“Maybe he’ just really dumb...” Began Gabe.
“I don’t think so...” Liv’s melodious voice floated to them as she entered the room.
Alec immediately moved to her standing between her and Dennis, huffing at her. She grasped his hand and squeezed it to reassure him.
“I think he’s coming down from a spell...”
“Magic?” Don snapped to attention.
Liv nodded frowning. “I can feel a little residual energy from him but,” she placed a hand over her stomach, “I can’t really do anything because of the baby.” Liv would only have limited magical abilities during her pregnancy, to ensure that the baby wouldn’t be hurt.
“Does Dennis have magic?” Asked Adam lowly.
“No, definitely not.” Liv looked at Dennis thoughtfully. “If he has been under a spell someone else cast it, and if he was the one breaking into Rosalee’s house then it’s possible that he didn’t know what he was doing. From the way he’s reacting I think it’s a manipulation spell, it turns people into puppets.”
Alec exhaled loudly. “I hope you’re right, his sister Dee is training to be a Deputy. I wouldn’t want to have to arrest her brother... again. Gabe could you call Dee and get her in here, Dennis could use her support right now.”
Gabe nodded and making sure Dennis wouldn’t slump over left the room.
Adam looked to Liv. For Alec’s sake he was pleased when Liv had joined the pack. The first witch to ever join the pack. But now he was starting to think her help could be invaluable. “Who could have done this?”
Liv creased her forehead thinking and sighed. “I’ve no idea, I wouldn’t have thought anyone in this town would be low enough to cast a manipulation spell. But then again I used to think Iris Bennett was a nice person and look how that turned out...”
Alec tightened his grip on her hand and she smiled weakly at him. “They’re really awful spells, people affected by them can see and understand what they’re doing but are powerless to stop themselves, and it’s a real drain on them... unless the spell is broken the person affected dies.”
“What can we do for Dennis?”
“We need witches, to try and break the spell.”
Don cocked his head. “Witches plural?”
“Umm hmm, breaking another witches spell is difficult and requires a lot of energy, and if it goes wrong it can seriously hurt those trying to break it. We need witches who will be willing to help. Agatha is still the most powerful witch I know.”
Alec nodded. Agatha was an elderly witch who adored Liv and Alec, they visited her regularly and helped her out round her little cottage. “She’ll help, definitely.”
“If I ask Melody and Kayleigh they definitely will too... maybe I could ask Dena although I suspect she’d say no, the risk is too great...”
“Dena...”
Liv started at the sound of Dennis’ strangled voice and Alec growled menacingly at the boy in the cell.
“Dena... must obey Dena...”
Everybody froze staring at Dennis.
“Anybody wanna take a wild guess at who cast the spell yet?” Don’s Texas drawl cut through the silence.
“Why though?” Asked Alec puzzled. “Why force him to break into Rosalee’s house?”
“Fuck!” Liv blushed and immediately covered her mouth. She generally didn’t swear. “A week ago Dena was asking me about Iris’ Grimoire...”
She was met with blank looks. “Her spell book, Dena wanted to know what was going to happen to it. She told me the spells belonged to all of us and that it should be shared but I disagreed, there was too much black magic in it. I didn’t tell her but I gave both Iris and Emerald’s Grimoires to Agatha to destroy right after Emerald died.”
The truth dawned on Adam. “That’s why Dennis kept going back to the house, she wanted him to find something that wasn’t there. Which means she’s still looking for it...” He looked at Alec. “We need to find Dena right now.”
He fished out his phone and called Rosalee, as Liv tried to call Dena on hers. No answer.
He tried Rosalee repeatedly while Alec and Liv tried calling Dena and the boarding house where she lives. Liv managed to get hold of Kayleigh who also lived at the boarding house. Nobody had seen Dena all day. Liv asked Kayleigh to find Melody and come down to the station.
Adam’s wolf prowled his mind. Why wasn’t Rosalee answering her phone?
Adam angrily clicked his phone off. “Rose isn’t answering her phone, I’m going to her house. Alec, Don with me.” Gabe came back into the room. Adam pointed at him. “You stay here with Dennis.”