“Oh, now, just a damn minute.”
“Sweep it up together,” Rowena ordered Zoe. “Then burn it. I’d very much appreciate a glass of wine.” She handed the bottle to Malory, then sat on the sofa.
Outraged, Malory stalked into the kitchen, yanked a wineglass from the cupboard. She marched back and shoved the glass into Rowena’s hand. “I didn’t invite you into my home.”
“On the contrary, you invited me and whoever else chose to come through the opening.”
“Then we are witches.”
Rowena’s expression changed as she looked over at Zoe’s rapt face. “No, not the way you mean.” Her tone was more gentle now, patient teacher to eager student. “Though every woman has some magic. Still, together your powers are trebled, and you had just enough skill, just enough desire to issue an invitation. I’m not the only one who answered it. You felt him,” she said to Malory. “You’ve felt him before.”
“Kane.” She cupped her elbows and shuddered as the memory of the cold seeped into her. “He moved the pointer, not us. He was playing with us.”
“He threatened Malory.” The thrill forgotten, Zoe was on her feet now. “What are you going to do about it?”
“All I can.”
“Maybe that’s not good enough.” Dana reached up to link her hand with Malory’s. “I heard you scream. I saw your face when you did. You felt something Zoe and I didn’t, and it was real terror. It was real pain.”
“It’s the cold. It’s . . . I can’t describe it.”
“The absence of all warmth,” Rowena murmured. “All hope, all life. But he can’t touch you unless you allow it.”
“Allow it? How the hell did she . . .” Zoe broke off, looked down at the broken board at her feet. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. Mal, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s not.” She took Zoe’s hand, so for a moment the three of them were linked.
Seeing them, Rowena smiled into her wine.
“We were looking for answers, and you had an idea. Which is more than I’ve had the last couple of days. We tried something. Maybe it was the wrong something,” she added as she whipped back to Rowena, “but that doesn’t give you the right to slap at us for it.”
“You’re absolutely right. I apologize.” She leaned forward to spread Brie on a cracker, then tapped a finger against the Tarot deck. Light flickered over them, then was gone. “These will do you no harm. You may develop a skill for readings, or even find you have a gift for them.”
“You . . .” Zoe pressed her lips together. “If you hadn’t come when you did . . .”
“It’s my duty, and my wish, to keep you from harm. When and how I can. Now I should go, leave you to your evening.” Rowena rose, looked around the room. “You have a pretty home, Malory. It suits you.”
Feeling ungracious and childish, Malory huffed out a breath. “Why don’t you stay, finish your wine?”
Surprise ran across Rowena’s face. “That’s very kind of you. I’d like that. It’s been a very long time since I’ve sat in the company of women. I’ve missed it.”
It wasn’t very strange, after the initial awkwardness, to have a woman who’d lived for thousands of years sitting in her living room drinking her wine.
And it became apparent by the time they started on the truffles that women—goddess or mortal—were the same under the skin.
“I rarely fuss with it,” Rowena said while Zoe worked her mane of hair into an elegant upsweep. “It’s not one of my talents, so I tend to wear it down. I’ve cut it occasionally, but I always regret it.”
“Not everyone can wear it simply as you do, and still look regal.”
Rowena studied herself in the hand mirror as Zoe worked, then tilted the glass to study her stylist. “I’d love to have your hair. It’s so striking.”
“Couldn’t you? I mean if you wanted to look a certain way, couldn’t you just . . .” Zoe fluttered her fingers and made Rowena laugh.
“That isn’t my gift.”
“What about Pitte?” Dana rolled over on the couch. “What’s his deal?”
“He’s a warrior, full of pride and arrogance and will. He’s maddening and exciting.” She lowered the mirror.