Page 117 of Ancient Magic

Chapter 20

Seated at a small wooden table that had been arranged in the center of his bedroom, Micha savored the glorious sense of peace.

He had a few fragmented memories of their return trip to New Orleans. He recalled his servants rushing to assist them the second they’d climbed out of the mountain, and being whisked through the air on his private jet. And even being half carried down to his private lair where he’d collapsed into bed with Skye held tightly in his arms.

It was a full twenty-four hours before he had regained enough strength to take a hot shower, although he hadn’t bothered to dress, instead pulling on a black silk robe. He planned on staying in his lair for the next month. Maybe year.

Once his brain felt clear enough to hold a coherent conversation, he’d made a call to Valen, revealing what had happened. In return, Valen had shared his confrontation with Kane and the fact that the large vampire was currently a guest in his dungeons.

Eventually he would contact Sinjon and give a detailed explanation of Azra’s descent into madness, but he wasn’t ready to be forced to travel to Greece to make a full report. Or worse, have the powerful leader of the Cabal and his vast entourage appear on his doorstep.

He had more important matters on his mind.

Far, far more important.

Leaning back in his seat, Micha studied the woman who was busily polishing off a bowl of jambalaya and an entire loaf of garlic bread.

Skye Claremont.

Like him she was wearing a silk robe, although it was several sizes too large, and her hair was a damp mop of curls that framed her face with wild abandon. Micha was convinced he’d never seen anyone more beautiful.

More importantly, her deep sleep and an hour soaking in a bubble bath had restored the flush of health to her cheeks and the electric tingle of magic that hummed around her like a forcefield.

It was going to take time for her to recover her full strength, but he could sense she was settling into the lair. A knowledge that filled a place inside him that Micha hadn’t realized was empty. And a desperate hope that she intended to stay.

Swallowing the last chunk of bread, Skye pushed aside her empty bowl and reached for the glass of wine, releasing a soft sigh of contentment.

Micha bit back a groan as he was forced to battle the urge to toss aside the narrow table and scoop Skye into his arms. He wasn’t a stickler when it came to etiquette but it seemed only polite to let her finish dinner before pouncing.

“Did Maya have any information about the Watcher?” he forced himself to ask.

Skye had been on the phone with her friend when he’d escorted her into the bedroom to reveal the feast he’d ordered while she was in the tub. And once she had hung up, she’d grabbed a spoon and devoured the meal with a gusto that warned she wasn’t in the mood for chitchat.

Now he was hoping that she’d discovered some information that would allow them to track down the creature that had disappeared with Lynx and the crystal.

It seemed impossible to believe that anyone—even a demon—could dig a pathway to the cavern. The entire mountain had collapsed as they’d been rushing away. But he wasn’t going to take anything for granted. His logical brain wasn’t satisfied with the vague certainty that the dragon was safely locked in her hibernation.

Skye wrinkled her nose. “I’m not sure. She was weirdly cagey when I described him. Almost as if she didn’t want to discuss who or what the Watcher might be.”

“Is that unusual?”

“Maya is like a two-by-four to the face. There’s nothing subtle about her.”

Micha grimaced. He had deliberately blocked out the private conversation between the two mages, but no one could have missed Maya’s shriek of fury when Skye told her friend that she intended to remain in New Orleans.

“Including her opinion of vampires.”

“Exactly.”

Skye chuckled, not nearly so worried as Micha about her friend’s reaction. Of course, she wasn’t the one who was going to end up with a boil on her ass if the older mage managed to get close enough to curse him, he wryly acknowledged.

“We can continue our own research here,” he concluded, dismissing his concern. “There has to be information about the crystal and original Lynx hidden in one of the manuscripts I’ve collected.”

“I also warned Maya that there might be other Lynx wannabes out there,” she said, her brow furrowed as she drained the last of her wine in one gulp.

Micha frowned. “Is something bothering you?”

“Just a feeling that I’m missing something,” Skye muttered. “Something important.”

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