending time with Erik in the past, why she turned him down when he invited her out for coffee or a drink, pretending to be too busy.  Being around him was painful; he was the craving she couldn’t indulge in, the itch she couldn’t scratch, the one addiction her herbs wouldn’t cure. 
    And despite three years of his absence, the moment she’d set eyes on him, the longing inside her pulsed just as fiercely. She could really use the extra money, but at what cost to her peace of mind?
    “There’s two reasons you’re perfect for this job,” Erik continued enthusiastically.  “One, you know this neighborhood, you know the people here. People are more likely to talk to you than to me.  They trust you. And two, nobody expects that a green witch will be investigating, so they won’t have taken countermeasures.  They’ll wear gloves so they don’t leave fingerprints, masks and hats so the video surveillance cameras can’t capture a picture of their faces, use charms to cloud their auras so we can’t pick up what species they are…but nobody will think about whatever plant matter they may be leaving behind. Plant matter that you can sense and that we can use to narrow down our search for a culprit.”
    “That sounds…speculative. Has it ever been tried before?’
    “No. Again, that’s why it’s so perfect.” He took a long drink of tea. “So what do you say?”
    It sounded suspiciously like a pity gig to her, and if there was one thing she did not want from Erik, it was his pity.  To say nothing of the fact that she might very well end up implicating friends or neighbors.
    “No, thanks, Erik. I couldn’t in good conscience take your money.  We have no idea if it would work, and I’m very busy with the herb shop this season.  The money I make right before the Crystal Ball pretty much carries me through the rest of the year.”
    “The Crystal Ball…are you going?” There was something odd about the way he asked it, as if the answer meant a great deal to him. But why would that be? He sure as Hades wasn’t planning on popping the question. 
    Sometimes she couldn’t figure him out at all.
    “I’m working with the Florists’ Guild to do some flower displays at the beginning of the ball.  There’s a long archway of vines that everybody will walk through to get inside and as they walk through, I’ll make  them burst into flower.   That kind of thing.”
    “But you’re staying after the beginning, right?” He was staring at her intently.
    “Uh...maybe. I guess. Sure.” Because there was nothing more fun for a single girl than watching a bunch of love-struck warlocks proposing to the beautiful witches of their dreams.
    He relaxed and broke out in a smile.
    “Now, about that consultant gig.  I really need you to work with me.  You’re the only consultant that I’d consider hiring, because I need someone who is familiar with the area and who I also know and trust.   If you won’t work with me, it will take me much longer to solve the case.”
    “You trust me?” Fiona raised an eyebrow skeptically. “I thought I was a troublemaker.”
    He grinned. “That’s part of your charm.”
    Fiona shook her head. “I can’t do it, Erik. Find someone else.”
    “Is this partly because you think you might end up helping to