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Grant dipped his chin. “Good job. My turn.” She watched him draw a deep breath and she could feel him relax. “Myself only. End.”
She could still see him, but now he had a soft glow because he was no longer invisible and was levitating outside the spell.
He didn’t pause as she had. He said. “Myself. Begin.” She could feel the shared spell reverse itself. It was as though he stepped into her space but without moving.
Landris called to them. “Now take turns moving each other from an invisible state to visible. You’ll want to understand the limits of the spell.”
Grant nodded for her to start. She practiced as Landris had commanded and found it was remarkably simple if she focused. She only had to repeat the process a couple of times.
Grant did the same until they’d mastered the simple begin-end command for each other.
When they were both visible to Landris, he levitated close once more, then planted his feet in the sand. “All right. The easy part is done. What becomes much more complicated is the use of futurism in conjunction with the spell.”
Landris shifted to address himself solely to her. “Until mastered, you will find it extremely difficult to access the future and sustain your invisibility at the same time. I don’t know the reason for it, but this is where the real work must take place. Kryder operates with a powerful female fae he’s had enslaved for at least three years. But I’m sure you already know this or at least you’ve probably suspected it.”
Natalie nodded. “That’s my sense of it, though I didn’t know her relationship to him was as a slave. I’m not surprised, though. But what about the wizard who sold him the invisibility spell in the first place? Will we be facing him, too?”
“My guess is he won’t be a critical player in your battle with Kryder. He sold the spell to Kryder and continues to add up-charges to keep it viable. But I’d be surprised if he was an ally beyond the spell itself. So, let’s focus on your skillset.”
Natalie tried to remain calm, but she knew what was ahead of her in terms of accessing the future. She wished this was simpler for her, less painful.
“Try to relax.”
Easy for Landris to say.
Natalie saw the amused twist to his lips. She knew then she was in for it. Even though her stomach churned, she lifted her chin.
“I suppose I should warn you,” Landris said. “Every time you lose your spell while accessing the future, I’m going to shower you with electric sparks. It’s one of my more creative teaching tools.”
Grant stepped onto the leaves as he drew closer to him. Natalie saw the fur rise on his cheeks. “What the fuck, Landris? She doesn’t need this.”
“She does, if she wants to live.” He slid his hard gaze back to Natalie.
She’d had a quip at the end of her tongue, but she let it go. “You’re right. I do want to live. Give me your worst, Wizard.”
He turned briefly to Grant once more. “Again, if you don’t want this fae-wolf—”
This was the wrong thing to say, even if he was just trying to rile Grant up. Grant closed the gap between them intending to get right into Landris’s face.
But Natalie was quick as well and slid her body between the men. She faced Grant and using her palms, pushed him backward or tried to.
Stop letting him get to you! She shouted telepathically.
He met her gaze, then gave way and backed off. She followed with him making sure he moved away from the more powerful man. He could have easily held his ground, which of course wouldn’t have been smart since Landris hadn’t budged. For a split-second, she’d been sandwiched between the men. If they’d battled, she would have gotten hurt.
Grant moved in a circle within the center of the eucalyptus branches once more as he worked to calm himself down.
She pivoted to face the wizard. “Where do I start? I mean what is the best way to manage this?”
Landris narrowed his eyes. “Invoke the spell, then focus on something inane where the future is concerned. Not this space. That would become too confusing. Also, you don’t need to remain in the circle of the leaves. That part is concluded, FYI.”
“Good to know. How about I focus on my studio? No one is there right now.”
“That should work.” His smile returned, a devilish expression that might have turned her head if a certain wolf hadn’t already done so. These men of Five Bridges. She wondered suddenly why she’d never really seen them before or how attractive she found them.
Stop staring at him. Grant moved in behind her and slid his arms around her waist. Please. The soft growl next to her ear sent shivers down her neck and side.
Sorry.
