Page 84 of Morning's Light

CHAPTER 19

Astix was correct and Aisanna knew it, logically. She didn’t plan on contacting anyone once she settled down in the quaint cabin in the forest. In fact, she took great care to remove any electronic device from her person—i.e. her cell phone—and smash it to shards on the back patio. Her mind, however, spun a million miles an hour, going forward and backward over any detail she may have missed.

She clutched the stone at her neck and walked around the house, exploring rooms in an attempt to calm her raw, ravaged nerves. It was strange, she thought, being protected by the wards. Her insides felt as if they were cushioned, as if the magic wrapped her in packing peanuts. There was a considerable gravity to the whole area. A relief in some ways, but another hurdle to climb over in others.

Aisanna went over again the confrontation in her shop, now in ruins thanks to her. The police were probably having a field day trying to track her down. She looked forward to dealing with them and the insurance company when everything was over. If she made it out alive.

Having Orestes and Zelda corner her—in her safe place—and learning about Israel’s involvement added another layer to their overly complicated story. How could he betray her? Especially to someone like Zelda Vuur.

There was no doubt in her mind they were sleeping together. It didn’t bother her the way it might have before. When she thought about the double-cross, instead of an ache in her heart, her stomach churned with an acidic need for vengeance. Vengeance for her family. They’d been sold out.

Israel was a hound dog, sticking his nose into her personal affairs like she was in some sort of danger. And maybe she was, but it was none of his business.

He was playing both sides of the fence.

Energy spent and with nothing else to do, Aisanna roamed through the house before drifting into the living room. She sat down in front of the fire. Normally flames made her think of Israel. This time the warmth, the comfort, brought the image of another man to her mind. Aisanna thought of Elon, and a flush rose that had nothing to do with the heat.

An embarrassed smile teased her lips at the thought of his hands on her and their bodies moving together. He’d been good. Damn good. He’d treated her like a lady without any of the cheesy romance she detested. He could ravage her and she knew their friendship would still be intact. A solid steel foundation of friendship. Perhaps less solid now because she’d tried to do the right thing. Maybe for the first time, she thought. Why didn’t it make her feel any better?

Blossoms sprouted along the windows before she was aware of their formation. Pink camellias, like the ones he’d tried to give her on Imbolc. Aisanna stared at the flowers and wondered how she’d brought them to life without conscious effort.

“Hey, you.” Leo strolled around the corner with a pitcher of something smoking. “I made some tea.”

“I didn’t even hear you,” Aisanna admitted. She appreciatively accepted a mug of tea and inhaled deeply.

“I can be pretty stealthy when I want to be. The wards, they also make the atmosphere a bit heavy in the cottage. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed. It can mess with your hearing for the first few days.” Leo demonstrated by sticking a finger in his ear and swirling it around.

She held the mug between her palms to absorb the warmth. “Thank you for doing this, and for helping us when you didn’t have to.”

“It’s the right thing,” he insisted. “You don’t have to thank me.”

“I can’t help but feel like a line’s been drawn in the sand, and you’re standing on one side while your father is standing on the other.”

She watched Leo’s face harden. “My father is more concerned with control and authority than he is with helping people. It’s simple, Aisanna. He chose wrong. I’m always going to stand up when there’s a fight worth fighting.”

“What do you think we can do?” she asked. “We may be witches, but we’re still just people. We can’t stem the tide of a metaphysical tsunami.”

“We can do our best, and if that’s not enough, then I accept the consequences. Do you?”

Leo offered the sentiment neutrally, without challenge, then held his cup up for a toast. It brought Aisanna up short. Part of her, a part she trusted very little, wanted to leap up and agree.

“I’ll do my best,” she said at last, raising her mug to his with a clink. The severity of her immediate circumstances overwhelmed her other concerns, however well-founded they were. She couldn’t reason with logic.

**

Several hours later, Karsia burst through the door in a flurry of activity and snowflakes. “I’m here. I made it. Took me forever to find and I got lost a couple of times.”

Astix took the stairs two at a time. “Did they—”

“No,” Karsia interrupted, shaking her head. Water droplets dotted the floor. “They seemed to think the mansion was more defensible. They’re hanging back.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Aisanna wrung her hands. “Do they understand what’s going on?”

“Not entirely, which doesn’t help our case. I brought this.” Karsia swung her satchel around and dropped it on a stout three-legged table near the door.

“Brought what?”

“Our winning ticket. I’ve been doing research in my spare time. I think I’ve found a way to capture her. An ancient spell designed to keep evil spirits contained.”

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