Priest knelt in front of her, and for a second it felt as if he were gazing into her very soul. “Were you able to decipher the old English in the text?”
Rowan nodded and shifted uncomfortably. His dark eyes were all-seeing. All-knowing. Did he see her fear? Did he understand it?
He watched her closely, and suddenly Rowan wanted to look away. To be alone, so that she could rage against all she’d learned. She wanted to scream and cry and yell. But she remained silent, pushing against the darkness until a state of calm settled upon her shoulders once more.
“It’s a near-impossible task,” he said simply.
“I know.” Rowan glanced away and focused on Elvis. Damn, what she wouldn’t give for a shot of “Heartbreak Hotel” at the moment. She needed a distraction. “I’m not sure where I can find this weapon . . . this sword of Gideon.” She swallowed thickly. “I’ve never even heard of it, and I doubt any of the others will know what the hell it is or where to find it.”
“I might be able to help with that,” Priest said quietly.
Elvis blurred as moisture crept into her eyes. “That would be . . .” she swallowed thickly, “great.”
“So you understand the simplicity of this spell? How to vanquish Mallick?”
Rowan closed her eyes for a moment. Fought the tears that threatened, and when she was sure she’d not blubber like an idiot she nodded and spoke. “We . . . the coven, need to bind him to the circle.”
He watched her closely, and Rowan started to feel a little uncomfortable beneath his gaze. He knew things . . . this man, and for the first time she was starting to grasp the depth of his power.
“Mallick is smart. How do you plan on getting him inside your circle?”
“That’s the easy part, believe it or not. I know how to bring life to his mark.” At Priest’s blank stare she continued. “How to undo Nana’s original spell. As soon as I revoke it, the eye in his mark will open, and he’ll know exactly where I am.”
Priest’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “He’ll come for you.”
“Yes.”
“Yet once inside you’ll be on your own. No one else will be able to penetrate the circle.”
“Yes.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “It will be only he and I.”
“And the sword.”
She smiled at that and nodded. “And the sword if you can get your hands on it.” Rowan exhaled and closed her eyes, trying to visualize how it would look and feel. “I will use the spell to charm his essence from his body, trap it in a container.” She paused. “I’m liking a big-ass smelly old pickle jar. What do you think?”
Priest’s eyes softened. “I think that would be fine.”
“I’ll grab one of Nana’s. That way she’ll have a part in this.” She shrugged. “Once that’s done I’ll separate his head from his shoulders, and Mallick will be no more than a shot of energy in a used pickle jar.” She paused. “Easy enough, really.”
“And yet so incredibly difficult.”
Rowan arched a brow. “Anyone ever tell you, you’re a real downer sometimes?”
Priest laughed. “All the time. Just ask Nico.” His smile quickly faded as reality set in, and she shivered at how quickly his expression changed. “Rowan. We can’t allow him to take you.”
His words were like a punch to the gut. A cold bucket of water tossed over heated flesh. She shifted in her chair, and the lightness of the moment was gone.
“I know.”
Priest stood. “You should get some rest.”
She nodded but didn’t trust herself to answer.
He bent toward her swiftly, so fast she jumped, but then his hand was on her chin, his dark eyes searching with an intensity that touched her. “We will do whatever we can to help you defeat him. Know this, little witch.” Her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his head and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and he brushed his mouth across her forehead.
And then he was gone.
Rowan glanced at the bed and for a moment considered crawling between the soft covers. Instead she leaned back and drew the blanket up to her chin. She shivered beneath the cotton, and she thought that the cold in her bones would never go away. It would have been nice to slip into bed beside Azaiel. To melt into his arms and drink in his strength.