difference between being put under a spell or hypnotized. Both are ways of making you do something you wouldn’t otherwise do.” While she talked, she studied Cass’ injuries. “Looks like your shirt caught the worst of it. I don’t want to remove it until we’re sure it’s clean. Can you stand?”
Cass carefully rose, keeping her weight off her sore feet.
“Is there any other embedded glass?”
Cass closed her eyes and mentally searched her body and clothes for glass. Nic had missed two pieces in her palms and shards in her hair. The slivers rose into the air and floated to a trash can. “I think I got it all.”
“Why didn’t you do this earlier? Your affinity with glass…” Minerva paused, glanced at the closed door, and then smiled. “Ah. I understand. So, are you going to let this one have his way with you?”
Cass felt a blush cover her face and chest. “Aunt Minerva!”
“It’s about time, my girl! I knew you’d never be happy until you met the Protector, but you didn’t have to lead a celibate’s life.”
“Aunt Minerva, I think you need to leave. I’d like to take a shower.”
“A cold one? He’s rather handsome. If I were a couple of centuries younger…” Minerva took the amulet and held her hands over Cass’ face. “I call upon the angel of healing. I ask for your strength. Heal this girl of her wounds.” Her aunt recited the prayer of healing three times and placed her hands on Cass’ cuts. Each area her hands touched tingled with heat and a sensation like a light shock. Several minutes later, her aunt dropped her hands and studied her face.
“A small scar on your left cheek, easily covered with makeup and one on your right foot. The rest are but minor scratches.”
Cass held up her hands. Dried blood marked where the cuts had been. “I’m going to take a quick shower to wash this off. How will we explain this to Nic?”
“He’s going to have other things to worry about. We’re not out of trouble yet. Others will come.” As she said that, they heard a thud outside and a string of colorful invectives.
“Minerva? Cass?” Nic pounded on the bathroom door. “We need to get out of here. Now.”
Cass glanced at Minerva, who shrugged. “I guess our opponent had others in reserve that I didn’t know about. Odd. I’ll have to look into this. Unfortunately, I think you’ll have to skip the shower.”
Cass stepped out of the tub and followed her aunt into the room. “We’re coming,” she called out to Nic.
* * * *
Why weren’t they running? When the rocks hadn’t worked, the others had stepped in. Keeping them hidden had used most of his reserves, but they’d done their jobs. He’d watched as fire crept up the curtains at the windows. Surely Cassandra and the other two had to realize what would happen if they stayed in her apartment. He’d glimpsed a brief shadow in the bowl, but not long enough for them to escape. He forced himself to concentrate, clearing the vision and watching. The table on which his bowl sat moved, not much, but enough to disturb the water and the image.
“What are you doing? I’ve told you not to interrupt me.”
“Sorry! I got hungry and wanted to sit at a table. You can go back to scrying later. Besides, water’s not the only way to see things.”
At one time, his anger would have sent the strongest men to their knees. People trembled before him. But, like his magic, he’d grown weaker. He ignored the woman’s—Sheila? Yes—Sheila’s snide tone. She would pay for her insolence. But not yet.
William had traced Sheila’s lineage back to the original line of brothers—an offshoot nobody had seen. Of them all, only this woman had power worthy of him. Unlike her, the others in the different lines hadn’t been strong enough to hold their gift in this world. Some had lived long enough to have families, diluting their abilities even more. He’d taken what he could from them, using their life forces to bolster his own power.
Cass carefully rose, keeping her weight off her sore feet.
“Is there any other embedded glass?”
Cass closed her eyes and mentally searched her body and clothes for glass. Nic had missed two pieces in her palms and shards in her hair. The slivers rose into the air and floated to a trash can. “I think I got it all.”
“Why didn’t you do this earlier? Your affinity with glass…” Minerva paused, glanced at the closed door, and then smiled. “Ah. I understand. So, are you going to let this one have his way with you?”
Cass felt a blush cover her face and chest. “Aunt Minerva!”
“It’s about time, my girl! I knew you’d never be happy until you met the Protector, but you didn’t have to lead a celibate’s life.”
“Aunt Minerva, I think you need to leave. I’d like to take a shower.”
“A cold one? He’s rather handsome. If I were a couple of centuries younger…” Minerva took the amulet and held her hands over Cass’ face. “I call upon the angel of healing. I ask for your strength. Heal this girl of her wounds.” Her aunt recited the prayer of healing three times and placed her hands on Cass’ cuts. Each area her hands touched tingled with heat and a sensation like a light shock. Several minutes later, her aunt dropped her hands and studied her face.
“A small scar on your left cheek, easily covered with makeup and one on your right foot. The rest are but minor scratches.”
Cass held up her hands. Dried blood marked where the cuts had been. “I’m going to take a quick shower to wash this off. How will we explain this to Nic?”
“He’s going to have other things to worry about. We’re not out of trouble yet. Others will come.” As she said that, they heard a thud outside and a string of colorful invectives.
“Minerva? Cass?” Nic pounded on the bathroom door. “We need to get out of here. Now.”
Cass glanced at Minerva, who shrugged. “I guess our opponent had others in reserve that I didn’t know about. Odd. I’ll have to look into this. Unfortunately, I think you’ll have to skip the shower.”
Cass stepped out of the tub and followed her aunt into the room. “We’re coming,” she called out to Nic.
* * * *
Why weren’t they running? When the rocks hadn’t worked, the others had stepped in. Keeping them hidden had used most of his reserves, but they’d done their jobs. He’d watched as fire crept up the curtains at the windows. Surely Cassandra and the other two had to realize what would happen if they stayed in her apartment. He’d glimpsed a brief shadow in the bowl, but not long enough for them to escape. He forced himself to concentrate, clearing the vision and watching. The table on which his bowl sat moved, not much, but enough to disturb the water and the image.
“What are you doing? I’ve told you not to interrupt me.”
“Sorry! I got hungry and wanted to sit at a table. You can go back to scrying later. Besides, water’s not the only way to see things.”
At one time, his anger would have sent the strongest men to their knees. People trembled before him. But, like his magic, he’d grown weaker. He ignored the woman’s—Sheila? Yes—Sheila’s snide tone. She would pay for her insolence. But not yet.
William had traced Sheila’s lineage back to the original line of brothers—an offshoot nobody had seen. Of them all, only this woman had power worthy of him. Unlike her, the others in the different lines hadn’t been strong enough to hold their gift in this world. Some had lived long enough to have families, diluting their abilities even more. He’d taken what he could from them, using their life forces to bolster his own power.
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