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Grant’s sole focus, however, was on how close Natalie would have to get to the warlock in order for all three of them to fit inside.
Natalie followed Neil then Grant squeezed himself in.
The three of them barely fit. Parts of the soon-to-be wizard were touching Natalie, like the sleeve of his shirt and probably his elbow. He couldn’t exactly see but he didn’t care. Neil shouldn’t be touching her at all.
The elevator began its descent.
Grant’s jaw worked. He’d barely made peace with Neil and something about him, maybe his damn good looks despite his current deathlike appearance, had Grant gripping Natalie’s hand tighter still.
Her voice hit his mind. Loosen up, warrior, or I’ll lose my fingers to a lack of circulation.
His gaze shifted to Natalie. She looked up at him and smiled, a quirky tilt of her lips that tightened his heart. He released her hand, slid his own to the nape of her neck then kissed her forehead. Apologies. My wolf doesn’t like this cage.
It really is a cage, though a very pretty one, isn’t it?
The elevator landed at the bottom with a thud and a clang. Neil opened the doors manually. Having gotten in last, Grant left the cage first. But he turned back and reached for Natalie. She took his hand and he drew her close. Apologies, but I need this right now.
You don’t have to explain. I’m feeling it, too, a need to stick close.
Good.
“Oh, my God.” Natalie’s words turned his attention to the first belowground floor of Neil’s home. Grant had never been here before.
The space was palatial in size, though subterranean in feel. The walls were either exposed rock and chipped with a design or inlaid with more stones of all shapes, sizes and color. Lighting had been built into the floor all around the perimeter. Down the center of the space were seating areas in a rich purple, silver and black. The ceiling of what felt like a massive cave was inlaid with silver tiles. All of it felt purposeful to Grant.
“You entertain here?” Natalie said.
“Not exactly.” Neil pressed a hand to his side. “This space is more about wizardry than anything else.”
A faint breeze flowed from the far end, then vanished. At first Grant thought it was the air conditioning system. But a few seconds later, his wolf got agitated. Fur erupted on his cheekbones.
Natalie squeezed his hand hard. When he turned to look at her, he saw that her eyes were hunting the room like something was there, but unseen, and her wolf-sign had appeared in iridescent ripples over her cheeks.
Grant addressed Neil. “What the hell is going on? My wolf is telling me to run.”
“The wizard is here, the one I told you about. He’ll be doing the spell. I’m guessing you’re both sensitive to his presence.”
“There was a breeze,” Natalie explained.
Neil said, “Landris, my friends are ready for you and I need to retire.”
“Landris?” Grant whispered. “Is it possible? Jesus.”
Natalie’s voice entered his mind. Wasn’t he reported dead twenty years ago? Do you think it’s the same one?
The wizard appeared a few feet in front of them, fading as if from nothing then coming to life on a slow reveal. He wore long, expensive-looking silk robes, embroidered down the front panels. Grant held Natalie close to his side because nothing about this situation gave him confidence.
Power roiled from the alter wizard.
He was warrior-sized which further incited Grant’s wolf as well. His fur now rippled over the backs of his hands and his snout had elongated slightly, enough for Grant to growl. Landris had wavy auburn-and-black hair to his shoulders, thick, arched black brows, steely gray eyes, a strong nose and powerful jawline.
Worse, his gaze was fixed on Natalie.
Neil said, “May I introduce Wizard Landris of Elegance North.”
Grant hadn’t heard this older division of Elegance for a long time. He had an odd sensation he was looking at both the past and the future as he watched Landris.
Grant’s mind began to grow loose, disjointed. He felt Natalie pull away from him. She took a step toward the wizard, then another.
