othersight and wove a protection spell, one that would scramble anything they said in that room.
“What the hell? Lark, you’re freaking me out now. This building is warded. The walls, the floors. Nothing we say can be heard by anyone outside.”
Simon came back in with two bottles of water and a few other bags. “Water. Jerky and trail mix too.”
She took them with thanks and after some water and a bit of protein, she was ready to finish. “I think… I think it’s the Magister.”
“Nuh-uh. That’s boogeyman stuff.” Gage shook his head.
“Most of those stories come from somewhere, Gage. WhenI was young, very young, one of my grandmothers used to scare us with stories about the storm that came to take bad children away. She always lowered her voice when she talked about it, about the Magister. Whether what was in Andrew McCay’s head is really the Magister I don’t know. But if it is…” Simon didn’t really need to finish the sentence.
“I’m afraid so, Gage. Cyrus is pissed off and freaked out. But there’s something above him, pulling the strings and Andrew there is so frightened he couldn’t have told us anything anyway. But I saw it.”
“What could the Magister possibly want from a bunch of witches? Does it need to steal magick?” Gage pushed from his chair and began to pace.
“I don’t know. I don’t know much about the Magister at all other than that it used to be a scary story way back in the day. Neither of the mages we have in custody will know either. Andrew is scared, but he gets extra hits of magick from those he captures so he doesn’t ask questions.”
“I think we need to bring Nell and Meriel in on this.”
“I agree.”
“You’ve just performed some complicated magick. You need to sleep, at least for a few hours. I’ll set up a meeting with them both for this morning. Go home and rest for a while. I’ll call you and let you know the details.”
“Don’t let anyone see either prisoner, Gage. They don’t want us to know about the Magister. At least not yet. They’ll try to get at them to erase any threat they pose.”
Gage nodded. “I’ve already got that handled. No access but by you, me, Nell or Meriel.”
Chapter 9
“I can get home all right. You must be tired yourself.”
Simon glared down at her for even imagining he’d tip his hat and walk away, leaving her to the fates. The Magister. What the fuck. “I’m sleeping in the guest room.”
“You are? Oh. Okay.”
“Is that a problem?” He wanted to be near her. Purely to keep an eye on her. She was new in town, after all. What was wrong with wanting to protect her?
“Why are you so pissy?” She got in without his opening her door. Which granted she did frequently, but suddenly he found himself bothered by.
“I’m not pissy.”
“You totally are. Did I take you away from a lady friend?”
He drove the short distance to the building she was staying in without comment. A fully grown Lycian male did not get pissy .
Inside the apartment she turned to him. “I’m nearly dead on my feet. I’m going to sleep awhile. There’s food in the fridge if you’re hungry.”
And she flounced off. Well, not flounced, which made himfrown. She usually flounced. Now she sort of slumped. He didn’t like seeing her so tired.
“Do all spells make you this depleted?”
She turned at the doorway. “No. But this one requires my pushing past someone else’s magick and protections. It requires a whole different level of concentration and energy.”
“Can I help?”
Her grin came, quicksilver. His heart lightened at the sight.
“I’ll be better after I sleep. You can make breakfast when we get up if you like. I’m really all right. You don’t have to stay here.”
“I don’t have to. I want to.” What if something happened while she was deeply sleeping? He’d be there just in case and that was that.
“Okay. See you in a bit.”
He showered, grateful for the clothes Dominic had left there
“What the hell? Lark, you’re freaking me out now. This building is warded. The walls, the floors. Nothing we say can be heard by anyone outside.”
Simon came back in with two bottles of water and a few other bags. “Water. Jerky and trail mix too.”
She took them with thanks and after some water and a bit of protein, she was ready to finish. “I think… I think it’s the Magister.”
“Nuh-uh. That’s boogeyman stuff.” Gage shook his head.
“Most of those stories come from somewhere, Gage. WhenI was young, very young, one of my grandmothers used to scare us with stories about the storm that came to take bad children away. She always lowered her voice when she talked about it, about the Magister. Whether what was in Andrew McCay’s head is really the Magister I don’t know. But if it is…” Simon didn’t really need to finish the sentence.
“I’m afraid so, Gage. Cyrus is pissed off and freaked out. But there’s something above him, pulling the strings and Andrew there is so frightened he couldn’t have told us anything anyway. But I saw it.”
“What could the Magister possibly want from a bunch of witches? Does it need to steal magick?” Gage pushed from his chair and began to pace.
“I don’t know. I don’t know much about the Magister at all other than that it used to be a scary story way back in the day. Neither of the mages we have in custody will know either. Andrew is scared, but he gets extra hits of magick from those he captures so he doesn’t ask questions.”
“I think we need to bring Nell and Meriel in on this.”
“I agree.”
“You’ve just performed some complicated magick. You need to sleep, at least for a few hours. I’ll set up a meeting with them both for this morning. Go home and rest for a while. I’ll call you and let you know the details.”
“Don’t let anyone see either prisoner, Gage. They don’t want us to know about the Magister. At least not yet. They’ll try to get at them to erase any threat they pose.”
Gage nodded. “I’ve already got that handled. No access but by you, me, Nell or Meriel.”
Chapter 9
“I can get home all right. You must be tired yourself.”
Simon glared down at her for even imagining he’d tip his hat and walk away, leaving her to the fates. The Magister. What the fuck. “I’m sleeping in the guest room.”
“You are? Oh. Okay.”
“Is that a problem?” He wanted to be near her. Purely to keep an eye on her. She was new in town, after all. What was wrong with wanting to protect her?
“Why are you so pissy?” She got in without his opening her door. Which granted she did frequently, but suddenly he found himself bothered by.
“I’m not pissy.”
“You totally are. Did I take you away from a lady friend?”
He drove the short distance to the building she was staying in without comment. A fully grown Lycian male did not get pissy .
Inside the apartment she turned to him. “I’m nearly dead on my feet. I’m going to sleep awhile. There’s food in the fridge if you’re hungry.”
And she flounced off. Well, not flounced, which made himfrown. She usually flounced. Now she sort of slumped. He didn’t like seeing her so tired.
“Do all spells make you this depleted?”
She turned at the doorway. “No. But this one requires my pushing past someone else’s magick and protections. It requires a whole different level of concentration and energy.”
“Can I help?”
Her grin came, quicksilver. His heart lightened at the sight.
“I’ll be better after I sleep. You can make breakfast when we get up if you like. I’m really all right. You don’t have to stay here.”
“I don’t have to. I want to.” What if something happened while she was deeply sleeping? He’d be there just in case and that was that.
“Okay. See you in a bit.”
He showered, grateful for the clothes Dominic had left there
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