Page 11 of Sea of Love

“You need not watch me every moment,” he told the other Templar. “I gave my word that I will not run.”

“Oh, I was simply enjoying your show of kindness to the witch,” Bowers said, his genial tone tinged with amusement. “The odd little drab didn’t seem to appreciate it. I don’t think she likes you, Cyrus. Perhaps you should keep your distance. Then again, I know too well your fondness for the enemy.”

Shelton thought of the young Wiccans he had spared. He knew from his interrogation after the incident that not one of them had ever been found. Sometimes knowing that they had lived had been the only thing to keep him sane.

“I executed my commander,” Shelton said. “That is why I was branded a traitor, not for showing mercy to helpless children.”

“As you will have it,” the shorter man said and smirked a little. “What is the matter with the drab’s legs and feet?”

“She stumbled through a fire,” Shelton said and poured some water into the washing basin. He splashed it over his face and chest. “What do you care?”

“I don’t,” Bowers said as he handed him a cloth. “But then I’m not the one she’s toying with, Brother. You will be reburied in the bone crypts if the Grand Master is denied these treasures.”

“I know my orders,” Shelton said. He dried his face to keep from flinging the cloth at the other man’s head. “The witch is nothing to me.”

“Anyway, we will take comfort in the fact that she is full-grown,” Bowers said and glanced down at the courtyard. “When the time comes, I expect you should have no difficulty cutting her throat.”

Chapter 6

SUMMER FINISHED PACKING the provisions they needed for their trip tomorrow. She placed the satchel by the door.

“If Elettra’s burns are no better in the morning, we might leave her here to rest.”

“Good luck convincing her,” Troy said as he mounded the blankets from the pallets on the floor to fashion a bed large enough for the three of them. “She seems to think that disgusting sludge she mixed up is going to heal her overnight.”

“It actually might,” Summer admitted. “Honey is a great antiseptic for minor burns, and the lavender essence will ease the pain. The comfrey leaves protect and even help regrow skin.” She rubbed her nose. “If only the combination didn’t smell like something that died in a mound of dung.”

“More like a mountain of dung,” Troy said. “Thank the Gods she took it outside.”

“The roof is leaking,” Michael said as he ducked around a trickle of water coming from the ceiling. “Is there a pot to catch it in?”

“I didn’t know it was raining,” Summer said.

She brought over the wash basin, but when she placed it under the leak the water vanished.

Troy glanced through the window. “It’s not raining.” He looked up. “Does the innkeeper have a barrel on the––hey.”

Summer saw the water that had pooled on the floor racing up the front of the dark warlock’s tunic. It coiled and shimmered against his chest.

“Rain doesn’t do that,” he said.

Troy’s eyes flared with blue power as he reached for the water. But the enchanted trickle darted under his hand and poured to the floor. It puddled briefly before it gathered itself again and streamed across the planks to nudge the door.

“Wait,” Summer said when Michael went after it. Channeling her Tablet power, she sent a surge to envelop the bespelled water, which danced through the emerald light as if delighted. “It’s not enchanted,” she told her mates as she drew it to her hand, and scooped it up. Carrying it closer to one of the oil lamps, she held it beside the flame. Inside the water tiny grains flashed like silver and blue glitter. “I don’t know what it is.”

As soon as she released her power the water poured down around her feet. It returned to the door like a puppy begging to go out.

“We’d better contain it,” Troy said as Summer followed it. “Let me freeze it, and we can–”

As if it heard him the water collapsed into a puddle and seeped under the door.

Summer stepped outside in the hall, and saw the water coiling over and under itself like a Mobius strip. As she reached for it the sparkling stream rushed to the stairs and poured itself down the steps.

Troy went to the landing, but Summer caught his arm before he started down.

“This is a little too strange for my comfort,” she said, keeping her voice low. “Maybe we should wake up Elettra.”

“If it were RainLance, I’d agree,” he told her. “But I think the three of us can handle a puddle.”