“Sebastian.” Glorianna sounded shocked.
Lee popped out of his chair, slipped an arm around her waist, and herded her away from the table. “Philo set up some food inside. Thought we’d prefer to keep this discussion private. Let’s round up the others.”
Michael pushed his chair back, intending to follow Glorianna and Lee.
“Sit,” Sebastian said quietly, watching the others head for the indoor dining room.
“But…,” Michael said.
“Sit.”
Teaser, being the last one to reach the door, glanced back at them. Before Michael could decide if he was or wasn’t going to ignore the command, he was helped to his feet by Sebastian grabbing a fistful of his shirt and hauling him up.
“Not here,” Sebastian said, the threat in no way softened by the fact that it was said quietly. Especially when Michael was getting an odd, buzzy tingling in his skin where Sebastian’s fist rested against his chest. “Not on my ground. Sooner or later, she’ll invite you to her bed, and nothing I say will change that. But there’s something about you, Magician. Threat and promise. I don’t know why that’s so, but it is.”
“Are you saying we’re enemies?” Michael asked, wondering how well ill-wishing would work on an incubus.
“Not yet,” Sebastian said, releasing Michael’s shirt. “Maybe we’ll even end up friends.”
The first thought—“not likely”—got swallowed as he listened to the music that made up Sebastian.
It’s possible, Michael thought, surprised by how appealing the idea was.
A friendship between them was possible—at least until Sebastian discovered that he really was a threat.
As soon as they got into the dining room, Glorianna pulled Lee away from the others. “What’s wrong with him?” She wanted to shout, so the effort to keep her voice low enough for the conversation to remain private strained her throat muscles.
“Don’t know Michael well enough to say,” Lee replied.
“Not Michael. Sebastian.” Could her brother really be that obtuse? “He just threatened to give a human to the Merry Makers to eat.”
Lee shrugged. “I’m sure he was just teasing.”
No, he wasn’t—and neither are you. Lee had gotten along with Michael during the journey to the White Isle, and had even developed a fledgling friendship. But liking a man and trusting him weren’t the same thing, and there was only one reason she could think of—that Lee would know about—that would give her brother an excuse to look away if trouble started.
Since she couldn’t hit him without her mother getting involved, she slapped with words. “I’m sorry if this is a shock to you, but I’ve had sex before. Michael wouldn’t be my first lover.”
He slapped back. “He’s the first one you brought home.”
“We’re not home.”
“Think again, Glorianna. The man was sitting at a table with your cousin. Your mother and brother were nearby. This place belongs to family. If that’s not bringing him home, then what is?”
She didn’t have an answer to that. Wasn’t sure he was entitled to an answer. Wasn’t even sure…
No, she was sure about that. Michael was an attractive man, and judging by his kisses, would be a pleasing sex partner. Then there was that blend of the wistful, stray puppy look he sometimes got in his eyes combined with a practicality born of being self-sufficient that intrigued her. He wanted love, wanted to love.
And he had the answer, already knew what might be done to stop the Eater of the World. But he wasn’t going to tell her. Watching Michael walk into the dining room with Sebastian, she felt it in the currents of power as clearly as if he’d said the words. More to the point, he didn’t want to tell her. Not here, where her family was a constant reminder of the hearts that might be hurt by what he offered. It would have to be on his ground.
She wanted to see him on his own ground. Here he had been a stranger stumbling over the unfamiliar. Who was Michael the Magician in the landscapes he tended? She wanted to know who he was, wanted to know if she could walk in his landscapes. yes yes yes.
She watched him stop and cock his head. A hint of a smile curved his mouth, as if he were listening to an excited child telling him something wonderful.
The wild child. Wasn’t that what he called Ephemera? yes yes yes.
Ephemera’s currents of power washed through her, resonated with her.
Michael’s eyes widened as they met hers.
Not resonating just with her. He was there in the currents, with her—and she heard the feel of his heart as music.
The romance of him tugged at her, swirled around her.
“Have you heard anything I’ve said?” Lee asked, sounding exasperated.
“What? No, I wasn’t listening.” Ignoring his sputtered grumble, she walked over to the table where the others were filling plates and choosing seats. She pulled out a chair opposite Sebastian and Michael—and noted that Lee chose a seat that didn’t put him beside Michael or her.
She filled a plate to avoid comments about her not eating, then waited until everyone had settled in their places. She looked at each of them in turn—Nadia and Jeb, Lynnea and Sebastian, Yoshani, Teaser, Lee, Michael. She didn’t think anyone but the Magician was going to like what she was about to say, but she hoped some of them would support the decision.
“We need to find a way to reach Michael’s landscapes,” she said.
“He has a way,” Lee said. “Bridge between Aurora and Darling’s Harbor will get him back to Elandar. A ship will get him to his own landscapes.”
“I’d like something that didn’t take as much time since I’ll be going with him.”
Lee jumped up. “Has the thought of getting sex made you completely crazy?”
“Lee.” Nadia’s voice cracked through the room like a whiplash.
“I, too, must protest,” Yoshani said. “That comment was uncalled for—and unjust.”
Teaser looked around the table. “Why can’t they have sex here?”
Sebastian growled.
“Oh,” Teaser said. “Yeah, being crisped by wizards’ lightning would spoil the fun.”
Protests and grumbles rolled around the table in a wave. Glorianna didn’t hear any of them. She kept her eyes on Lee’s.
The Warrior of Light must drink from the Dark Cup.
He’d been with her when Caitlin said those words. He’d felt the response of Ephemera’s currents to those words.
He knows, Glorianna thought. Sex is just the excuse he’s using to try and push Michael away from all of us.
“Life’s journey, Bridge,” she said.
“I know.” He sat down and pressed his palms against his forehead. “I know.”
She felt the weight of Nadia’s stare and turned her head to meet her mother’s dark eyes.
“I think you have some explaining to do, daughter,” Nadia said quietly.
Glorianna hesitated, then nodded. “Privately.”
“Very well.” Nadia swept her eyes over all of them, lingering just a moment longer on Sebastian and Lee, as if warning them to behave. “Michael. You visit villages, yes? What are their names?”
He didn’t turn his head, but his eyes shifted in Sebastian’s direction before he answered. “Kendall, which is a seaport. Dunberry, but that’s not a safe place anymore.”
“Why not?” Nadia asked. “It is yours, is it not?”
“Was mine, but something happened there. The song changed, and now it’s not safe to enter the village.”
Sebastian swore quietly.
Ignoring that for the moment, Glorianna concentrated on Michael. “Why didn’t you do something to change the song back to what it was?”
“Two boys disappeared and a young woman was murdered. They’re looking for someone to blame. I can’t go back.”