Page 22 of Captured in Love
Levi narrows his eyes. “Did anyone actually see him use magic in Egypt?”
I go through the events in my mind, trying to remember what Isak was doing when the god, Set, was trying to bring down the tunnel around us. “No, but maybe his magic just isn’t the right kind to be useful in a situation like that?”
“What if he has no magic?” Levi asks.
“He’s not human,” Raphaël interjects. “Humans don’t smell that good.”
I groan. “You and your nose.”
“What?” he protests. “I can’t help it. You magical people just give off more perfume.”
Levi flings his arm around my shoulders. “Yeah, cos we’re awesome. But what does Einarsson smell like?”
“The sea,” I blurt out before I can stop myself.
Levi looks down at me with an amused grin, and I blush.Way to keep your cool, Nora.
“It’s true, though,” Raphaël says, his gaze distant. “He smells of the open ocean.”
I study his thoughtful expression. “Have you ever experienced that before?”
He shakes his head. “I once met a woman who smelled like the sky, but that was decades ago. Maybe a century. She wasn’t…” He blinks suddenly. “That’s irrelevant. What I’m saying is, Einarsson isn’t human.”
I want to ask about this woman—who she was to him and is she still alive—but since I just made it clear I wouldn’t discuss my involvement with Isak, it would be hypocritical to question him. He’s been alive for so long. I’m obviously not his first partner, nor the first woman he has ever loved. The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, so I desperately try to focus on something else instead.
Isak’s strange choice of words at our parting comes to mind.
“He said he’s participating in the Ballendial Games because something was stolen from hisclan, not his coven. I don’t know if it’s just the issue of his English knowledge, but I don’t think so.”
Levi glances at me sharply. “That’s weird.”
“Yeah. But until he reveals what his powers are, we really don’t have much to go on. I had my tech witch friend check him out, and she couldn’t find anything bad online, she just warned me to be on my guard. We all need to be careful, and don’t take him on unless absolutely necessary.” I look from Levi to Raphaël and back.
They both grudgingly agree, and we pack our things to take with us on the boat. Just as we’re about to leave the room, I stop them and offer each one my amethyst charms.
“Here,” I say. “I charged them up with protection spells that won’t siphon anyone’s magic. They’re completely safe to use.”
I keep my expression completely neutral and swallow the enormous bubble of guilt that threatens to choke me.This might save their lives. I can live with the guilt if it means protecting them.
Levi gingerly takes his crystal, holds it in the palm of his hand, and concentrates. A faint crimson glow emanates from his hand, then he shrugs and stops the flow of magic.
“Thanks,” he says simply.
After that, Raphaël doesn’t question his amulet, either. I stifle a relieved sigh and follow them out the door. At least now I’ll have the option to protect them if everything goes south.
At the marina, we unload the impressive heap of equipment Levi and Raphaël brought from the city. They lug the heavier pieces, like the diving tanks and weights, and I carry the bags containing underwater flashlights and measurement instruments. It’s been a year or so since Levi and I got our diver certifications, but most of these still look familiar.
The semi-dry suits they rented are thicker than I remember, though, and Levi explains that they’ll keep us insulated against the Icelandic seas.
“And here’s your cap,” he says, handing me something that resembles a black skier’s mask. “You’ll have to tuck your hair under it, sorry.”
We all take turns to change in the small cabin on the boat, and I go first. I stuff myself into the diving suit. It’s tight, especially around the hips, but I can still move in it. I glance down at myself.
No one looks good in neoprene.It’s there to protect you against hypothermia, not make you look fancy.
With a sigh, I zip myself up and secure the seals that will help keep out the cold water. I leave the cap and the gloves off for now but tug on the boots, then wobble out onto the deck.
That’s where I realize how wrong I’ve been.
