Elemental Queen: Book 3 (Paranormal Outcasts) by Sean Fletcher

Author:Sean Fletcher [Fletcher, Sean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Epic Worlds Publishing
Published: 2021-07-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Not good. So not good.

“What are they doing here?” Iris hissed.

“What do you think?” Collette said. “Buying something.”

“Yeah, but what?” I said.

“Take your pick. That Carsisiphus guy has a hundred dangerous things for Lukas and the others to get their hands on.”

“Stick to the plan,” Ari said firmly. “Get the coil, get out.”

“And what about figuring out why they’re here?” I said.

Ari didn’t take her eyes off their group. “It’s too risky.”

I agreed with her on that. We’d just have to wait and see what they were up to.

Onora’s shrewd eyes scanned the crowd. Any muttering that’d begun since they’d arrived ceased. Lukas looked my way and I forced myself to act casual.

“We’re disguised. They don’t know who we are,” Ari muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

I didn’t mention that Aspen had managed to see right through my disguise. I had no idea how strong her magic was to be able to do that, but it couldn’t have been stronger than those three. My palms began to sweat and I wiped them on my jeans.

At last, Lukas and Onora took a spot on the other edge of the room. Jasper glanced our direction and for a moment our eyes locked. His gaze lingered.

It’s me, I thought as hard as I could, torn between tipping him off that I was here, and worried about what he’d do if he knew.

Then Valencia said something to him and severed our staring contest. Jasper took a place beside her.

“The mortal coil,” I whispered to myself. “Focus on getting the mortal coil…”

Carsisiphus gave a demonic cackle. “Excellent, excellent! This certainly got a lot more interesting. I’m sure we have a wide variety of tastes and appetites, so let’s begin!”

He flourished his hands and a golden bottle appeared on the table.

“Our first item is exquisite indeed! A cursed genie just waiting to do your bidding. He may grant you unlimited wishes—or maybe he’ll kill you—but that’s all part of the fun! For an item as rare as this let’s start the bidding at two, do we have two? Big or small, it doesn’t matter.”

A woman in front of me raised her hand and Carsisiphus’ grin grew. “Splendid! Three, do we have three? Don’t be shy, it doesn’t hurt much, just a little pinch and it’s over…”

“What’s he talking about?” I whispered as another person raised their hand. “Two and three what?”

But Ari’s focus was still on Jasper, her expression tight. Iris had gone pale.

“Iris, what are they bidding—”

“Sold, for a lovely four! And quite the deal, quite the deal indeed. Come up and collect your winnings.”

The woman who’d bid first stepped up to the stage. Carsisiphus handed her the cursed genie and then touched her arm. There was a bright flash. The woman winced.

“A ‘you owe me’,” Carsisiphus said before shooing her off the stage and conjuring the next item, a plant drenched in blood.

“What’s he taking from them, Iris?” I asked.

“Nothing. Yet,” she said. “But their payment will be in dreams and memories.

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