“Yes, my lord,” Natalie replied.
“I’d prefer not to be tested,” Risa told him when he turned to her. “I’m your loyal servant, but I am not your doormat. You’d do well to remember that.”
Cael focused directly on Risa, tall, elegantly slender, with black hair and dark blue eyes. When he was Dranir, he would prove to her that she was whatever he wanted her to be. The thought of forcing her to lie prostrate before him while he walked across her prone body brought a wide smile to his face. “I will remember,” he told her.
“Why did you summon us?” Risa asked, giving Natalie another displeased sidelong glance.
“I want you to work together to find the answer to a question. I need you to seek a child named Eve. I believe she’s Mercy Raintree’s daughter.” Then Cael added, “The little girl has powers, so be forewarned.”
“How old is the child?” Risa asked.
“Six.”
Natalie laughed. “A six-year-old with powers that we should fear?”
Cael nodded. “Unusual, but not unheard of. Remember, she is a Raintree princess.”
“What do you want to know about this child?” Natalie asked.
“I want to know who her father is.”
“What possible interest could the paternity of a Raintree child be to you, my lord?” Risa asked.
Cael barely managed to control his anger. How dare Risa question him? But for now, he would allow her disrespect to go unpunished. He realized she was jealous that he had shown an interest in Natalie, and by summoning them to his home together, he had placed the younger psychic on an equal level with the older. For the present, he needed Risa. Once she had served her purpose…
“Why I am interested in this child is not your concern,” he said. “Not at this time.”
Apparently finally realizing that she had stepped over the line, Risa acquiesced without further comment. She bowed her head, then turned to Natalie. “Prepare to link your mind to my mind.”
The two women sat facing each other. Risa took both Natalie’s hands in hers and stared into the younger woman’s eyes. “Go deep and let yourself travel across the ocean to the Raintree sanctuary, but do not project your thoughts into the future. Concentrate solely on the child named Eve.”
Natalie nodded agreement.
“I will clear the path for you, so that you can reach the child’s mind,” Cael said, certain that if he had made contact with Eve once, he could break through the barrier surrounding her once again. He found the anticipation exhilarating.
Judah walked along the beach, Claud eat his side, as he so often was. His cousin had been at his side, literally and figuratively, since they were boys. They had shared many things over the years—their first taste of liquor, their first woman, their first kill. They had left the island and gone to America to college together, and had joined the business world together as young men.
“Could it be a trick of some kind?” Claude asked.
“For what purpose? If it’s not the truth, why would Mercy want me to believe that Cael knows about Eve? Why tell me that he actually exchanged psychic blows with my daughter?
“To lure you back to North Carolina?”
“For what reason? The woman despises me and has made it perfectly clear that she doesn’t want me anywhere near Eve.”
“Forgive me for asking, but are you sure Eve is your daughter? Isn’t it possible that—”
“She’s mine.” Judah was as certain of that fact as he was that the sun would rise in the East tomorrow morning.
“If Cael even suspects that this child is yours, he will try to kill her,” Claude said. “And no one would stop him or judge him for his actions, because he would be obeying the ancient decree to kill any mixed-breed child.”
“I’m going to call a council meeting tonight. Only those loyal to me. And I will announce that I have revoked the ancient decree. With nothing more than my signature, witnessed by two council members, I have the power to revoke any decree.”
“The council will want to know why—”
“I am the Dranir. I am not obligated to answer to anyone, not even the high council.”
Claude paused, laid his hand on Judah’s shoulder and made direct eye contact. “Is now the time to alienate even one council member? Cael is preparing for a premature war with the Raintree. The more high council members he can turn against you, the easier it will be for him to follow through with his plans.” Claude squeezed Judah’s shoulder. “Your brother won’t stop until he kills you or you kill him.”