The Wizards of Venus Book One: Magic Touch by dakota trace Page A

includes hurting them?”
    Propping her hand on one hip, she locked eyes with Pati. “I’m not like you Pati. I can’t keep giving and giving. I’ll serve my country and my king but if I’m going to give 101

    the ultimate sacrifice to it, I need to make my peace with it and having all of you - even Mom or Dad in my face about it isn’t helping me in any way. I need to be alone to think.”
    “You act as if giving yourself to the man you love is a bad thing.”
    “It is when I’m sacrificing my friendship for it. Not to mention the new relationship Rand wants to have with me will more than likely be the battle of my life.”
    “So what are you going to do to me? You’ve knocked out Jonathan, so what are you going to do to keep me from telling Rand or using our twin bond to find you?”
    “I was hoping you’d understand, Pati, but it’s obvious you don’t.” Drawing her sister into a hug, she exerted just the right pressure to ease her sister into a deep sleep. “I’m sorry, Pati but I’ve got to deal with this on my own terms.” She gently lowered her sister to the floor beside Jonathan then placed a powerful healing spell on his broken kneecap. After making certain the two of them would awaken within a few hours, Grace vanished again.
    * * * *
     
    When Rand showed up at Pati’s, he found both of them in the living room. Pati was sitting on the couch holding her head and Jonathan was pacing without even a trace of a limp. Jonathan stopped when he saw Rand. "I'm sorry, I didn’t think she’d fight me."
    Looking at his best friend, Rand saw the bruise running down the length of his jaw.
    “ Wildcat, you sure did a number on my best friend. Damn if I don’t love that feisty side of yours.”
    Silence greeted him.
    102
     
    “I know you can hear me. Do your thinking fast because come dawn, I’m coming after you. You got your reprieve, enjoy it while it lasts, because once I’ve got you back at my side you’re not leaving it again.”
    * * * *
     
    Standing outside in the Palace gardens, Rand stared up at the stars. He wasn't surprised when his father joined him. "Hi, Dad."
    "How are you holding up, son? I know giving Gracie time, even overnight, has got to be difficult.”
    "It is, especially with your grandfather riding my ass about it. Was he really as aggressive and dominating in real life?”
    “That he was. I remember many a time when your great grandma locked him out of their rooms. In fact Gramps was known for sneaking into my room and bedding down with me when she did. Grams was a stubborn woman at times.”
    “So it’s no surprise when she chose to merge with Gracie.”
    “No, it isn’t. I hope you realize how blessed you are to have Gramps. He could’ve chosen any wizard he wanted. “
    “I know and he chose to become my sentient power.”
    "So when are you going after her?”
    “At dawn and she’d better pray I don’t have far to look.”
    * * * *
     
    Gracie lay on the bed in the rented room she’d purchased for the night. She’d hoped that with distance her struggle with the mezclar would become easier. 103

    “I could’ve told you it wasn’t going to, Grace Ann. But as usual you’re going to
    do this the hard way. Do you realize what is going to happen the longer we’re
    gone?”
    “I was hoping it would lessen and I’d be able to reason this out.”
    Zara laughed. “Sweetheart, there is no reasoning with the mezclar. It is what it
    is and it has one solitary purpose - to bind completely. It doesn’t care whether or
    not one party is struggling with the changes it requires; it just simply is…and
    mere distance has no affect on it.”
    “I’m simply tired, Zara. Can you understand that? Tired of being told what I’m going to do. Tired of having no choice in my future. For the love of Mica, I’m even tired of fighting my need for him. Sometimes I swear it’s going to swallow me whole and leave nothing but an ulcer.”
    “I understand. Why don’t you try to