Geomancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 5)

“I heard,” he said with empathy. “You fell pregnant, and then Godfrey abducted you.”

“Yes, to make a long story short, but it all worked out for us.” She got to her feet. “Come on, let me show you your room. I’m sure you’d like to freshen up after the rough day you’ve had.”

Kat showed Sean to a room facing the church, next door to Asia. He wanted to go to her with every fiber of his being, but he didn’t want to risk upsetting her again. He found some clothes put out for him, everything still with the price tags intact. Someone had been most considerate. By the time he’d showered and changed, an elderly man who introduced himself as the butler knocked on his bedroom door to announce that dinner was being served.

Though he had no appetite, he joined the others in the dining room where they were having pre-dinner drinks. He wanted to ask Eve about Asia’s progress, but the doctor wasn’t there.

Clelia approached him with Laudren in her arms. “How’s she doing?”

“Eve said she’s stable.” His smile was grim. “She had an emotional reaction to my presence, and I’m not allowed to see her.” He added with intent, “For now.” The admission hurt like a bitch. Needing to change the subject, he said, “From what Cain said, I assume the mission was successful?”

“We took out the Colombian operation. No more drugs will cross that border.”

Flexing his fingers, he asked, “What about the rest of Juan’s cronies?”

“All dead, including Stefan. We got a positive ID on the body.”

He looked at the baby in her arms. “We probably shouldn’t discuss such subjects in his presence.”

She laughed. “We don’t hide what we do or are from him. We want him to grow up with the truth. Too many things have been hidden from me since my childhood.” She got a far-off look in her eyes. “Too many secrets. He’ll know the difference between right and wrong.”

Laudren cooed and blew a bubble as if he knew he was the subject of their discussion.

Sean smiled. “He’s cute. He looks just like his dad.”

Clelia beamed. “You think?”

“Sure. He’s got Joss’s gray eyes and olive complexion.”

“He sure is handsome,” she said with a wink.

“What was that?” Joss asked behind her. “Talking about me?” He held out his arms for his son. When Clelia handed Laudren over, Joss kissed the boy’s dark head and cradled the baby against his chest. “You fought well, Sean.”

“I’m sorry you didn’t get Godfrey, but I’m glad the rest worked out.”

“Cain is happy,” Joss said. “In his book, things worked out exactly the way he planned them.”

Before Sean could ask more, Eve entered and headed straight for him. “She’s conscious.”

Chapter 15

Asia woke from a deep and dreamless sleep. She battled to remember who and where she was, and then the memories rushed back.

The island was gone.

Matt!

Gasping, she tried to sit up, but pain sliced through her shoulder. Gentle hands gripped her arms and pushed her down.

She fought the touch, trying to shake it off. “Matt!” She needed to help her brother. “Let me go to him!”

“Shh,” an unfamiliar female voice said. “Keep still or you’ll tear your stitches.”

“Matt!”

“Matt is safe,” the woman with the soothing voice replied.

She blinked to focus her eyes. “Where is he?”

“He’s here,” the woman said.

“Let me see him, please.”

“In a minute. I need to check your vitals.”

“Who are you?” Asia croaked, licking her dry lips. She looked around as her vision finally cleared. “Where am I?”

“I’m Eve, the doctor who operated on you.” The woman studied the monitors next to the bed. “You’re safe now.”

Asia took in the four-poster bed and tapestries on the wall. “This isn’t a hospital.”

“You’re at a safe house.”

“Where?”

Eve sat down on the bed next to her. “Santiago.”

Asia pushed up on her elbows, wincing at the ache. “What happened? How did I get here?”

“Easy. You have to lie down.”

She gritted her teeth against the pain and sat up. “I want to know what’s going on.”

Sighing, Eve pushed a pillow behind her back. “Do you want something for the pain?”

“I’m fine,” Asia said, leaning her head against the headboard. “What I need is answers.”

“Do you remember getting shot?”

Asia nodded.

“We flew you to a safe location, and I removed the bullet,” Eve said. “It’s a flesh wound. There’s no permanent damage.”

“The island, what happened to it?”

“Sean and Maya, one of our team members, were attacked by Godfrey’s geomancist, and in the battle that followed, they destroyed everything.”

“Wait. What? What team? Destroyed everything? How?”

“Easy.” Eve rubbed her arm. “Don’t stress yourself.”

“Where’s Sean? How was the island destroyed?” Asia repeated, determined to get her answers.

“Armelle, Godfrey’s geomancist, pulled up a volcano and made it explode.”

It sounded so farfetched she almost laughed. She would’ve had she not seen with her own eyes what Sean had done when Juan had pointed a gun at them.