Slowly we began to move deasil. I felt power moving through me. I drew energy up from the earth and down from the sky.
Sky had us visualize the rune Thorn, for overcoming adversity. Then she led us in a chant for lifting obstacles. The circle began to move faster. I could feel the energy humming, rising, flowing among us, getting stronger. Sky’s pale face was alight with the purity of the power she was channeling. She traced a sigil in the air, and I felt the power lift and rise above the circle.
“To Hunter,” she said.
Abruptly the air changed. The thrum of power was gone. Suddenly we seemed like a bunch of teenagers, standing around a New York City living room instead of the beings of power we’d been just moments before.
“Good work,” Sky said, sounding pleased. “Everyone, sit down for a moment. Ground yourselves.”
We all sat down on the floor.
“Something real happened there,” Robbie said.
Bree looked worried. “How do we know that energy went to Hunter and didn’t get picked up by the Woodbanes?”
“I bound it with a sigil of protection before I sent it out,” Sky answered.
“So now he should be able to find Killian?” Raven asked.
Sky shrugged her slender shoulders. “There are no guarantees, of course. Killian seems to have a gift for making himself scarce. But hopefully what we just did will make it a little easier for Hunter.” She glanced around at the circle. “We’d better clean up.”
For the next twenty minutes we cleaned up and debated what everyone was going to do with the rest of the evening. Raven wanted to go to another club—a normal, nonwitch one, this time—while Robbie wanted to hear some obscure band that was playing in Tribeca, and Bree wanted to go to a trendy pool hall down near Battery Park. I, of course, was wondering if Hunter was going to show up, but it seemed wimpy to say that aloud. And I was tired. Maybe it was the fight with Robbie or the circle, but I felt drained.
We were still trying to make a plan when the apartment door opened and Hunter walked in, one hand gripping Killian’s elbow. Killian looked sullen, and Hunter looked irritated. It was clear that Killian had not come of his own free will.
We must all have been staring openmouthed because Killian’s sullen expression turned to one of delight. He grinned and said, “I am pretty amazing, aren’t I?”
“Are you all right?” I asked, unable to reconcile his cheerful presence with the Killian of my vision.
“Tip-top,” Killian replied. “How about you, love?” He flicked his thumb at Hunter. “Must be rough, hanging out with Mr. Doom-and-Gloom here. Sucks the joy right out of life.”
“Shut up and sit down,” Hunter snapped.
Killian first helped himself to a soda from the fridge and then flopped onto the couch.
“He was in Chelsea,” Hunter said, “hiding out in an abandoned apartment building.”
“Who said anything about hiding?” Killian protested. “I just wanted some time by myself. No one asked you to come barging in, Seeker.”
“Would you rather your father found you first?” Hunter snapped.
Killian gave an overly casual shrug. “Why should I care if my father finds me? As long as he doesn’t try to send me to bed early.” He held up his hand as Hunter started to speak. “And please, don’t start up with that idiocy about him wanting to drain my power. I mean, honestly, where do you get all this? Is that what the council spends its time on—dreaming up daft conspiracy theories?”
I couldn’t make sense of it. Had my vision been all wrong? Or had Killian been held somewhere and escaped? Was Killian powerful enough to manipulate my scrying?
Hunter glanced at Bree. “Do you think your father would mind if Killian stayed the night?”
“I guess not,” Bree said, but she didn’t look happy about it.
“Right, then,” Hunter said. “He can sleep in the living room with me and Robbie.”
“Oh, joy,” Killian caroled.
Robbie dug out another green stuff sack from the mound of gear in the living room and tossed it to him. Killian caught the air mattress, then dropped it on the floor and fixed his gaze on Raven. “I knew we’d meet again. How about if you and I sneak off for a quick pint, get to know each other better?”
“That’s enough,” Sky said.
Killian shrugged and grinned at me. “Touchy bunch you hang out with. Everyone always taking offense. Are you as bad as the rest of them?”
“Are you playing us off against each other?” I asked, not able to muster quite as much outrage as I should have. There was just something about him that appealed to me. I felt like we were coconspirators. It was a completely alien feeling for me, but I liked it.
Killian’s grin grew even wider. “Well, it would provide a little drama.”
“Oh, I think you have plenty of drama in your life,” Hunter said. “Anyway, you’re not going anywhere tonight. I worked too hard to find you—I’m not going to risk you running off or getting captured.”
“As if you knew anything about it,” Killian said with contempt.
“Would you excuse us for a minute?” I said, motioning for Hunter and Sky to follow me into the study for a quick huddle.
“I think you all ought to go out and leave me here with Killian,” I said.
“Are you mad?” Hunter demanded.
“He and I kind of…get along,” I said. “I don’t understand it,” I added quickly, “but he’s not flirting with me, the way he does with Raven. Bree and Sky both flat-out dislike him. And Hunter, the two of you just irritate each other. I think I might be able to get him to talk if you’ll all just leave us here.”
“It’s too dangerous—” Hunter began.
“I know he’s a pain,” I said, “but I don’t sense any real danger from him.”
“Morgan can take care of herself, you know,” said Sky. “And it’s true. Killian doesn’t have that antagonistic streak with her, while I think the rest of us could cheerfully strangle him.”
“All right,” Hunter agreed at last. “But I’m going to be in the coffee shop in the building. If anything feels dangerous or even a little bit dodgy, I want you to send me a message immediately.”
I gave Hunter my word, and five minutes later Killian and I were alone in the apartment. We sat on opposite ends of the couch, watching each other. I tried to figure out why I liked someone so obnoxious. It wasn’t sexual attraction. It was something else, something equally as strong. Despite his being clearly amoral and self-centered, there was something oddly lovable about Killian. Maybe it was that he genuinely seemed to like me.
“Are you all right?” he asked. The gentleness in his voice took me by surprise.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know,” Killian said. “I don’t know you very well, do I? But I sense you’re feeling weaker than you’re used to. Drained, maybe.”
Be wary of him, I told myself. “I’m just tired,” I said.
“Right, it’s been a long day.” He glanced at the green stuff sack on the floor. “I could turn in, I suppose, behave myself and make the Seeker happy.”
“He’s just trying to protect you,” I said.
Anger flickered in Killian’s dark eyes. “I never asked for protection.”
“You need it,” I said. “Your own father is trying to kill you.”
Killian waved his hand. “The Seeker was going on about the same thing. Let me tell you, right? It’s not likely my dad would go after me. He’s got much bigger fish to fry, as the saying goes.” Killian looked over his shoulder at the kitchen. “Now, there’s one thing the States is lacking, a good fish-and-chips joint. I could use some right now, in fact.”