CIAN
She stepped aside and held the door wider. But then she raised one finger. "Only you should come in."
Ronan moved forward immediately. His body tensed. "I think not."
I put my hand on his chest. Held him back. "Remember what you said."
His jaw clenched. The muscle there jumped and twitched. But he stepped back. His eyes never left the witch.
I walked past Ophelia and into the cottage. The door closed behind me with a soft click.
The interior was exactly what I expected. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling in bundles. Shelves lined every wall. They were packed with jars and bottles. Some held liquids that glowed faintly. Others contained things I could not identify. A fire burned low in the hearth. The flames cast dancing shadows across the room.
But there was something else. A smell. Sweet and familiar. It tugged at my memory. It tried to surface but could not quite break through. I knew that scent. I had smelled it before. But where?
