“Her mind is open—she waits for he who is bonded to her. I can see into her open mind.”
“Bonded?” Chance asked in spite of himself. He had not wanted to think about it, but he had felt something more than lust, love, whatever others called it. He had felt linked to Royce. Was that what had happened? Had he become bonded to her, as his father had been bonded to his mother?
“Ah,” said the Seeker. “And so, he is here.”
“Seeker, we need to know the exact coordinates of her locations and the way to it,” said Rysdale anxiously.
“Time stands still … it is easily reached with your favorite portal … but it is warded with black magic. It will harm the invader through the mind when you try and enter. Only the strongest will survive its Dark Sorcery.”
“Then, when properly armed … we may reach her and retrieve her?” Rysdale asked thoughtfully. Chance could see the wizard was already planning strategy.
“No, she will not go with you,” said the Seeker.
“What?” demanded Chance. “Why?”
“I know not,” answered the Seeker.
“She damn well will go with me when I get there—willy nilly, she will go with me!” snapped Chancemont LeBlanc in a high temper.
“If her mind is open, why can’t you see the reason she is there?” asked the wizard.
“I know not … ah, she felt my probe and has shut me out.”
The globe clouded and went silent. Rysdale looked at them and said softly, “It will tell us no more today.”
“Do you know how to get to her, wizard?” asked Chance.
“Yes, but it will take time … and … ah, Charm … I am sorry, dearest, to have made you follow us back here.” He turned to Chance and Trevor. “Our refreshments.”
* * *
Pestale glanced at Royce, and she could see he wanted her to know his intentions as he made a show of closing the door. She jumped hastily off the bed and moved away, which put a small oval center table between them.
He sneered, and the table was gone.
His wrist twisted ever so slightly, and she felt an ever so slight draft as her clothes vanished from her body. She stood naked and for a moment was too stunned to do more than release a choked scream. Thankfully, she remembered who she was and sneered at him as she saw his gaze linger on her breasts.
With but a thought, she was clothed once again, this time in a black tank top and low-waisted jeans. Sneakers covered her feet as she exploded into action.
Royce rushed him and shoved him roughly with Fae force. “Don’t ever try anything like that again!”
He laughed as he caught her arm and bent it behind her back. He brought his lips to her ears. “I will try that and more …”
“Will you? I wouldn’t if I were you,” she snapped and pulled out of his armlock. She was a Seelie princess whose Light Magic would always outdo his Dark.
He seemed surprised that she had been able to so easily release herself from his hold, but it didn’t deter him. He moved in and smacked her hard across her face. “Don’t force me to punish you, Seelie … for you won’t like what I can do to you here …”
“Do to me?” she scoffed, purposely tweaking his temper. “But ah, you don’t know, do you? You don’t know just who I really am and what I can really do. You see, my mother is Daoine … cousin to the queen. I can do things with a thought, things you never dreamt possible.” She displayed the truth of this as, without touching him, she managed to throw him across the room.
He slid down the wall but jumped up, furious as he raged at her. “By all that is Dark, you will pay!” A fine spittle of blood trickled down his lower lip where his teeth had grazed it during his meeting with the stone wall. “Don’t,” he said threateningly, “Ever. Try. That. Again!” He was already flicking his wrist to cast a circle of flames around her.
Black magic. She almost laughed out loud. “Parlor tricks are beneath you.”
“Try and leave the circle, and we’ll talk about parlor tricks,” he answered, back in control of his rising anger.
“You mean … leave the circle …” She stepped through the fire and the ancient spell he had enacted to keep her within the ring. “Like this?”
“Damn you! The Dark King created me. I am more than you can visualize …” he said and sent a ball of fire spinning towards her gut.