Aeromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 3)

An SUV waited at an airstrip in Larmor-Baden, Brittany. The man who got out of the vehicle was enough to make anyone run. He had black hair that reached his shoulders, and silver-gray eyes that seemed to simmer and brood.

Not waiting for the blades to cut, he came forward to meet them. A long leather coat flew in the wind from the rotors. Heavily muscled, he looked menacing. If Lann hadn’t told her Joss was a friend, she would’ve told Bono to fly her straight back to Paris.

Joss helped her from the helicopter, but it was Lann who sheltered her from the wind with an arm around her shoulder. Joss and Eve shook hands. Joss exchanged a few words with Bono while Lann led her to the vehicle. The pilot waved at them and climbed back into the aircraft. Joss watched Bono take off, following the aircraft’s progress with his gaze until it disappeared behind the trees before he made his way to the SUV.

He offered Kat a friendly smile. “I’m Josselin.” He threw his thumb in Lann and Eve’s direction. “They call me Joss.” He spoke English with a heavy French accent.

“Thanks for putting me up.” What Kat really wanted to say was that she was sorry for potentially putting him and his family in danger.

“No problem.” He said it like he meant it. He put his hand on Lann’s shoulder. “Let’s go.” Glancing at Kat, he added, “It’s cold.”

They drove for thirty minutes before Joss took a dirt road that led to a lake. The castle was hidden from view by a forest, but as soon as they rounded the cluster of trees, an imposing gray stronghold came into sight.

All the lights in the windows on the ground and first two floors were lit. Only the upper level was dark. On the front porch stood a petite Japanese woman with four wolves by her side. Kat glanced at Lann, but he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. The touch made her freeze. Just like the kiss from earlier, it was a stolen caress.

Joss parked near the front, jumped out, and strode to the door. Oblivious to who was watching, he pulled the small woman against him as if he hadn’t seen her in years. Lann got her door and took her arm as he, she, and Eve made their way over. Joss released the woman when they stopped next to them.

“Welcome to Josselin Castle,” he said.

The Japanese woman stepped forward. She was dressed in a silk kimono with a white faux fur jacket. Her black hair was pulled back into a bun, wisps hanging around her heart-shaped face. Her skin was pale, making a stark contrast with her dark eyes. She was gorgeous.

“I’m Clelia,” she said, hugging Kat. “Joss’s wife. Welcome.”

One of the wolves sniffed at Kat’s legs.

“They’re really just big, fluffy teddy bears,” Clelia said. She flicked her fingers and the white wolf backed off. “Come, let’s get you inside.”

Candles in bat-shaped wall holders lit the entrance. A pleasant smell of night lilies filled the space. Vases filled with flowers so purple they were almost black stood on every surface.

“I’ve prepared a room for you.” Clelia smiled. “I’m sure you’d like to freshen up, eat something, and get some rest.”

Kat accepted gratefully. When Clelia took her hand to lead her upstairs, Lann stepped up, but Joss gripped his shoulder to hold him back. A silent message passed in Joss’s eyes as he looked at Lann, but she was too tired to interpret it. All she wanted was a warm bath, food, and a bed.

Eve had disappeared ahead of them, apparently at home in the fort. Kat followed Clelia up two levels and down a long, stone wall corridor. They stopped in front of the last room.

“The castle was abandoned for a long time,” Clelia said. “We only moved in a couple of months ago. I’m still trying to make a home of it. It belonged to Joss’s ancestors.”

They entered a large room decorated in neutral colors. A fire burned in the fireplace, and the four-poster bed that stood in the middle of the floor looked inviting.

Clelia opened a door on the far side of the room. “This is your bathroom. I think you’ll find everything you need.”

Kat removed her coat and sank down onto the sofa facing the fire. “Thank you. You’re too kind. I know this is a risk for you, taking me in.”

Clelia walked to the sofa and took a seat next to Kat. “You’re safe here. Lann will protect you. We all will. I know you’re tired. Why don’t I run you a warm bath, and fetch you something to eat?”

Kat offered the small woman a grateful smile. “That sounds wonderful.”

Clelia looked at Kat’s stomach with something like wonder. Reaching out, she asked, “May I?”