“Have you come to guard me again?” She giggled.
“It’s my solemn duty.” He held out his hand to her. “Will you walk with me? I love the orchard at this time of day. The apples look like stars.”
“I’d love to.”
He led her between the trees, and hand in hand, they fell into step.
“I think I have an answer to your problem.” Medea fidgeted with the skirt of her dress as if whatever she had to tell him made her nervous.
Tavyss forced his expression to remain impassive. Whatever solution she planned to offer might be simple, given her limited view of the world, but he planned to be contemplative and respect her idea anyway. Whatever it was, he’d consider it.
“What if you could send a message to Paragon without physically going there?”
“Do you mean by bird or… Hermes?” He chuckled at that. The messenger god would likely not take up this cause. His dislike of Hera was well known.
“My family and I are different than others in this garden.” Medea glanced down at her feet.
Her fingers continued to fidget, and her forehead wrinkled with what could only be worry. Now he was beyond curious. What could make her so anxious?
“Yes. I’ve noticed. It’s what drew me to you. When I saw you in the field, you were so different I thought you didn’t belong.”
Her petal-pink tongue licked along her bottom lip, almost driving him to distraction. “We can do magic. Strong magic like a witch.”
“How is it you know the magic of witches?” he asked tentatively.
She did not answer but released his hand to tangle her fingers in front of her hips. “I believe, if you’ll let me, that I can project you to your sister on the astral plane. Your consciousness will be there, but you will remain safely here.”
“Astral projection?” His brows sank low until he thought he might give himself a headache from the tension in his forehead. She was serious. “Have you done this before?”
“Sort of.” Her eyes rolled toward the heavens. “Yes. Although only with myself, not carrying another person. I’m sure that I am capable of it though.”
He studied her features. “You’re serious?”
“As a stone.” She tucked her hair behind her ears.
“Where did you learn this magic?” he demanded.
Her lips flattened into a thin line. “My people are born with it.” If there was more to it, she didn’t elaborate.
As he searched her face, he came to the conclusion that, although he believed her, he’d have to experience this magic to deduce its true potency. Truly, until he did, he was afraid to examine her claims too closely.
She slipped her hand into his and continued walking along the center of the orchard.
It wasn’t long before he’d made up his mind. “If you can do it, I would like to try.”
Chapter Seven
When Tavyss smiled, it was as if the sun had risen and shone warm upon her face. Medea led him to a mossy patch between the trees. He trusted her. To put his problem into her hands as he had showed a respect for her that she hadn’t fully expected. She’d braced herself for a full interrogation about her powers and their origins, but he hadn’t pursued it. A strange thought wormed its way into her mind that perhaps he didn’t want to know.
“Sit here.” She gestured toward a patch of moss, then sat cross-legged across from him. Reaching into her pocket, she removed the gem, held it up to her eye, and turned it.
“What is that stone? It looks like a diamond.” He reached for it.
Laughing, she pulled it out of his reach and guided his hand back down to his leg.
“I need it to complete this spell. Now, do you wish to talk about a stone or do this magic?”
“The magic.” He slanted a smile in her direction. “For now.”
