Wiccans. When Kira laid eyes on her, she gasped. Although Kira had seen Vesta before through Skype, seeing her in person rendered some shock to Kira. Vesta was a stunningly beautiful woman with long flaming red hair, whose very power glowed around her. She was wearing a gown that flowed to the floor, draping over one shoulder, all in gold. Kira couldn't help but stare at her in awe.
Ronan gently but firmly squeezed Kira's hand as he and Brendan released her hands to give a formal bow to the Council. The men raised a fist over their hearts and bowed deeply from the waist. Out of the corner of his eye, Ronan saw Kira snap out of her trance and gracefully execute a deep curtsey that surprised him.
'Where did she learn that?' Brendan asked him with shock in his voice.
'That is a question we will ask her later, brother ,' Ronan shot back with humor.
"Welcome , Guardians and Kira, come forward and talk with us," Kai's deep voice boomed over the space separating them.
They straightened back to standing then the men led Kira over to one of the large couches nearest the dais. Kira wanted to giggle aloud at the audacity of it all. There they were, in a giant castle, meeting the Council who basically sat on thrones, only to sit down on couches like they had come for tea. It all seemed so surreal to her.
"I am sure it does , dear, but nevertheless, it is how we do things," Vesta said as she stood and then came down off the dais to join them on a couch opposite them.
Kira frowned . "I'm sorry?"
Vesta gave a small laugh and said, "You were projecting so loudly that I heard your thoughts. You are, after all, one of my most beloved children."
Kira bowed her head, hoping she had not embarrassed her men with her thoughts and said, "Thank you . I apologize for thinking too loudly, ma'am."
Onc e again Vesta laughed and Una along with her. Vesta gestured to Una and Kai who joined her on the couch. "This is better for Kira, is it not?" Vesta looked at Kira questioningly.
"Ah, however you are most comfortable is fine." Kira tried to be diplomatic.
"Twila?" Una called out in a low voice.
A small woman appeared immediately from around one of the columns. "I am here."
"Please have the snacks served now . I think our guests are parched," Una instructed.
Twila bobbed her head and disap peared behind the column again before reappearing minutes later with a cart full of several different treats and drinks. Kira marveled at the small sandwiches and cookies, not to mention the various slices of cakes and brownie treats.
"Tell us, Kira, what are you hoping to find here?" Vesta asked her once they had drinks.
Caught off guard in the middle of sipping her drink, Kira swallowed quickly and answered, "Ah, I was hoping to find some information that might lead me to whoever is attacking my family and why . It occurred to me the answers might be found in the grimoires here that refer to my family and their past."
Vesta nodded. "Yes, we do have one for every family here. I agree there may be answers."
"Guardians, what say you about this threat?" Una asked.
Ronan frowned as he said, "There is no magical signature after each attack. We have scanned and found nothing. That is confusing to us. Also, we wonder if he isn't receiving inside information."
"How have you come to this conclusion?" Kai asked in a deep voice, suddenly sitting forward looking angry. Kira knew in that moment she would never want to cross him, he looked dangerous.
"Whoever this is has known when and where the women would be at certain times they were vulnerable to attack . Someone would have to have inside information on their comings and goings," Brendan answered.
Kai nodded. "I see. Well, maybe it is time for you to set a trap."
Ronan shook his head . "None of us are willing to place any of the Five in danger. That is not an option."
Kira looked over at Vesta who seemed deep in thought as she sipped her
Ronan gently but firmly squeezed Kira's hand as he and Brendan released her hands to give a formal bow to the Council. The men raised a fist over their hearts and bowed deeply from the waist. Out of the corner of his eye, Ronan saw Kira snap out of her trance and gracefully execute a deep curtsey that surprised him.
'Where did she learn that?' Brendan asked him with shock in his voice.
'That is a question we will ask her later, brother ,' Ronan shot back with humor.
"Welcome , Guardians and Kira, come forward and talk with us," Kai's deep voice boomed over the space separating them.
They straightened back to standing then the men led Kira over to one of the large couches nearest the dais. Kira wanted to giggle aloud at the audacity of it all. There they were, in a giant castle, meeting the Council who basically sat on thrones, only to sit down on couches like they had come for tea. It all seemed so surreal to her.
"I am sure it does , dear, but nevertheless, it is how we do things," Vesta said as she stood and then came down off the dais to join them on a couch opposite them.
Kira frowned . "I'm sorry?"
Vesta gave a small laugh and said, "You were projecting so loudly that I heard your thoughts. You are, after all, one of my most beloved children."
Kira bowed her head, hoping she had not embarrassed her men with her thoughts and said, "Thank you . I apologize for thinking too loudly, ma'am."
Onc e again Vesta laughed and Una along with her. Vesta gestured to Una and Kai who joined her on the couch. "This is better for Kira, is it not?" Vesta looked at Kira questioningly.
"Ah, however you are most comfortable is fine." Kira tried to be diplomatic.
"Twila?" Una called out in a low voice.
A small woman appeared immediately from around one of the columns. "I am here."
"Please have the snacks served now . I think our guests are parched," Una instructed.
Twila bobbed her head and disap peared behind the column again before reappearing minutes later with a cart full of several different treats and drinks. Kira marveled at the small sandwiches and cookies, not to mention the various slices of cakes and brownie treats.
"Tell us, Kira, what are you hoping to find here?" Vesta asked her once they had drinks.
Caught off guard in the middle of sipping her drink, Kira swallowed quickly and answered, "Ah, I was hoping to find some information that might lead me to whoever is attacking my family and why . It occurred to me the answers might be found in the grimoires here that refer to my family and their past."
Vesta nodded. "Yes, we do have one for every family here. I agree there may be answers."
"Guardians, what say you about this threat?" Una asked.
Ronan frowned as he said, "There is no magical signature after each attack. We have scanned and found nothing. That is confusing to us. Also, we wonder if he isn't receiving inside information."
"How have you come to this conclusion?" Kai asked in a deep voice, suddenly sitting forward looking angry. Kira knew in that moment she would never want to cross him, he looked dangerous.
"Whoever this is has known when and where the women would be at certain times they were vulnerable to attack . Someone would have to have inside information on their comings and goings," Brendan answered.
Kai nodded. "I see. Well, maybe it is time for you to set a trap."
Ronan shook his head . "None of us are willing to place any of the Five in danger. That is not an option."
Kira looked over at Vesta who seemed deep in thought as she sipped her
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