Page 53 of The Seven Rings
“Fast work.”
He left her to it, joined the others on the beach.
“You can still see the manor from here.” Happy, relaxed, Sonya leaned against Trey. “Look how the sun glints off the windows when it hits just right. You and Owen came here as kids?”
“Yeah, in Connor’s fourteen-footer, we’d explore, eat junk food. When we were teens, we’d bring girls here. This time of year, you can swim if you’re not afraid of cold water.”
Not afraid, she thought, but distinctly not interested. “I’ll pass there.”
“There’s a cave.” Owen spread out a blanket. “It’s pretty cool.”
“Another pass.”
“Girl.”
“Yes, I am.” She sat on the blanket to set out food. “We’ve got sandwiches, a variety of chips, fruit, raw veggies and dip.”
Pye came back to climb onto a rock and gaze out over the water as if she owned it. Sonya glanced back to see the three dogs follow her out and engage in a sniffing contest.
When Cleo joined them, she ignored the food and started another sketch.
“I want one from here. Sweep of sand and the rocks in the foreground. Boat at the dock, the bay beyond. I’m going to sail here and try some painting on this beach. Maybe do one all the way to the far cliffs and the manor.”
“Got binoculars in the bag if you want a close look.”
“No.” She shook her head at Owen. “I like this perspective. The single boat here, alone, the manor on the cliffs in the distance, alone.”
“How about the cat?” Trey wondered.
“Not for this one, but in another? Sitting up there on the rock, gazing out. Mistress of all she surveys. Just doodling ideas here.”
Once again, Owen angled to look. “She calls that doodling.”
“She does,” Sonya agreed.
On a contented sigh, she munched on a potato chip. Then looked up and over at the manor.
And gripped Trey’s hand.
“Do you see that? The manor. Do you see that?”
“Yeah.”
Something dark flew, then vanished. Then flew again.
Trey pulled the binoculars from the bag, and brought it all closer.
“It’s her big-ass bird.” He passed the glasses to Owen. “It flies out—her window, the best I can tell.”
“Yeah, I see it. Flies out, then poofs. Then again.”
“I need to see.” Sonya took the glasses, and the view popped closer so quickly, she jolted. “Why is she doing that? There’s no one there to try to scare, to threaten.”
“She’s practicing.” Cleo set the sketchbook aside, reached for half a sandwich. “When no one can see. Or none of us can see—she thinks.”
“None of us can see her fail. She’s trying to increase her distance.”Trey took the glasses back to check again. “That’s my take. She’s trying and not getting anywhere with that.”
He put an arm around Sonya’s shoulders. “She doesn’t want you to see her practicing, wasting her time and energy.”
