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She was right. These could very well be garden-variety disappearances, but I had begun to take the stance that anything unusual was supernatural until deemed otherwise.
I needed to protect Myra, no matter what it took.
Chapter11
Iwanted a few minutes alone to sort through all the cards I’d been dealt in the last half hour. I stood. “I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.”
“It’s the first door on the left,” Cheryl called after me.
My movement caught David’s attention. He turned to look at me as I walked toward the house, an anxious glint in his eye. I smiled at him—even if I didn’t feel like it—and the tension in his face instantly eased.
“He loves you,” Allison said, her voice matter of fact.
I jumped at the sound of her voice, surprised to see her standing in the doorway to the house. I could lie to her, but I didn’t see the point. “Yes. He does.”
Tears filled her eyes and she forced a smile. “How wonderful for you both.” Her lip quivered, but she kept right on smiling. “These stupid allergies.” Then she pushed past me into the yard.
I didn’t have to go to the bathroom, but Daddy had always taught me to go when I had the opportunity, whether I needed to or not, and old habits died hard. It felt invasive walking through David’s ex-girlfriend’s house, but I couldn’t restrain my curiosity. While her kitchen was generic with white cabinets and laminate counters, her living room was lined with glass display cases filled with knives and swords. I abandoned my original plan and wandered into the living room, stopping in front of one of the cases.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Allison asked. She must have changed her mind and turned around to follow me.
I jumped again.Damn it. Some super-stealth sneak I was. Collin would be horrified. “I didn’t mean to snoop.”
“It’s not snooping.” She shrugged and a soft grin lifted the corners of her mouth. “If I were in your shoes, I’d do the same.”
Guilt slammed my chest. “Allison, I never meant to hurt you in any way. I considered not coming—”
She shook her head. “No, I specifically asked David to bring you. I wanted to see who had finally managed to win David Preston’s love and devotion.” She turned to face the case, her expression painted with sadness. “I’m not surprised he fell for you.”
My mouth parted. That was the last thing I’d expected her to say.
“Why does he really want to know about the collection I saw?”
“I told you.”
She turned to study me. “That’s a bullshit answer and we both know it.”
I resisted the urge to stiffen my shoulders in defense. “I can assure you that it does have something to do with the colony site.” When she didn’t respond, I decided to take the offensive. “You mentioned the Guardians. Were they the ones who contacted you?”
She glanced around and moved deeper into the room. I followed. “Yes. I wasn’t sure who they were until I got to Charlotte. They contacted me through the university and said they needed to consult with someone who had my expertise. But they told me I couldn’t tell anyone and made me sign and scan an NDA before they’d give me more details. After they received it, they gave me an address and told me to show up there the next day at one p.m. I almost told them no; it was the day before classes started and I really couldn’t afford to leave town for the day. Plus, I wasn’t sure I could trust them.”
“But you went anyway?”
She released a short laugh. “They told me they thought they had the Sword of Galahad. Of course I went.”
I gave her a blank look.
“It’s a legendary sword rumored to have been blessed with the ability to kill demons.”
I held my breath, then forced it out. This was the one she’d mentioned to David. “Was it?”
She laughed again, the sound deeper and richer this time. “Are you asking if it was the actual Sword of Galahad or if it can really kill demons?”
I decided to go for broke. “Both.”
Her smile fell. “You’re serious.”
“David said the sword was blessed by a priest in the Middle Ages for a knight to use as a weapon in the Crusades. Would they really have used a sword that old? King Arthur’s court would have been centuries before the Crusades.”
