"Ezra?"Ulric took a step closer, and Rourke stopped snarling and looked at him.His eyes were the glowing amber they'd been the first time Ezra had seen them.He'd forgotten.How could he have forgotten?
Ezra held up his hands in a vain attempt to shield himself.When nothing happened for several long seconds, he peeked at Rourke again.He was still watching him with amber eyes, but confusion had formed on his face.
"Why does Ulric have goosebumps all over?"His tone was raspy, growly, and yet almost gentle.
Realization dawned."Ward.Someone must've crossed the border."
Ulric and Rourke exchanged a look, and Rourke got off the bed, leaving Ezra to squint in the overhead light.He hadn't realized how much Rourke had shaded it.
"It's the ward?"Ulric looked at his arm again, the hair still standing."How many and where did they cross?"
Ezra stared at him."I don't know."
"You don't know?"Ulric gestured at his arm."How don't you feel this?"
"Theward is connected to you, not me."
"It's not connected to you?"
Ezra shook his head.His magic was keeping it alive, but the ward was Ulric's.
"But it's your magic."
"Witches don't remain connected to wards unless they want to.Many sell wards.It would drive them insane if they were connected to all of them."
"This is all very interesting, and something we should discuss later--" Rourke sounded annoyed, and Ezra flinched."--but right now we need to figure out who's on our land, and where they crossed."
Ezra gestured at Ulric, but Ulric shook his head."I don't know."
"How many breaches did you feel?"
Ulric frowned at him."What do you mean?"
"What woke you?"
"It washed over me."
Ezra nodded."Once, twice, fifteen times?"
His mouth dropped open, then he snapped it shut and narrowed his eyes."Two, I think."
"And where?"
"I don't know where!"
Ezra sighed.He'd always been able to tell where someone had walked through his barrier, and Ulric should too.Unless he'd messed up when he'd set the wards.Unease slithered through him.Could he have?"You don't feel the area?"
Ulric's eyes narrowed.
"Close your eyes and feel."
To Ezra's surprise, he did.No one ever listened to him, but this monster of a man did what Ezra told him to.
"Yeah, maybe.It's like there is a vibration by the big oak."
Ezra nodded, relief flooding him.He hadn't messed up the ward."The spiderweb signal."
Ulric gave him a sharp grin."You're saying two witches have crossed onto our land by the big oak."
