Geomancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 5)

Sean crossed his arms. “It’s certainly … interesting.”

“Art school was never for me.” His shoulders hunched. “I just don’t want to disappoint her.”

“You have a wonderful sister. She’ll want whatever makes you happy.”

“I guess I’m lucky to have her.”

“You are.” He looked at Emily. “What about you?”

“I don’t really care where I go, as long as my grandchildren are happy.” She looked Sean up and down. “You care for Asia, don’t you?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Very much.”

“Can you make her happy?”

“I will do my best, if she gives me the chance.”

“If she gives you the chance?”

“A lot has happened. Maybe she’ll tell you one day, but that’s for her to decide.”

“She hasn’t had it easy, Sean. She single-handedly raised Matt. She put herself through school and worked three jobs to take care of us. That girl deserves some happiness, and I get the impression so do you. Just remember, good things are worth fighting for.”

“They are. She is.” He couldn’t talk about Asia any longer. Talking wasn’t what he wanted to do. He wanted to touch her, see her, hear her. Love her. “I have a phone call to make.” He nodded at Emily. “It was good to finally meet you. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Don’t worry about us,” Emily said. “Kat is taking good care of us.”

For which he was grateful to Lann’s wife.

As Sean left the library, Bono exited from a door farther down the hallway. He was dressed in exercise gear with a towel wrapped around his neck.

Stopping short of Sean, he asked, “How’s she doing?”

“Stable.”

“I’m glad you’re both here.”

“Thanks for flying her in.”

“Hey,” Bono patted his shoulder, “that’s my job. I get paid to do it.” He studied Sean. “You look tense. Everything okay?”

“Not until Asia is conscious.”

“She’s a strong one. She’ll pull through.”

His concern was as much about her physical condition as the state of her heart, but he had no intention of explaining that to Bono.

Bono threw a thumb over his shoulder. “If you need a workout, the gym is over there.”

“Thanks.” That was exactly what he needed—a good physical beating.

“Catch you later,” Bono said, walking off.

In Lann’s office, he called Alan and brought him up to speed with the events of the day, leaving out the gritty details. He told him about Armelle, about killing Juan, and about Asia getting shot.

“I got my art back, too,” Sean said, staring from the window at the square.

“How?”

“I finally faced the truth, and then Armelle’s art transferred to me.”

“That will make you the most powerful geomancist in existence, at least that we know of,” Alan said. “I’m sorry about Armelle.”

“There was no way you could’ve known. She worked as a double agent for Godfrey.”

“Am I allowed to ask where you are?”

“I’d rather not say, not because I don’t trust you, but for your own safety.”

“Will I see you?”

“Soon,” he promised.

“Take care, Son.”

He hung up just as Kat walked into the study.

“Hey,” she said with a note of compassion.

“Thank you for putting us up, especially Asia and her family.”

“Don’t mention it.” She waved an arm around the space. “This place is safer than Fort Knox. You don’t have to worry.”

“Safety is not what I’m worried about.”

She sat down on the edge of the desk. “Asia will be fine. Eve is a good doctor.”

He turned to the window.

“Cain told us he invited you to join the team.”

He uttered a wry laugh. “After all Cain’s manipulative moves, I’ll never trust him. I can’t work for a man like him.”

“Cain has a tough job. I’m not defending him, but I don’t think it’s easy walking in his shoes. He always has a very good reason for everything he does. There’s always more to his decisions than what meets the eye.”

“What are you saying?”

“You know there are rumors that Cain is a mind reader? He denies it for all he’s worth, but for someone who can’t see into people’s thoughts, he has a cunning ability for matchmaking.”

He knew all about Cain’s mind reading ability. “He sought Asia out for her resemblance to Juan’s ex-wife, not because he knew I’d fall head over heels for her.”

“He knew Joss was in love with Clelia even before Joss did. If he hadn’t forced Joss to take Clelia hostage when he did, she would’ve been dead by now. He certainly knew what he was doing when he commissioned Maya to eliminate Tim.”

He faced her again. “Are you seriously implying that he found Asia not only to get to Juan, but because he knew how I’d feel about her?”

She shrugged. “Two birds with one stone.”

“What about you and Lann?”

“That was Godfrey’s doing. Lann can only be fertile with a specific cocktail of hormones. By accessing state medical records, Godfrey found me, knew I’d be able to conceive with Lann, and created a false bursary that brought me here, straight to Lann’s library. He knew the attraction would be instantaneous for Lann.”