Twin Passions: 3 by Lora Leigh Page A

What none of them could expect, what Astra did suspect, was the Griffons had aided the shielding of the cavern where they rested.
    The great beasts had no concept of the right or the wrong of the magickal beings who protected them, they only knew protecting their own. And she suspected the Delmari Twins, just as the Sorceresses, had somehow become part of their pride.
    But if that were true, then it gave lie to the belief that such magickal beings could sense and were offended by dark magick. And that was no lie, she knew. The Griffons were murderous in the face of dark magick. So how then did that answer the question of the Delmari Wizards? Were they friend or foe? Dark Wizards or no?
    The land was a magick that harkened only to feminine magick though, and even then the spell to reveal the secrets that watched them silently from the shadows of the lands had not yet been found. If the Sorceresses could not find it, then neither could the Wizard Twins, surely.
    Rounding the path to the last tunnel leading to the cavern, she was brought up short by the sound of male voices raised in anger. Easing to the entrance of the main cavern, she felt her stomach drop in trepidation at the sound of one of the ruling Wizards speaking of none other than the Delmari.
    “We sense their magick.” His voice grated in anger. “There are moments I can almost sense their location before it evades me like wisps of smoke on the wind.”
    The fury that reverberated through their voices had dread racing up her back. If they could sense the magick of the Delmari, then finding them, surely, would happen soon.
    There was an order to kill on sight, issued by the Wizards Justices, though Marina was certain no Wizard or Sentinel warrior would do so. The thought of trusting Wizards to heed their conscience wasn’t something Astra placed much faith in though.
    “Even the magick of the land refuses to heed my commands to reveal them.” Anger and pain threaded through the Guardian’s voice, her concern for her missing mother and sister upmost in her heart and her mind.
    “Why hide dark magick?” one of the Twins questioned, as confused by such a thing as Astra, and no doubt as confused as his Consort as well.
    “I don’t know, Caise.” Guardian Marina’s voice lowered, uncertainty filling it. “Why hide Mother and Serena from me when I whisper my greatest pleas? My power builds daily with our Joining. I can locate any who I think of with the slightest need for their whereabouts and call out to them. All but those bedamned Delmari Twins, Serena and my mother.”
    Astra felt an edge of relief, sharp and bittersweet as it began to ease the constriction in her chest. Thank the Select that she could not sense the Delmari, for if she did, then surely she would sense their Consortress as well.
    “Their warriors know nothing. Our Justices nor yours can seer a conspiracy or hint of knowledge regarding the Delmari’s plans or their location. All are loyal to the Delmari though. They’ll be searching for them once we allow them to find their way to escape. We’ve only to ensure they do detect the magick following them, or the Wizards I’ve assigned to shadow their movements.”
    Astra’s lips parted in shock.
    Rhydan’s and Torran’s own men would find them. Their bonds to their Wizards would allow their Sentinel Warriors to locate them, whether the Delmari wished it or no. It was part of the bonds of Wizards and warriors.
    She couldn’t allow—
    She had to fight back the need to rush to Marina’s side, to go to her knees and beg for the lives of Wizards believed to be only traitors. Placing her hand tight over her lips, she fought the need to howl out in rage, to beg them to heed the call of her magick and the unknown force inside her that demanded her loyalty to them.
    Instead, she backed slowly from the entrance, sent a call to the great Unicorn that had carried her in and rushed back to the exit of the caverns.
    She had to warn her Wizards of