Silke raised her eyebrow. “What part of ‘her immune system is too fragile to be around outsiders’ didn’t you understand? You seem to be an intelligent man.”
Her tone was mild. Her statement was not. The mage’s eyes flickered with rage. “What part of ‘I’m trying to save that woman from Castello’ did you not understand?”
“Is there some reason you think I’m an idiot?” Silke asked. “You aren’t here to help my mother or any of the villagers. You’re not an investigator trying to stop a cult leader, either. You’re playing both sides of the field, working with Lilith for your own gain and with Castello to see what information he can get for you.”
Drakos didn’t seem to comprehend what that soothing, mild tone said to him for a moment, and then he leapt to his feet, taking two steps out away from the chairs so he was facing Silke directly. She hadmirrored his response by rising exactly when he did, but her steps took her to the side and facing him, giving Benedek a direct, unimpeded line to the mage. She had the container of sacred water in one hand, and when the mage raised both hands, she flung the entire contents over him.
Benedek stepped into him, slamming his fist into the mage’s chest as smoke rose from a hundred holes piercing Drakos’ body. At the same time, Silke took advantage of Drakos’ shock and pain, racing around behind him, her small crystal sword elongating, becoming a cold iron blade dripping with sacred water. No demon, mage or vampire from the underworld could withstand sacred water. Drakos was no exception. She swung the sword at his neck as Benedek extracted the heart. Neither gave the mage a chance to recover from the shock of the water piercing his body.
Silke leapt from the porch to the ground where Benedek tossed the body. Overhead, clouds roiled, laced with lightning. She plunged her crystal sword into the ground. “This ground is closed to you in any form.”
Lightning struck the body and leapt to the head, incinerating the mage completely, leaving behind nothing but white ash.
“I will dispose of what is left and meet you back at your house to see to your mother.”
“It was really nice of him to ensure no camera worked, wasn’t it?” Silke asked, her voice as sweet as ever. One would never know she’d just sliced the head off a mage after dousing him with sacred water.
Benedek sent her a quick half smile of camaraderie and then indicated her house. “I’ll wait here until you’re safe inside. I don’t like what I heard about Ese Jordan or Castello.”
She saluted him and rolled her eyes, but she went up to the porch and, after snagging her backpack, went into the house.
Benedek found himself wanting to laugh, an entirely foreign concept to him.
Chapter
14
Benedek found that the door to the house opened on its own before he raised a finger to the bell. Both women were seated in their favorite sitting room. There were low flames in the fireplace, casting flickering shadows on the stone walls. The house gave off the feeling of peace. He found the atmosphere soothing, even though he rarely went into a human home.
He had never liked to be cooped up. He’d always preferred the outdoors, the mountains and forests. He knew he always would, but he also knew he had to adapt to more modern ways. The wilderness areas were dwindling, and his species had to work harder to hide themselves.
Silke’s home was a surprise with the safeguards pressed into the stone. It was cool in the heat and warm in the cold. The natural stone and ancient wood spoke to him. Everything about the house called to him, even though it had been modernized from the original build.
Silke sat in a comfortable chair, wrapped in her mother’s handwoven shawl. It was really a long cape with a hood. Her hands were in her lap, and she passed the material through her fingers, rubbing the threads as if drawing comfort from the covering.
“Fenja,” he greeted with a slight bow. “I trust you are feeling well.” He knew she wasn’t.
Fenja might be able to hide the pain she was in from Silke—although he doubted it. She couldn’t conceal her health problems from him, and he hadn’t even examined her. He glanced uneasily at Silke. She knew. She was doing her best not to react, but her fingers were twisting together in the shawl. He had the unexpected urge to gather her into his arms and sit holding her while he discussed with Fenja whether she would allow him to aid her.
“This time of life is always a little difficult,” Fenja admitted. “The shedding of one’s physical body is never easy, I’ve found.”
Silke brought her hand up to her throat. “You are awitte wieven, then, a spirit walker.” Her voice came out strangled. She choked on the statement.
Be courageous for her,Benedek advised gently.This is very difficult for her because she doesn’t want to transition now that she has you.
Silke didn’t look at him, but he felt her in his mind. Clinging to him. Turning to him for strength. He wanted that from her, even needed it. She was very independent and acted as if she could handle life on her own. She most likely could. He had wanted that—at least he had until he met Silke. He surrounded her with warmth, holding her close in his mind, giving her what he could when they both needed to face the truth with her mother.
Fenja’s nod was slow in coming. “I prefer wise woman or healer. I take care of ailments, whether they are spiritual, mental or physical. I dedicated my existence to that end. After walking the earth for centuries, I was ready to go home, but then you came along, Silke. My greatest joy. You have made all those years of serving others worth it, my beloved daughter. Every transition, the long days spent living in new eras, learning new ways.”
She looked across the room to Benedek, her gaze sharp and assessing. He could see the wise woman. The woman who had spent her life aiding others. She had walked the land, seen things only familiar to ancients. War. Troubles between species. The dwindling of those species lost for various reasons.
“I know you. Your tenacity and strength of will. I would not give my daughter to just any man. She’s extraordinary, and her partner needs to understand that about her. They need to see and appreciate her strengths but also see her vulnerabilities.”
“Mother,” Silke said softly.
Benedek heard the ache in her voice. Felt it in the region of his heart. There were tears in her mind, but she didn’t show them to her mother. That soft protest was her way of telling Fenja she was embarrassed to be described in such glowing terms.
She is right about you. I have discovered these things on my own. I came here determined to walk side by side with you, but I didn’t think there would be emotion involved. I didn’t even know I was capable of feeling emotion for anyone. I feel it for you.
