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He made a left before the E.R. and headed to Kiara’s room.
He found her sitting up. Because she bore a strange expression on her face, he asked, “What’s wrong? What’s happened?”
She gestured to her left.
Braden turned and felt his fur appear once more along his cheeks, neck and the backs of his hands. Standing behind the chair was Laura in spirit form. She wore her favorite blue jeans and a red tank top. She looked as beautiful as he remembered, with her long dark hair floating around her shoulders.
He immediately moved toward her, but she lifted her hand and he stopped. Her voice, more melodious than Maeve’s, was in his head. If you come closer, I’ll have to leave. It’s one of the rules. And I am including Kiara in this conversation.
What are you doing here? His heart swelled at the sight of her. All the love he’d ever felt for her rose to the surface of his mind, his body, and yes, his spirit too.
She smiled, her beautiful grin that had always squeezed his heart. Making sure you don’t do something idiotic. You must forgive her, my love. Maeve performed a tremendous service for me that night. My spirit had already gone to the other side. I won’t go into the pain I experienced, though I think it was smart of Maeve to let you feel the poison yourself. My life had run its course and she saved me from hours of agony. But what I need to say to you is that it wounded Maeve severely to take my life, as necessary as it was. Do you understand? It broke her mind and her heart. It will destroy her completely unless you help her through this.
He could only nod. He was in shock at seeing her, at hearing her voice once more inside his mind. He would have given anything to take her in his arms, but he
r physical body was no longer there.
Braden. Focus and hear me! Stop thinking about me as I was. I’m no longer that woman. But Maeve needs you. She blocked these memories because of her tender heart. You must help her through this if she’s to survive and become the force Five Bridges needs her to be. She’s spent all these months saving other people, including you. Now you must return the favor. Go to her and save her.
I’m going to say good-bye now. You have my blessings and enjoy your children.
Laura, don’t go.
She grinned again. Nonsense. I must. One last thing, Veyda is in Maeve’s spellroom. Get over yourself and go save our girl.
With that, she offered one last smile, blew him a kiss then vanished.
He knew without having to be told that she’d only returned to offer this one last service, not to him, but to Maeve.
He glanced at Kiara, who in turn added her voice to Laura’s. “Go to Maeve, Braden! She’s in danger. Veyda’s here and she came with one purpose: To kill Maeve. Go!”
~ ~ ~
Maeve had never been more grateful for anything in her life than seeing the bitch, Veyda, in her spellroom. She didn’t know how she’d gotten in or when. She didn’t care. She was pretty sure Veyda had witnessed her use of the poisoned paste on Braden. She must have enjoyed those few moments when Braden shouted in pain.
She could see Veyda now and Maeve wanted her wiped from the face of the planet. She’d hurt so many people, destroyed so many lives, and had made Maeve’s conscience a fiery thing she’d have to live with the rest of her life.
Veyda stood near the stone steps. She was tall for a woman, about Maeve’s height. Her hair was blond and wrapped in braids on top of her head. She wore a shimmering dark blue gown. Her eyes were black and held an unholy light. She wasn’t a lost soul. She was damned.
She’d recovered from the recent burns Maeve had inflicted, but the green flames on her neck and cheeks had darkened. The woman was full of emerald flame. Maeve could smell it on her.
Veyda’s gaze took in the wall of canisters as she stepped slowly into the spellroom. “Not bad for a beginner.”
Maeve remained near the end of the sink counter, her back to the wall.
There was one question, however, she wanted Veyda to answer. “Why did you kill Frank? He was a good man. He’d never hurt anybody in his life.”
“Simple. I didn’t want you to have any attachments to the human world.”
“But we’d said our good-byes. He was leaving Five Bridges forever. You must have known that.”
“Yes. I saw your farewells.” Veyda moved to the wood cupboard opposite the sink but adjacent to the shelves with all the canisters. She ran her fingertips over each implement as though claiming them. Maybe she thought she was.
Maeve slowly accessed her killing power. She had no intention of aligning herself with Veyda and she didn’t mind if the encounter with the bitch from hell ended in her own death. She was ready.
“You were so new to Five Bridges, I felt certain you’d cave and summon him back here. But I needed you with me, devoted to our coven.”
Maeve could have responded. Instead, she stayed in a quiet watchful place, building her power.
