Page 40 of Emerald Flame
Fergus was not helping him in his dilemma. But he still wasn’t ready to hammer out a new strategy. “Give me a couple of hours. I need some time with Kiara. She was just in a battle and that’s not something she’s used to.”
“No problem. Again, I get it. All of it.”
“I’ll call you then we can figure out what we should do next.”
Fergus clapped him on the shoulder. He’d never appeared more serious. “I know it won’t be easy, the next few hours or nights or whatever. But try to stay open. Even though she’s witch, Kiara’s good people. She might be exactly what you need.”
Warren sighed heavily, but he nodded.
When Kiara appeared in the doorway, she called out to Fergus. “Are you ready to leave? I’ll need to clear the spell for you as you depart.”
“We are.”
She levitated toward him then rose to a height of about forty feet and waited.
Fergus pivoted toward his men, lifted his arm straight up then waved it in a circle. With the discipline of years, his wolves rose into the air with him, following in a clean line based on pack rank as they flew into the air.
As Fergus drew near Kiara’s position, Warren watched Kiara part the spell. The men slipped through then disappeared heading east toward the Gordion compound. He noticed that monsoon clouds were piling up in the north again. He sniffed the air. It would rain soon, within the next twenty minutes or so.
Kiara sealed up the security spell. Warren was amazed that he could see a web of gold and violet form then finally expand to a solid shape. The colors then melted away with nothing but starry night sky visible beyond.
Kiara slowly descended in his direction.
It was time to talk about his earlier slip.
Feeling sad, Warren?The voice in his head was not Kiara’s, however.
He turned around and there she was, Tonya, his wife. Only she was in her ghost-like state. “What are you doing here?”
Kiara touched down next to him. He wasn’t sure if she could see the apparition until he glanced at her. With parted lips, she stared at the specter. He wasn’t sure why, but she grew very pale.
Warren asked, “So you can see her? The ghost-that-isn’t-a ghost?”
“I can, but I’m confused.”
Tonya’s voice hit his mind.So, you finally found a replacement for me. To be honest, I thought you’d go for another blond, like me.
Kiara turned toward him more fully. “Is this your wife?”
“It is.”
“I don’t understand. I thought she was alive.”
“She is. The situation is complicated. What you’re seeing is a result ofalterdementia, or so I’ve been told.” He extended his hand toward the apparition. “Tonya, I’d like you to meet Kiara. She runs a wolf refuge here in Savage Territory.”
Tonya moved slowly, a misty apparition in her blue shift with her blond hair floating around her shoulders. She tried to drift behind Kiara, to check her out, but Kiara pivoted with her, staring at his wife.
I’m Kiara. I recognize you from the dreams you’ve been sending me.Though the telepathic communication was directed at Tonya, Warren heard it within his mind as well.You’re the one from my dreams, right?
Now that was a surprise.
Tonya pressed a finger to her cheek and slanted her eyes skyward in an effort to strike a cute pose.Busted.
The truth was, his wife would never have behaved like this. Even as an apparition, her dementia was obvious, at least to him.
But what did either of the women mean. He addressed Kiara. “Are you saying my wife has invaded your dreams?”
“Yes, a recurring dream. A nightmare really. She’s been warning me away from you. She says I will put you in grave danger if I don’t leave Savage.”
