Chapter
Forty-Four
Winter
Iwoke to sunlight streaming through the cabin windows and the distant sound of voices discussing something with urgent intensity. The events of the previous night came flooding back, Fenric's unexpected dominance, the way he'd commanded my body with such exquisite control, the claiming that had left me boneless and satisfied.
My body still hummed with the afterglow, the blue markings settled into a gentle, steady pulse that felt more harmonious than they had in weeks. Beside me, Fenric's breathing was deep and even, his arm still curved protectively around my waist.
I slipped carefully from the bed, not wanting to wake him. He looked younger in sleep, the perpetual furrow between his brows smoothed away, silver-blond hair mussed in a way that made me want to run my fingers through it.
After pulling on clothes, I made my way downstairs to find Dr. Thornwock hunched over the kitchen table with Milo, surrounded by what appeared to be cat collars arranged in careful patterns. The little gnome was practically vibrating withexcitement, his enormous glasses reflecting the early morning light.
When did he get here?
"Ah, Winter!" Thornwick looked up as I entered. "Perfect timing. Milo has proposed a fascinating theory about locating Horrace's original family."
Milo beamed at me, his curls wild from sleep. "Memory Postal! It's brilliant, if I do say so myself."
"Memory what now?" I poured myself coffee from the pot Zane had left warming.
"It's a spell that traces the emotional resonance left in objects," Milo gestured to the cat collars. "Each collar Horrace collected still holds traces of its owner's emotional energy. If we arrange them in the right pattern and use your prophetic markings as a focusing lens, we might be able to map them to their origins."
Thornwick adjusted his glasses, practically bouncing in his chair. "The theoretical applications are staggering! Using prophetic energy to enhance necromantic trace spells? Unprecedented!"
I sat down across from them, studying the collection of collars. Each one told a story, a pink one with rhinestones that spoke of a pampered indoor cat, a sturdy leather collar worn smooth by years of use, a tiny kitten collar that made my heart ache.
"And you think this will help us find Emma?" I touched one collar gently.
"If she's still alive and still in the area," Milo nodded. "The spell should create a kind of magical map, showing us where each collar originated. Emma's connection to Horrace was stronger than the others - her collar should glow differently."
"It's worth trying," I agreed, though I couldn't shake my worry about what we might discover. "How do we do it?"
Thornwick produced a crystal compass from his bag, its needle spinning wildly before settling on a direction. "First, we need to create a focusing circle. The cat collars arranged in constellation patterns, with you and Horrace at the center to provide the prophetic resonance."
"Where is Horrace?" I looked around, suddenly realizing I hadn't seen him this morning.
"Playing with Jeffrey and the others in the garden," Milo pointed toward the cabin's back door. "They're having a tea party. It's adorable."
I found Horrace on the cabin's back deck, indeed engaged in what appeared to be an elaborate tea party with Milo's skeleton crew. The tiny skeletons had arranged themselves around a miniature table, complete with doll-sized cups and saucers, while Horrace presided over the gathering like a benevolent host. His twelve eyes blinked in sequence as he noticed me, a musical trill conveying his happiness.
"Having fun?" I sat beside him.
He responded by wrapping a tentacle around my wrist, his colors brightening at the contact. Through our connection, I felt his contentment, but also an underlying excitement, an anticipation of something significant approaching.
"We might have found a way to locate Emma," I stroked his iridescent fur. "Would you like to help with the spell?"
All twelve eyes focused on me at once, his form practically vibrating with eagerness. He made a series of rapid musical notes that clearly conveyed his enthusiasm.
"I'll take that as a yes," I laughed. "Come on, let's see if Milo's crazy plan actually works."
We returned to the kitchen where Thornwick and Milo had cleared a large space on the floor. The cat collars were arranged in an intricate pattern that hurt my eyes to look at directly, notquite circular, not quite spiral, but something that seemed to shift between the two depending on my viewing angle.
"Constellation mapping," Thornwick gestured as I studied the pattern. "Each collar represents a star, and their original locations should form recognizable patterns when properly attuned."
Milo gestured to the center of the arrangement. "You and Horrace stand here. When you're ready, place your hands on the collars while Horrace harmonizes with your prophetic energy."
I looked down at Horrace, who had positioned himself beside me with obvious purpose. "Ready, buddy?"
