Dark Warrior by Rebecca York Page A

and other ventures. And they also had large stocks of gold and precious jewels.
    “We must make security our top priority,” Cynthia told the group after the women with daughters had come back from reassuring the little ones. “I think it’s safe to assume that Ames created the fire and smoke as a diversion for the attempted kidnapping,” she continued.
    “Is staying open too dangerous? Should we shut down?” Ophelia asked.
    “We’ll talk about that in a moment,” Cynthia answered.
    “I’d feel like I was in prison if we were the only ones huddled in here,” Denada put in.
    “Yes, we have to be secure without feeling . . . totally confined,” Cynthia said.
    There were murmurs of agreement around the room.
    Sophia glanced at Tessa, who sat in the corner with her back to two walls. Physically she was none the worse for her ordeal, but Ames had almost succeeded in getting her out of the spa, and it was obvious that she’d suffered emotional damage.
    Sophia’s mind flashed back to the ceremony they’d worked. Tessa had brought up the image of a burning building. Sophia had thought it was a church. Maybe it simply represented the spa.
    “The rest of you will be all right,” Tessa said in a small voice. “Ames was after me. He was probably sent by the guy who stopped Sophia out on the road. And we have to assume that attack was supposed to be against me, too.”
    “We can’t know that for sure,” Eugenia answered, but Sophia wondered if her sister believed the reassurance herself.
    The older Ionian looked at Sophia. “The new veterinarian prevented Ames from accomplishing his goal.”
    She nodded.
    “You’d met him previously?”
    “Yes.”
    “Could he have been working with Ames?”
    The question startled Sophia, but she understood where it was coming from. “I don’t think so,” she answered. “When he found out one of the guests was trapped in the building, he ran inside to rescue her. After he brought her out, he heard me call for help and came charging over to the van and grabbed Ames—who bashed him over the head with a wrench. It was a real injury. The hospital’s keeping him overnight for observation.”
    “You checked on him?”
    “Yes. I called to find out how he was.” She spread her hands. “He got hurt because he was helping us.”
    “When he’s here next time, see how he’s doing. And see if you can get a sense that he’s what he appears to be.”
    Sophia nodded. She was thinking that perhaps Cynthia could do the same thing with her lover, Matthew Layden, but she didn’t voice the suggestion. Her mind switched back to Jason. She hadn’t been sure if she could keep away from him. Now the high priestess was ordering her to check the man out.
    Of course, she already had suspicions. But she didn’t voice them, probably because she wasn’t the same woman she had been since the attack on the road. The old Sophia would have reported everything to her sisters. The new Sophia was more guarded.
    And what if Cynthia asked her to stand before them at another ceremony? Could she keep them from seeing what was in her mind?
    The question was unthinkable. No Ionian would do that, would she?
    Cynthia turned back to Tessa. “You can take some time off from your duties,” she said.
    “Thank you.”
    Sophia was startled again. She’d expected Tessa to say she wanted to work to keep her mind occupied. Apparently, she did want time to herself.
    “Should we try to read the future?” Ophelia asked.
    “We didn’t get very far with that last time,” Tessa answered in a low voice. “Why should it work now?”
    “The last time?” Cynthia asked.
    Tessa looked like she wished she hadn’t opened that line of discussion.
    “I asked Sophia to help me see my own future.”
    “Did you?” Cynthia probed.
    “I saw a fire.”
    “You saw the spa burning?”
    “No, another building. It looked like a church. I would have told you if I saw the spa.”
    “Yes.”
    “I didn’t know what it