him.
But she'd seemed utterly shocked. Terrified, actually.
Could she not know? Was it possible that she...
So much was at stake. He was the last of the Light Walkers, and the balance of the world teetered. He could right it by walking the True Path as he'd been born to do...but without the Eye of the Magos , he was blind.
The dark sludge, the filthy tentacles... Evil was near. Darkness hovered, waiting for him to make a mistake. The True Path was disappearing...was this woman the key? Did she know it? He had to speak to her, determine what she knew, but if she knew nothing?
Carefully. Proceed slowly.
Be still for now.
Wait.
He was so tired of waiting, of searching fruitlessly.
If only he could abandon who he was. What he was born to do.
I sense that you will be one of the few Guardians who will attain full power when you find your Prism, the one whose heart speaks to yours.
But he'd had his great love, and she was lost to him. His heart had grown cold and his powers diminished, his faith all but vanished.
Yet now...after so many years with no hope...
Could this unlikely woman be the key?
Chapter Six
"What a pleasant surprise."
Startled, Cassie looked up from her book to see Markos Petrakis. "Um, hello."
He gestured to her outdoor table. "May I join you? I wouldn't want to interrupt your reading."
She closed the book with a snap. "No, please—sit with me. This is nothing important. Just a way to avoid boredom."
He cocked one elegant eyebrow and smiled. "I can't imagine having the energy of youth and ever being bored." Gesturing toward her coffee cup, he asked, "Would you allow me to buy you another?" Lifting one hand in a negligible gesture, he nonetheless had a waitress there in an instant.
"The young lady would like another..."
"Cappuccino," Cassie supplied.
"And for me as well," he smiled at the woman, then turned back toward Cassie. "So tell me, how does someone so young allow herself to become listless? All of life is before you."
"Tell that to my jailer," she muttered.
"And who might that be?"
Cassie cut a glance over at him, chewing her lower lip. "I...you might know him."
"And would that be so bad?"
"It would if you told him I was at your party the other night. I used his invitation."
He threw back his head and laughed, white teeth gleaming, strong throat undulating with each chuckle. Cassie couldn't help smiling back.
Amusement still shining in his eyes, he prodded. "I have wondered why you were there. Not precisely your sort of gathering."
"It was pretty lame—oh. Sorry. I just...it was different than I thought it would be."
One bushy eyebrow lifted. "Would you care to hear a secret?"
"Sure." She liked him this way, sparkling and full of mischief.
Markos leaned closer, voice lowering. "I found it somewhat tedious myself."
Cassie giggled. "Then why did you invite all of them?"
He sighed. "Sometimes one has certain responsibilities that cannot be evaded."
Wow, maybe he could know how she felt, at least a little. "So those weren't all your friends?"
"Not really."
"Everyone acted as if I was just a kid." She glanced up, shy now. "Except you, that is."
He gave a faint nod. "You were also a surprise. Quite a refreshing one, actually."
They shared the smile of conspirators. Maybe she'd found her second—no, maybe third friend in Santa Fe. He was a lot older than Melinda and Jimmy, but older guys could still be friends, couldn't they? It wasn't as though she had too many to count.
"So tell me about this jailer of yours."
Cassie exhaled a deep sigh. "It's my brother." Glancing up quickly, she worried. "You sure you don't know him?"
Markos smiled gently. "Now that would be difficult to determine, since you've never told me your last name, beauteous Cassie."
Her cheeks warmed, maybe from his extravagant compliment, or maybe just from knowing she'd been rude to such a polite man. "It's Sabanne. My brother is Dante Sabanne."
He showed no signs that it was a big deal. Perhaps she'd
But she'd seemed utterly shocked. Terrified, actually.
Could she not know? Was it possible that she...
So much was at stake. He was the last of the Light Walkers, and the balance of the world teetered. He could right it by walking the True Path as he'd been born to do...but without the Eye of the Magos , he was blind.
The dark sludge, the filthy tentacles... Evil was near. Darkness hovered, waiting for him to make a mistake. The True Path was disappearing...was this woman the key? Did she know it? He had to speak to her, determine what she knew, but if she knew nothing?
Carefully. Proceed slowly.
Be still for now.
Wait.
He was so tired of waiting, of searching fruitlessly.
If only he could abandon who he was. What he was born to do.
I sense that you will be one of the few Guardians who will attain full power when you find your Prism, the one whose heart speaks to yours.
But he'd had his great love, and she was lost to him. His heart had grown cold and his powers diminished, his faith all but vanished.
Yet now...after so many years with no hope...
Could this unlikely woman be the key?
Chapter Six
"What a pleasant surprise."
Startled, Cassie looked up from her book to see Markos Petrakis. "Um, hello."
He gestured to her outdoor table. "May I join you? I wouldn't want to interrupt your reading."
She closed the book with a snap. "No, please—sit with me. This is nothing important. Just a way to avoid boredom."
He cocked one elegant eyebrow and smiled. "I can't imagine having the energy of youth and ever being bored." Gesturing toward her coffee cup, he asked, "Would you allow me to buy you another?" Lifting one hand in a negligible gesture, he nonetheless had a waitress there in an instant.
"The young lady would like another..."
"Cappuccino," Cassie supplied.
"And for me as well," he smiled at the woman, then turned back toward Cassie. "So tell me, how does someone so young allow herself to become listless? All of life is before you."
"Tell that to my jailer," she muttered.
"And who might that be?"
Cassie cut a glance over at him, chewing her lower lip. "I...you might know him."
"And would that be so bad?"
"It would if you told him I was at your party the other night. I used his invitation."
He threw back his head and laughed, white teeth gleaming, strong throat undulating with each chuckle. Cassie couldn't help smiling back.
Amusement still shining in his eyes, he prodded. "I have wondered why you were there. Not precisely your sort of gathering."
"It was pretty lame—oh. Sorry. I just...it was different than I thought it would be."
One bushy eyebrow lifted. "Would you care to hear a secret?"
"Sure." She liked him this way, sparkling and full of mischief.
Markos leaned closer, voice lowering. "I found it somewhat tedious myself."
Cassie giggled. "Then why did you invite all of them?"
He sighed. "Sometimes one has certain responsibilities that cannot be evaded."
Wow, maybe he could know how she felt, at least a little. "So those weren't all your friends?"
"Not really."
"Everyone acted as if I was just a kid." She glanced up, shy now. "Except you, that is."
He gave a faint nod. "You were also a surprise. Quite a refreshing one, actually."
They shared the smile of conspirators. Maybe she'd found her second—no, maybe third friend in Santa Fe. He was a lot older than Melinda and Jimmy, but older guys could still be friends, couldn't they? It wasn't as though she had too many to count.
"So tell me about this jailer of yours."
Cassie exhaled a deep sigh. "It's my brother." Glancing up quickly, she worried. "You sure you don't know him?"
Markos smiled gently. "Now that would be difficult to determine, since you've never told me your last name, beauteous Cassie."
Her cheeks warmed, maybe from his extravagant compliment, or maybe just from knowing she'd been rude to such a polite man. "It's Sabanne. My brother is Dante Sabanne."
He showed no signs that it was a big deal. Perhaps she'd
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