“What?”
“I mean, I remember reading something about that legend.” Lucas stood and came around to her side of the desk. “But don’t forget the possibility that the manuscript may have been written much later, perhaps only fifty years ago.”
Sara rubbed her temples. “Don’t overwhelm me. Let’s go with my theory first. It’s a place to start.”
“Once we’re there, where would we look?”
“Somewhere there are both roses and oak trees, according to the verse.”
“Gardens, maybe? There must be hundreds of them.”
She looked up at him. “It must be some place where there is a balance of power between the male and the female. That’s what the oak and the rose symbolize. Where could we find that?”
Lucas frowned. “If we were in Europe, I would say old churches. The cathedrals that the Templars built always included pagan feminine symbols while supposedly supporting the male-dominated Roman church. Here, I don’t know.”
“Churches might be a good place to start, then.” She smiled suddenly. “Baylor probably wouldn’t think of looking there.”
Lucas paused. “Even if he did, it’s one place Baylorcouldn’tlook.”
****
Sara hated keeping secrets from Michael or from Brianna, but how could she tell them that Lucas was a werewolf? And that, Goddess help her, she was in love with him? But at least now she understood his elusiveness. Lovemaking wasn’t exactly the time anyone was the most rational, and if the wolf slipped out…
“I can’t believe that man actually tried to burn you alive!” Brianna said as she set white candles at the quarters of thepentacle rug that took up most of her living room floor. “What did the police say?”
“They’re investigating the death of the two men in the car. Michael gave them a description of Baylor—said he’d passed him as he was coming to my place. He didn’t mention what happened to me.”
Her friend stopped selecting sticks of incense and looked at her in astonishment. “Why on earth not? That demon tried to kill you!”
“What would I say, Bri? That some stranger got it into his head to carry out a witch’s execution out in the middle of nowhere? For what reason? And if I said I knew who he was and that he wanted the manuscript so he could search for the Holy Grail, the media would have a field day with it; that is, if I weren’t sent to John Peter Smith Hospital as a psycho case. And you know how Mr. Smith feels about being dragged into anything that might include a search of his private vaults.”
“I still think you should have reported it.”
Sara shook her head. “Lucas says the last thing we need is a horde of people searching and digging and snooping.”
“Ah, your Highlander god,” Brianna said, “and why didn’t he get to you sooner?”
If only she could tell her friend that he did. That he had saved her life. “He came as soon as he could,” she said stubbornly. “He had to track Michael from a distance so Baylor wouldn’t think he was being followed.”
“And Michael,” Brianna replied as she set the onyx bowl filled with water in the middle of the pentacle’s inner circle. “How did he let himself get taken? His magic should have been more powerful than that.”
Sara thought again about the illusion of the fiery Sword. Sometimes she wondered if Michael did, indeed, have gifts he hadn’t shared with the Circle. “Baylor had a real gun,”she answered, “we were both concentrating on that. No one suspected a drug-laced taser.”
“It drives home my point,” Brianna said. “I know how strong Michael is, and from what you’ve told me about Lucas, he sounds like one of those medieval warriors that protected the pilgrims on the Crusades—”
“Templars,” Sara said, with a laugh since history had never been Brianna’s thing. Then she sobered, remembering the Celtic cross Lucas wore. The one he had given to Michael…
“Whatever. The thing is, if these two alpha males can’t protect you, who can?”
“Brighid.” Sara winked at her friend. “Woman power and all that. Now, are you ready to scry?” Brianna had the gift of Sight and Sara had hoped she could provide some clue as to where they might search.
“I’ll try,” she said as she knelt down by bowl and closed her eyes to meditate.
Sara lit the candles, softly calling the quarters as she moved clockwise around the circle. Then she lit the appropriate incenses—frankincense, sandalwood, honeysuckle and musk—and placed them in their holders. She sank down opposite Brianna.
For long minutes Brianna stared at the still water, eyes glazing. And then it began to stir, sloshing from one side of the bowl to the other. Her friend’s eyes widened, but Sara could not discern what she saw. Which was just as well, considering that she had fainted the night of the new moon ritual when she had seen the Templar warrior overcome by what she now recognized was Baylor.
Brianna reached out her hand and the water stilled. Slowly, she shifted her gaze to Sara. “Wind,” she said, “a storm at sea.”
