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We were up before dawn. Leo was still asleep, but Rhiannon woke him up because he was likely to recognize some of the charms I might not. Being on the road and working primarily with the energy of the wind put me at some disadvantage. I didn't do things the way a lot of witches did them, and most of my spells were invocations as opposed to actually working with spell components.
We dug through the boxes and bags, looking for anything that might help. I held up an orange ball the size of a walnut. "This is practically trying to jump out of my hand. You guys know what it is?"
Rhiannon took it, sniffed it, and her eyes widened. "Yeah, it's a firespark charm. Can turn even the most moderate of flames into a raging inferno. I don't think I should touch this."
"Ridiculous. You need to get over your fear of the fire. Just because you're carrying something doesn't mean you're going to set it off," Leo said, glancing up at her. Bart rubbed around his legs; the Maine Coon was dragging around a fuzzy mouse and seemed intent on cajoling Leo into playing with it. "And shouldn't someone be making breakfast? I'm starved."
"Make it yourself," Rhiannon said, staring at him with a hurt look. "I'm not your maid or your mother."
Leo leaned back, squatting on his heels. He rubbed his forehead and let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just . . . things feel like they're spiraling out of control and we have to get a handle on anything that might help us. Like your power over flame. Maybe Anadey can help you?"
I jerked my head up. "He's got a point. She's a shamanic witch and she works with all four elements. If anybody we know can help, it might just be her."
"Fine. I'll talk to her today." Rhiannon frowned. "Do we tell her what Grieve said about Peyton?"
"Not till we confirm it. We want to make certain she's safe before we get Anadey's hopes up."
I ran my fingers through my hair, staring at the massive pile of odds and ends with disgust. "I don't know why Marta left all this to me. I usually just work with energy, not with the actual components. She could have left this to her daughter, or to Peyton--they would be able to put it to better use than me."
"Nope, she had her reasons. Marta never did anything without thinking it through." Leo held up a handful of necklaces. "Bingo--protection charms. Don't know how effective they are, but they feel charged. There are five of them."
"We each get one, then. And a spare." I draped one of the Algiz runes over my head and immediately felt the soft keen of magic shroud my shoulders. "Whoa . . . this is comforting. Okay, let's go eat and then--"
The doorbell rang. Leo went to answer and a moment later returned, followed by a guy who looked around thirty. He was Chinese, thin but muscled, and was dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a black leather jacket over a gray muscle shirt. Combat boots completed the outfit. He carried a heavy backpack, which he dropped in the corner after carefully scanning the room.
"Kaylin Chen, meet Cicely Waters."
Kaylin looked at me. "We've been waiting for you, Cicely--the wind told me you were coming, and to keep an eye out for you."
What the . . . ? "You can speak to the wind?" I'd never met anybody else with my abilities before. But he shook his head.
"No, but ghosts can speak through the wind, and I can speak to ghosts." And then his eyes lit up with a golden light, and I noticed that, standing behind Kaylin Chen, stood two translucent figures. Neither one seemed to realize that I could see them.
Kaylin blinked. "What are you looking at?" Then, he relaxed. "You can see them." He spoke so softly that Leo and Rhiannon didn't hear him.
"Yeah, but I don't think the spirits know I can."
"Probably not. They're attuned to me on a level I can't explain, and very few ever know they're with me. Even gifted psychics usually don't tune in to them." He turned to Leo. They clasped arms. "Good to see you, bro. It's been a long time."
"You, too, dude. You been staying out of trouble?"
"As much as I can," Kaylin said. He saluted Rhiannon, who waved.
"You want breakfast?" She flashed him a wide smile and her eyes sparkled.
Kaylin nodded. "Not about to say no."
"Come on, Cicely. Let's cook while we fill him in on what's going on."
I stared at her for a moment. She'd just about bit off Leo's head for asking her to cook breakfast; now she was volunteering the both of us. I glanced back at Kaylin and he winked at me. A glint in his eyes twinkled and I felt a sudden desire to make him happy.
"Dude, you have some sort of charm going on?"
He shrugged. "Only my natural demeanor."
"Right. Come on, Rhia. Let's get breakfast under way."
Kaylin followed the rest of us into the kitchen. His gaze fluttered back to me as he turned one of the chairs around and swung one leg over the seat, coming to rest his elbows on the back of it.
