“Do I?”
She nuzzled his chin, and he kissed the end of her nose.
“I know whatI hopeyou mean,” he said.
“And what is that?”
“You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”
She grinned. “Would that be so terrible?”
He stared at her, wistfully. “No, but nobody likes rejection.”
“I’m not rejecting you. Not now and not then.”
As their lips met, the world seemed to fall away. The cool mountain air, the babbling brook, even the looming threats they faced… All of it faded into the background as Chad and Brianna lost themselves in a passionate kiss. Chad's arms encircled Brianna, pulling her close as she ran her fingers through his hair. The moonlight bathed them in an ethereal glow, casting shimmering reflections on the nearby stream.
But even as Brianna melted into Chad's embrace, a part of her mind remained troubled. The knowledge of Dr. Emerson's impending fate weighed heavily on her conscience. She saw flashes of the future… the funeral, the grief, the uncertainty that followed. And now, as her relationship with Chad deepened, shecouldn't help but worry about how it might impact their mission. Would their growing intimacy compromise their judgment?
Chad let out a deep breath, fog forming in the air between them. “It’s cold. We should get inside.”
Brianna kissed him again. “Or not.”
Unbeknownst to Chad and Brianna,Lioness sat cross-legged in her room back at the mansion, her eyes closed in deep concentration as she exercised her remote viewing abilities. The scent of sage and lavender hung heavy in the air.
As her consciousness drifted across the mountainside, she found herself drawn to the babbling brook where Chad and Brianna sat entwined. The moonlight bathed them in an otherworldly glow, their breath mingling in the crisp night air as they shared a passionate kiss. Lioness could almost feel the electricity crackling between them, the intensity of their connection palpable even from a distance.
She watched her fingers fly as she sketched Chad's fingers tangled in Brianna's hair, and Brianna's hands gripping Chad's shoulders, pulling him closer. The little artist always had her pencils and paper nearby and quickly drew exactly what she saw. Part of her was happy for her friend. Another part knew she’d have to tell Bas and show her the sketch. It would be up to the boss to decide if a romantic relationship would compromise the mission.
She could easily say nothing. After all, she was simply asked to scan the perimeter for outside influences, like intruders. Chad and Brianna weren’t intruders. As she wrestled with her conscience, she figured she could confront Brianna directly first. Maybe she could convince her friend to tell Bas herself. After all,she would know how deep it went and might be able to reassure the boss, if it was just a moment of madness brought on by her brush with death.
As Lioness debated what to do, her remote viewing suddenly picked up on something else… a faint shimmer in the air not far from where Chad and Brianna sat. Her breath caught as she focused on it, realizing with a jolt that it was another anomaly beginning to form.
"Oh no," she whispered, her eyes flying open. She scrambled to her feet, grabbed her sketchpad, and raced out of her room. "Bas!" she called out, her voice echoing through the mansion's halls. "We have a problem!"
Bas emerged from her study; her emerald eyes were sharp with concern. "What is it, Lioness?"
"An anomaly." Lioness panted, thrusting her sketchpad at Bas. "It's forming near the brook, not far from where Chad and Brianna are."
Bas's eyes widened, and she grabbed Lioness’s small arm. “Tell me where, exactly.”
“Near the little bridge made from pallets.”
Before Lioness could say more, Bas transported the two of them to the right spot. Backs to the more experienced witches, Brianna and Chad stared, transfixed, at the anomaly.
Chad aimed his hands at the anomaly and said in his deep word-warrior voice, “Leave this place!”
The undulating air immediately became smooth and transparent again.
Lioness let out her breath in a whoosh. Chad and Brianna whirled around and spotted the two L.A.W. members behind them.
“Well done, Chad,” Bas said. “I’m glad I was able to see you in action. You used your word-power correctly and withouthesitation. Now we just have to figure out what the Aether Pirates were doing here.”
“Could they have followed me from Washington, D.C. via Long Island?” Brianna asked.
“That is certainly a possibility,” Bas said.
The next morning,the L.A.W. mansion buzzed with activity as the witches gathered to discuss the latest developments. Chad sat at the large oak table in the library, feeling both exhilarated and overwhelmed by the events of the past 24 hours. Brianna sat beside him, her hand resting reassuringly on his knee under the table.
