Page 57 of Discovered Magic
Cookie’s focus shifted to Abbie. “Mostly. One or two remain to cause trouble, but eventually they go the way of the others. It helps having the Guardian around.”
“You know what Draven is?” he asked, surprised the old man knew so much.
His rheumy eyes twinkled, and a ghost of a smile curled his lips. “Your meal’s on the house, son. Any friend of our Mary’s is a friend of mine.”
“No! You stayed open and?—”
“You refusin’ my hospitality, Thorne?”
Wilder went cold. “I don’t believe I mentioned my name.”
“You didn’t. But that don’t mean I’m ignorant of who you are.”
“Care to share?”
“Let’s just say, you’re a descendant of mine, child.” The voice was distinctly feminine, and a shimmering image of the Goddess appeared in place of Cookie before it disappeared.
“Isis,” he breathed, bowing his head. “Exhalted One. Forgive me.”
“Think nothing of it, Beloved.” Drawing out a chair, the Goddess, disguised as Cookie, sat at their table. “But if you would keep this between us, I would look favorably upon you.”
“Why are you here?”
“Two of the world’s four Travelers are stuck here. Their presence has offset the balance, and it must be maintained in all things.”
“How do we get home? Castor and I are powerless, and Abbie doesn’t even remember who she is.”
It struck him that she was particularly quiet upon discovering Isis was masquerading as Cookie in the Wild West. He swiveled to look at her, then jumped into action.
“Oh, shit! Abbie!”
“She’s merely asleep, child. Sit back down while there’s time.”
Heart racing, he did as Isis bade.
“Why hasn’t anyone restored her mind and body? Why allow her suffering?” he demanded. “Damian?—”
“Damian does as he’s told. As for healing her, do you think her stunning beauty would go unnoticed in this place? She’s safer under the guise of a crazy, scarred spinster.”
“That’s bullshit,” he snapped.
Isis’s cold stare recalled his manners.
“Apologies, Exhalted One,” Wilder muttered. “I only meant that she might’ve found a way home sooner.”
“The Fates want her here. For Draven.”
His stomach dropped.
19
“What do you mean?” Wilder asked, feeling shaky and on the verge of losing his biscuits. “They want her to be Draven’s mate? Because it’ll be over my dead body.”
“Nothing so dire,” Isis assured him. “They’re hoping to give him a shove in the proper direction. Draven Masters is protective of Abigail. She reminds him of a woman he met when he was young, though he doesn’t recall who.”
“It’s not as if he’s old. At best, he’s in his late twenties, but I’d venture to say he’s closer to twenty-three or four.”
She waved a hand. “People mature faster in this century due to hardships.”
