out?"
Angela. Hadn't she invited her to dinner that night? Jacqueline relayed the information to Gabe who nodded.
"Yes. That could be perfect," he said.
"But what about Angela? I don't want to get her hurt. Or her friend, for that matter." Jacqueline sighed. "No. This is a bad idea. Too risky. We should talk to Toby."
"Look, no wizard is going to attack you in front of an entire restaurant full of people. He'll wait till you're alone. Only you won't be because I'll be there to guide you. Let's leave Toby out of it for now." Gabe grinned. "I think this is the way to prove you can control your gift and get the others wizards to back off. See, they think all they have to do is put a command spell on you, and then you will do whatever they want. But if you show them that you are the one in command, they might give up on their idea."
"Well, I like any plan that doesn't involve me dying or being controlled by others. I'm in," Jacqueline said. "I'll go call Angela."
******
"Jacqueline, this is my friend Derek," Angela said.
Jacqueline reached to shake his hand, but instead of offering his in return, Derek gave her a gentle hug. Reflex made her return the hug, though she didn't like being pressed against some stranger. When he pulled away, both of his hands rested on her shoulders and he gave her a shy grin.
"I feel like I already know you," he said. "Angela is always talking about her best friend Jacqueline."
"Well, we've been friends for a long time." Jacqueline returned his smile and then looked at Angela who beamed with happiness. "Thanks for inviting me to dinner."
"Our pleasure. Come. The table is ready for us."
Derek led them into the dining room of Antoine's French Restaurant. Jacqueline couldn't help but notice how heads turned to look at Angela and her boyfriend. They were a pretty good looking couple, she thought. Jacqueline glanced at the simple green sundress she'd worn and sighed. She'd never outshine Angela who always looked radiant.
But as they sat down, she saw more than one woman in the room stare longingly at Derek.
Uh-oh. Angela's got to keep her eye on this one .
Derek seemed oblivious to it, making sure that both ladies were seated before he took his own chair. The next few minutes were a rush of lightheartedness and small talk, but Jacqueline couldn't help but glance around the room.
Could the wizard who'd killed her husband be here? Would he come out to play? A shiver ran down her spine and she tried to focus on the conversation.
"Why don't we take Derek to Merlyn's Bar after this?" Angela suggested.
"Oh, I don't know. We had so much excitement there last night." Jacqueline looked at her menu. The last thing she wanted was to go to Merlyn's Bar where Toby would have a chance to figure out what she was up to and the rogue wizard probably wouldn't go. The more she thought about it, the more she knew he would not approve of her plan.
"Excitement? What happened?" Derek smiled at Angela. "You didn't mention anything earlier."
"That's because I was so swept off my feet by you this afternoon." Angela blushed. "But someone was killed there last night. Jacqueline saw the whole thing."
"Well, then I could see why she wouldn't want to go back. That would be a lot to take in."
"Oh, yes…of course…I'm sorry Jackie, I wasn’t thinking." Angela patted Jacqueline's arm." You are feeling better, right? I just thought you might want to
Angela. Hadn't she invited her to dinner that night? Jacqueline relayed the information to Gabe who nodded.
"Yes. That could be perfect," he said.
"But what about Angela? I don't want to get her hurt. Or her friend, for that matter." Jacqueline sighed. "No. This is a bad idea. Too risky. We should talk to Toby."
"Look, no wizard is going to attack you in front of an entire restaurant full of people. He'll wait till you're alone. Only you won't be because I'll be there to guide you. Let's leave Toby out of it for now." Gabe grinned. "I think this is the way to prove you can control your gift and get the others wizards to back off. See, they think all they have to do is put a command spell on you, and then you will do whatever they want. But if you show them that you are the one in command, they might give up on their idea."
"Well, I like any plan that doesn't involve me dying or being controlled by others. I'm in," Jacqueline said. "I'll go call Angela."
******
"Jacqueline, this is my friend Derek," Angela said.
Jacqueline reached to shake his hand, but instead of offering his in return, Derek gave her a gentle hug. Reflex made her return the hug, though she didn't like being pressed against some stranger. When he pulled away, both of his hands rested on her shoulders and he gave her a shy grin.
"I feel like I already know you," he said. "Angela is always talking about her best friend Jacqueline."
"Well, we've been friends for a long time." Jacqueline returned his smile and then looked at Angela who beamed with happiness. "Thanks for inviting me to dinner."
"Our pleasure. Come. The table is ready for us."
Derek led them into the dining room of Antoine's French Restaurant. Jacqueline couldn't help but notice how heads turned to look at Angela and her boyfriend. They were a pretty good looking couple, she thought. Jacqueline glanced at the simple green sundress she'd worn and sighed. She'd never outshine Angela who always looked radiant.
But as they sat down, she saw more than one woman in the room stare longingly at Derek.
Uh-oh. Angela's got to keep her eye on this one .
Derek seemed oblivious to it, making sure that both ladies were seated before he took his own chair. The next few minutes were a rush of lightheartedness and small talk, but Jacqueline couldn't help but glance around the room.
Could the wizard who'd killed her husband be here? Would he come out to play? A shiver ran down her spine and she tried to focus on the conversation.
"Why don't we take Derek to Merlyn's Bar after this?" Angela suggested.
"Oh, I don't know. We had so much excitement there last night." Jacqueline looked at her menu. The last thing she wanted was to go to Merlyn's Bar where Toby would have a chance to figure out what she was up to and the rogue wizard probably wouldn't go. The more she thought about it, the more she knew he would not approve of her plan.
"Excitement? What happened?" Derek smiled at Angela. "You didn't mention anything earlier."
"That's because I was so swept off my feet by you this afternoon." Angela blushed. "But someone was killed there last night. Jacqueline saw the whole thing."
"Well, then I could see why she wouldn't want to go back. That would be a lot to take in."
"Oh, yes…of course…I'm sorry Jackie, I wasn’t thinking." Angela patted Jacqueline's arm." You are feeling better, right? I just thought you might want to
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