Isolde's POV
I smiled as I put the last black candle at the edge of my newly drawn chalk circle. The small stone cottage at the edge of Kieran's land was far from luxurious, but it would serve my purposes. Through the window, I could see werewolf guards pretending not to watch me. Their presence amused me—as if they could stop me if I truly wished to cause harm.
"A bit more foxglove," I whispered to my assistant, a young witch named Lily who had no idea what games I was really playing. She handed me the jar with shaky fingers.
After my little performance for the Storm twins yesterday, things were moving faster than even I had expected. The fear in Zeke's eyes when I mentioned the Queen had been wonderful. The Syndicate thought they controlled him, but seeds of doubt were already growing.
I sprinkled the foxglove into a copper bowl and watched blue flames rise. "Leave me," I ordered Lily. "I need privacy for this working."
