Page 25 of The Aether

“Morcant? Do you mean Morgan?” After her daughter nodded, Vivian replied, “Yes, he is, baby.”

“Do you want to take Papa’s body to him? I can help you.”

Vivian had seriously underestimated her daughter’s abilities when she’d thought she could bind her magic. “Wait, you mean take Damian’s body tohim, not to Morgan, right?”

“I can go with you and Grandpa Nate.”

“It’s not safe for you.” The fear she was experiencing turned crippling. How did she save Damian and protect her child at the same time?

“You can’t, Vivian,” Nathanial said from behind her after reading her troubled mind.

She whirled to face him. “You can see me, too? How did I not know this was possible for all of you?”

He shrugged, but half his mouth curled in a mocking smile.

“Never mind.” She waved a hand as she approached him. “Damian’s in serious trouble.”

“Stay here.Bothof you.” With a stern look for Sabrina, he teleported away.

“Where do you think he went?” Vivian asked her.

“To get Grandma Evie.” With a shrug, Sabrina picked up her doll and beheaded it. “That’s what he’s going to do to Morcant.”

Shocked and more than a little horrified, Vivian collapsed on the carpet and stared at her. “You received a vision?”

“Morcant must die, Mama. Grandma Evie knows, and she hates him.”

She stared at her daughter helplessly. “Do I return Damian’s body? Are you safe here alone?” She was incredibly confused and terrified for her sisters. “And why am I asking a child?”

A twinkle lit Sabrina’s near-black eyes, lightening them and making the silvery flecks more noticeable.

“Because I’m the Oracle now, Mama,” she said as she cocked her head. “Grandpa Nate is waiting for you in your bedroom.”

“My…? The one here or at home?”

“They look the same.” Waving her hand, Sabrina repaired her doll and returned to playing.

“Logic tells me Damian’s body is here, so let’s go that route.” Closing her eyes, Vivian visualized the primary suite she’d shared while living here. Sure enough, Nate and Evie were in deep discussion as they stood guard over Damian’s physical form.

“I think I’m meant to inhabit Damian for the teleport,” she told them. “Which one of you is staying with Sabrina?”

“Neither,” Evie replied. “You will, in his body.” She nodded to the bed. “There’s enough juice left for you to maintain the wards here in case Morcant gets through us.”

“Morcant? That was the same name Sabrina used. I thought his name was Morgan.”

“He’s one and the same.”

If she were corporeal, Vivian’s heart would be in her throat and her stomach would be churning. As it was, her ghostly energy was abuzz with anxiety. “How long do I need to inhabit Damian’s body?”

“As long as you need to. Ten minutes or ten years,” Nate said grimly. “You can conjure whatever you need to survive, but never leave these grounds should Damian not return. Sabrina will be strong enough to take over after she reaches her majority.”

“You’re scaring me!”

“You should be scared. Morcant is a rotten sonofabitch.” Evie exchanged a wary glance with her husband. “He’s also a con man, Vivian. A shapeshifter of sorts, capable of glamouring into whatever he wishes you to see. Very few are able to discern the real warlock from the one he presents. Trust no one who approaches you, even if you believe they are your friend.”

“Will Sabrina be able to tell the difference?” Please, let it be so.

“She should, but I don’t know. We’ve no more time to waste,” Nate said. “You need to possess Damian’s body.”

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