Hal’s heart thumped painfully in his chest as the first rays of dawn cleared the horizon. “There has to be something we can do!” The desperation that sounded in his own voice was enough to make him angry as he paced back and forth on the section of field he, Aiden, and Steve had taken up residence in.

“Might I be of assistance, gentlemen?” a smooth voice said. It lacked the lyrical Irish accent and the blunt American, but it did have something else, something that spoke of Europe and the melding of countries.

“And who are you now?” Steve asked, popping up out of his seat by the tree.

Aiden and Hal both watched the man carefully, each of them evaluating their responses.

“Barnaby Finley, Esquire, at your service.” He flourished a bow.

The man was in a three-piece suit, complete with trench coat and walking stick. The dark material hid the mud that Hal was sure ringed the bottom of his trousers. As he straightened, he glanced at Hal. The familiar icy-blue glow of a mage lit his eyes.

“Mage.” Hal nodded. Mages were always wealthy, having been born into families who had leveraged their skills since birth for profit, and their help always came with a hefty price tag. The only exceptions to this rule was when mages mated with humans or other non-mages. Then the magic might or might not show up depending on the child’s genetics. People who weren’t claimed by mage families often found themselves cast to the fringes of society since they didn’t understand what they were, and the people they thought their peers simply felt as though something was off with them. Either way, most mages who survived into adulthood learned to master the art of negotiation and manipulation. Nothing was ever free with a mage.

“You are correct, sir.” He flashed a smile, brushing the hair out of his eyes. It looked like he couldn’t decide whether to grow his hair out or keep it short.

Steve spit to the side, showing exactly what he thought of mages, which was not wise. They were known to brook no disrespect.

“There is nothing you can help us with at this time, but we thank ye for tha offer,” Aiden said, inclining his head.

That was how you spoke to a mage. At least, until you knew them.

“I am willing to offer my services free of charge, so you need not worry about payment. I simply noticed the three of you over here in your corner, bringing the mood down, and thought I might be able to help.” He paused, assessing the group. “However, if you have no interest, then I will leave you to your doom and gloom.”

Hal looked at the two shifters. Neither of them were willing to back down. He really hoped he didn’t regret his next words. “My soulmate is missing, along with another. We suspect both to be taken by Donn. If you can help, please do.” Though the words felt like gravel in his throat, Hal was glad to say them if it brought him closer to reuniting with Robin.

“Ah, Donn is up to his tricks again, hum? Well, they should be returning soon, provided they found their way out.” He glanced over his shoulder, checking the sky at the horizon, which was turning pink from the kiss of sunlight.

“And if they’re not? What can you do?”

“I can tell you if their souls are still intact, provided you can give me something of theirs to work with. I may even be able to tell you which realm they currently reside in, should they still have their souls.”

“Fine.” Hal reached into his pocket and withdrew Robin’s scarf. She hadn’t thought she would need it, but he knew her, and she always seemed to get colder than she was prepared for, so he had tucked it into his pocket, just in case. The scent of her perfume seemed to explode out of it, making his heart clench. “Before I give this to you, tell me something. Why aren’t you charging us for your services?” His hand crushed the scarf’s soft material, and he wouldn’t release it until he had an answer.

“There are a few mages, myself included, who are part of the younger generation. We wish to form alliances with other supernatural creatures. The animosity that plagues our relationships is not something we wish to continue.” He adjusted the cuff link on his shirt as he spoke, making Hal feel like he’d invaded the man’s private life.

“Fair enough.” He nodded and held out the scarf. He was reluctant to part with it, but if it helped him find Rin, then that was fine.

The silky wool slipped from his fingers just as Robin’s hand had slipped from his own hours ago. Usually mages kept their work private, so he had expected Barnaby to turn away or go somewhere private, but he didn’t. Robin’s scarf floated up above his hands like water, the ends flicking sharply in the invisible current. Barbaby’s fingers splayed out in front of him and his hands parted, one going up and one down, while his eyes blazed with their unnatural blue. The scarf fluttered between his hands like a woman dancing to music only she could hear.

“Her soul is intact.” His hands twitched, and the scarf fell limply to the ground. “She is on the cusp of traveling between realms. I will check again in a few moments and see if she has moved on.”

Hal watched as the light dulled in the mage’s eyes.

“Would you like me to do the same for your friend?”

“Why are you here, man? This doesn’t exactly look like your kind of gig.” Steve gestured to Barnaby’s clothing with a sneer on his face.

“Do not presume to know me. Mages are raised differently from shifters. I do not disrespect your culture. You should follow my example.”

“Oh, because you’re so high and mighty, aren’t you, Mr. Mage?”

“Steven!” Aiden’s voice cut through the rising tension. “Take a walk.”

The shifter gave the other two men a vicious glare. Hal was glad the younger man was stepping away. He had no idea what his issue with mages was, but clearly he had one.

“I apologize for my packmate’s behavior. He is dealing with a lot of grief right now. It’s part of the reason we came out here on Samhain, and then with Chris being taken by Donn . . . It’s a lot for him to deal with.”

“I understand. If you have something of Chris’s, I would be happy to perform the same service.”

Hal still couldn’t shake his suspicion of this young mage. It was just so unusual to find someone deviating so strongly from their heritage.

“I wish I did.” Aiden shook his head, rubbing his scruffy facial hair. “They are probably together, though. I can’t imagine Chris leavin’ the girl.”

“Would you allow me to leave you both with my card? Should you need assistance in the future, I and my circle members would be happy to assist you.” He held out two cream business cards that contained his contact details in a flowy blue script.

“I may just take you up on that,” Hal said.

“Now, let’s see if your girl has made up her mind yet, shall we?” He picked up the scarf and began the ritual once more.