Page 12 of Elemental Hope
“What’s going on, Coryn?” Dominic asked. “I saw two mildly strange women a couple of times, that’s all. Why all the panic? For all I know they might just have a thing for sweaty gardeners.”
“For God’s sake, don’t even suggest something like that to your boyfriend unless you want to kick off the apocalypse. Let’s get you back to the cottage before Evrain starts blowing things up. Gregory will explain everything.”
Dominic decided it was best not to push Coryn any further. For a while, they strolled along the path to the cottage in companionable silence.
“Is Nathaniel Alberich here yet?” Dominic asked.
“He is. He arrived a while ago and brought a surprise guest with him. He found Damon lurking in the trees.”
“What?” Dominic had so many questions but Evrain was waiting at the cottage door, wind whipping his dark hair into disarray. The violent gusts died as soon as he caught sight of Dominic.
“Do you even know where the accelerator pedal is on that bloody van? Does it have some kind of limiter? Or perhaps you stopped to meditate on the properties of oregano.”
Dominic looked at the twigs and leaves strewn all over the garden and realized just how agitated Evrain must have been. He opted for diplomacy. “I’m sorry. If I’d known how worried you were, I would have broken all the speed limits and red lights to get back here.”
“No, you wouldn’t, because that would have been dangerous.”
“There’s no arguing with you, is there?” Dominic found himself wrapped in strong arms, tight enough that he was goingto have bruises. “You have a really strange way of pronouncing oregano. And I’ve never meditated in my life.”
Evrain grunted and hugged him harder.
“Evrain, he’s safe.” Gregory, sounding impatient, called from the doorway. “For goodness sake, let him go and come inside.”
Evrain scowled but released his hold. He kept a proprietary arm around Dominic’s shoulders as they went inside and Dominic found he craved the continued contact. The room was saturated with the aroma of mulling wine and for a moment Dominic was distracted as he tried to identify various spices. Then he took in the people seated at the table. He froze.
“I hardly believed Coryn when he told me. What the hell is he doing here?” He stared at Damon, hands clenching into fists. “The last time I saw him, he punched me in the face. He had a chain around my neck. Then he tried to attack Evrain with a knife!” He took a determined step forward. Damon cowered in his seat, lower lip trembling.
“We’ll get to that but fuck, you’re sexy when you’re defending me!” Evrain said, sounding pleased.
“Scary, not sexy,” Damon muttered.
“Evrain, perhaps introductions are in order?” Gregory’s tone was all reprimand.
Dominic realized that there were other people in the room. His face heated and suddenly the floor was the most fascinating place to look. He was hyperaware of his grass-stained clothes and work-tousled hair. As if sensing his discomfiture, Evrain cupped the nape of his neck and squeezed.
“Dominic, I’d like to introduce Nathaniel Alberich.” There was a scrape of wood against stone. Across the table, Nathaniel stood and gave a slight bow. “Nathaniel, this is my partner, Dominic Castine.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Dominic.”
Nathaniel was a handsome man. He had a similar aura of power to Gregory, holding himself with confident certainty. It seemed all warlocks were cut from the same cloth. He made Dominic feel shy and nervous.
“Um, hi.” Dominic managed a brief smile.
Nathaniel nodded as if acknowledging Dominic’s suitability as a warlock’s partner. Dominic couldn’t help but feel he’d just passed some kind of test.
With Evrain’s gentle encouragement and a nod from Coryn, Dominic sat at the table, though his seat was a bit too close to Damon for his liking. Gregory ladled spiced wine into goblets then passed them out. Damon clutched his so tightly his knuckles went white. The aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon and wine filled the room, at odds with the atmosphere of dread that seemed to envelop all three warlocks. Dominic sat and waited for the bad news.
“You are both already aware that there are very few powerful warlocks on the planet.”
Gregory paused and Dominic wondered at the fact that three of those warlocks were sitting right there in the room with him. The world was a peculiar place, with layers and depths he had never imagined. He focused on Gregory’s face and his lips as they moved.
“However, there are considerably more witches. Most are completely benign, with only traces of elemental ability. Some are more powerful—like your grandmother Agatha, Evrain, who was a strong earth witch. None have strength in more than one element—that power is limited to men—and even then they cannot command fire or air. There exists a very small minority who object to that distinction.” Gregory sipped his wine. “Over the centuries those few have come together to form a Coven of sorts—though it’s insulting to the majority of witches to give itthat name—an affiliation of witches with similar dispositions. It’s currently known as the Octis Coven.”
Dominic swallowed, imagining scenes of bubbling cauldrons and old hags in black pointy hats.
“Forget every preconceived idea you might have about witches, Dominic.” Gregory could apparently read minds. “Octis is well financed, technologically adept and highly organized. They always have one plot or another on the go but nothing that has really affected us. This time they’ve gone too far. Damon here tells us they’ve joined forces with Symeon Malus.”
Evrain snorted. “How can Symeon be of any use to them? We left him virtually powerless.”
