| |
––––––––
Quinn wanted to choke Sen.
How was it that Sen could find anyone, but not Veronika? Worse than that, Sen had sat on vital information when he should have been broadcasting that she was loose.
Based on what Trey related, Sen would say only that her escape was unusual circumstances. Quinn would have to find out more on that later.
Right now, he had to bring himself to allow Lanna to put herself at risk again. No matter what everyone said, this was not a normal search for a missing person.
Not when his daughter carried his genes plus that of a Medb priestess.
Everything about this search would be extremely dangerous.
“Cousin, please sit so I can explain what we need to do,” Lanna called out.
Resigned to at least give Lanna a chance to try, Quinn ignored the headache that still nagged him since diving into that troll’s head last night, and took a seat.
Lanna sat across the room from him with Kellman and Kardos on each side of her.
Sitting a little too stiffly to look at ease, Lanna said, “Cousin, am I correct to think it is okay to talk freely about what we’re doing and who we are looking for?” At his nod, she said, “I will tell you that Mother Mattie knows, but I did not tell her intentionally. It came out during our ... healing sessions.”
Guilt hammered him over not keeping Lanna safe from Grendal. “I understand and trust Mother Mattie to hold a confidence.”
The elderly witch tilted her head at him.
He added, “I am in your debt for anything you need in the future and I’d offer the same to Caron, but I understand she does not wish to be thanked.”
“You’re correct. I’ll pass along your appreciation to Caron.” The elder witch sent a look to Lanna, giving her the floor again.
With her hands tucked in her lap, Lanna continued. “I have always been able to find those in our family. Is that not right, Cousin?”
“That is correct. You showed an uncanny ability to do that early on.”
She awarded him with the hint of a smile. “I find it easier to draw on that ability when I hold something connected to the missing person.” She no doubt caught the worry Quinn failed to hide from his face and rushed on to say, “I am not touching the bracelet, Cousin. But your daughter Phoedra is now my family, too.”
Leaning forward, he studied on where she was going with this line of thought. “That’s true.”
“I believe if I hold your hand while I call upon my powers, that I can find Phoedra, because she is connected to you.”
That sounded so logical, but majik was rarely logical.
He asked, “I accept that it is your decision to do this, but I want the truth. Is there a risk to you?” He glanced at Storm, but the Skinwalker appeared determined to stay out of this exchange, so Quinn was on his own.
“There is always a risk with majik, Cousin. I will be safe, especially with four witches to share their power with me.”
Quinn thought she might be overestimating what the two boys brought to the witch table, but he could live with an unsuccessful outcome as long as Mother Mattie and Adrianna kept Lanna safe.
He cursed himself for the hope racing through his heart when his job was to protect Lanna from harm. There was nothing he could do, though, about the fast beating of the savaged organ after weeks of hitting dead ends everywhere he’d gone.
Even Garwyli had come up empty, though the druid continued to try.
Quinn couldn’t deny his anticipation at even a tiny lead.
Lanna stood up, sounding in control of the event. “I will tell you where to sit on the rug when we are ready to start. When I do, please make yourself as comfortable as you can. I have not tried this for many years. I apologize now if it takes much time.”
Mother Mattie said, “This is not something to be rushed. Work at your own pace.” She rose and handed the heavy tote bag to Lanna.
“Thank you.” Lanna withdrew a large object wrapped in black felt. She placed it in the middle of the rug and opened the circle of soft cloth to reveal a polished black bowl almost two feet across, but shallow. The black cloth extended another six inches all the way around and had silver designs drawn on it. Next she pulled out three sturdy candles, one indigo, one purple, and one white. Once she had them arranged in the center of the bowl, she withdrew a velvet bag of crystals.
She placed the crystals in specific locations in the bowl before filling the dish with water from a small jug.
Did that tote hold anything else?
Nope. Lanna carefully folded the bag and placed it on her chair.
As Quinn watched Lanna, he realized he’d never seen her pay attention to detail the way she did now. Was there a reason the dark blue candle stood taller than the other two?
She began pointing out places on the rug for everyone. “Kellman there, then Mother Mattie, Kardos, Adrianna, Cousin, and I will be here.”
Like the others, Quinn slipped off his shoes and found his spot, where he sat cross-legged.
Adrianna took her spot, looking like a perfect blonde package of class and confidence. Quinn was thankful to have her as an ally to Beladors, as well as a friend.
He knew about Isak Nyght, a human black ops soldier, who had been getting deeply involved with her until the chump acted like an idiot, in Evalle’s words.
Lanna drew Quinn’s attention back to the moment when she asked Evalle to lower all the artificial lights, then explained, “This will not be a scrying exactly. My majik works in its own way. When we join hands, please open your power to me. I have learned how when we bring our power together, we form a stronger connection to the universe. I will open myself to what I can learn about Phoedra, but I will need all of you to remember whatever I say. I may recall what happens, but I may not.”
Taking her place next to Quinn, Lanna extended her hand, which he grasped, noting how small her fingers were against his huge hand. Lanna would rush into a burning building for those she cared about, but in spite of her inner strength, which humbled him, she was still a vulnerable young woman who had been through hell.
“Everyone please hold hands.” Lanna grasped Kellman’s hand, then squeezed Quinn’s and said, “Relax, Cousin. It will be fine.”
Lanna closed her eyes, silent for a moment, then she began speaking in an earnest tone. “We call to you, guardians of the innocent, to ask for your wisdom and your vision. We open our hearts to your counsel and our minds to your advice. We seek one of our blood who needs our prayers and our strength. We wish to wrap Phoedra, child of Quinn and Kizira, in our love and protection.”
The only sound Quinn heard next was soft breathing as Lanna sat perfectly still.
He forced himself not to fidget.
If she could put herself out to do this then he could do as she asked and open up to her power, but it was difficult to do so, knowing Veronika had escaped.
Lanna lifted her chin, eyes still shut, and moved her lips but no sound came out.
The flames of the candles began to grow, with the indigo one climbing the tallest, to eye level with him.
Opening her eyes, Lanna leaned forward slightly and stared down at the bowl.
Quinn couldn’t help leaning a little forward himself and gaped at the reflection of her eyes. He looked over to see if it was a trick of the lights on the water, but no.
Her blue eyes had turned bright as two diamonds with pinpoint pupils.
Looking up above the circle of bodies joined by hands, he saw a halo of white hovering over them.
When he checked Evalle and Storm, they both looked at the halo, then Evalle sent Quinn a reassuring smile.
Lanna moved her head as if studying something intently in the water. Then her face eased and she whispered, “Phoedra.”
Did that mean she saw something?
He didn’t dare say a word.
Adrianna had closed her eyes and her lips were moving with silent words, too. Was she sending Lanna power?
How the hell did this work?
Mother Mattie also sat with her eyes shut, but the boys were following Quinn’s actions by watching every move.
Actually, Kellman only had eyes for Lanna.
“Where are you going?” Lanna asked in a confidential tone. “Show me your world.”
Quinn held his breath.
Was Lanna actually seeing his daughter? He had no idea what Phoedra even looked like. His pulse climbed, but he maintained his calm. The last thing he wanted to do was distract her.
Lanna pulled back with an odd expression on her face then leaned forward again. “Who is that woman?”
What woman?
Damn, Quinn had to bite his tongue to keep from shouting out a question. Wouldn’t Lanna call out an alert if she saw Veronika? Could Veronika find his child this quickly when Quinn had been searching constantly for weeks?
Adrianna murmured, “Who is the woman?”
Without looking at Adrianna, Lanna said, “Pretty face. Brown or maybe reddish brown hair. Curls.”
“Macha?” Adrianna asked softly.
“Not Macha. Not a goddess.”
And neither did the description sound like Veronika. Quinn released a breath of relief for that much, but he still didn’t know who was with Phoedra.
Mother Mattie opened her eyes and focused on the murmured exchange between Adrianna and Lanna.
Should that worry him?
The elderly woman glanced at Quinn who gave her what he hoped conveyed a look of confusion.
She shook her head slightly, indicating he should not interfere, but she remained with her eyes open, watching closely.
“Where is Phoedra?” Adrianna asked in a quiet voice, sounding as if she were in a trance.
“Is near water. Maybe ocean.”
That didn’t narrow the location down much for Quinn, but it was a start.
Adrianna turned her head to the side, flinching as if in pain, then the moment was gone and her facial muscles relaxed. Still in a monotone, the Sterling witch asked, “What about ... the woman?”
Lanna frowned at the water. A ripple chased across the surface. “She has dark energy. Not human.”
Quinn’s heart dropped. Who was with his child?
“What ... town or street?” Adrianna breathed out.
Lanna studied whatever she saw in the bowl for a long couple of minutes and finally said, “Very warm. They are walking. Candles. Another woman.” She leaned forward sharply. “No ... no.”
“What?” Quinn uttered and Mother Mattie sent him a visual threat he interpreted as shut up or expect to be hurt.
“Watch out, Phoedra!”
