She snorted. “You speak in riddles.”
“I speak the truth,” he countered. “When the Book was written, Robert Ashley only made one copy all those years ago. However, I have managed to make an exact duplicate, right down to every single ink stain and wear on the parchment, although it is not a true spell caster. It is locked in a secure place, of course, in case Hector has a mind to try to intercept it.”
She smiled slowly. “How very insightful of you.”
“I thought so as well,” he agreed. “It is convincing enough to make him, or anyone else, believe it is the real manuscript, until they attempted to use it for its true purpose.”
“To bring forth the Prince of Darkness from hell.” She paused, and her eyes narrowed slightly. “Is this what you think he wants with your lover?”
“I have no doubt of it,” he said adamantly. “He has long held a hatred for me, as you well know, along with a thirst for revenge against our entire coven.”
“I see. And your purpose in London now is…?”
“To find out exactly why he has targeted Miss St. Clair.”
A spark of recognition flared in his companion’s eyes, though she quickly masked it.
“You wouldn’t happen to know her or her family, would you?”
She looked at him in a tolerant manner. “London is not so large as you might think. Gossip travels rampant among the city, and some of its most infamous residents never fade from memory.”
Alaric thought of what Marlene had said about her mother. “I’m not sure that Miss St. Clair’s family is that notorious.”
“Perhaps not, but I have heard idle talk that someone with that name used witchcraft to heal a child many years ago.” When Alaric abruptly stilled, she added, “Ah. I can see this strikes a remarkable resemblance in your memory.”
“And if it did?”
She lifted a brow and moved the cat closer to her chest. It started to knead directly over her breasts. “Then I would say your treasured lady is in more peril than either of you truly know.”
The moment Marlene walked into the north wing with the key in her grasp, it started to glow as bright as a lantern. She cupped her hand around it to keep it from being so noticeable, but she could do nothing about the pain that shot up her arm as the pulsing burn made her breath catch. However, she refused to give up on her pursuit. It was the only way to find the answers she desperately sought.
She headed down the long hallway that led to the single door at the end, which held Alaric’s secret herbs. After what had happened the last time, she’d been in here, she was a bit hesitant to enter. “Is this where I need to go?” she whispered.
In reply, the key pulsed, and she exhaled a steady breath. Gathering her courage, she pushed the door open, stepped through, and shut it behind her.
“Now what?” She waited for it to lead her elsewhere, but all it did was remain silent, a steady burn upon her flesh. Growing frustrated, she started to walk around the room.
As she passed a bookcase, it flared back to brilliant life. She paused and held the key out among the various bottles of potions and dried hanging plants. Everywhere she went, it appeared to grow in intensity near certain items. It suddenly clicked what she was meant to do. “Am I to make a potion?”
As if taking on the power of the sun, it lit up the entire room. Her eyes widened and she swallowed hard. The key was going to show her the way, but it wouldn’t be without some effort on her part.
Marlene proceeded to make her way back around the room and gathered the items it wished her to take. She piled everything upon the center table, near the mortar and pestle. When it appeared that she had procured everything, she set the key on the table and set her hands on her hips. “Now what am I to do?”
A book fell from a shelf nearby, landing open. Clenching her fists at her sides, she walked over to the handwritten page that was revealed and found that the provisions she had collected would cast a specific spell—one that claimed to give her the gift of sight. Although Marlene had long held a fascination for herbs and plants, she was apprehensive about making something that could be potentially dangerous. Her interests lay in botany, not spellcasting, so she had no idea how long the effects would last.
She started to back away from the book. “I’m not sure this is a good idea. I should wait for Alaric to return—”
The key flew forward and slammed into the cabinet above her head with enough force that it stuck in the wood. With a cry of alarm, she headed for the door, but when she tried to get out, it held fast, as if something—or someone—was preventing her from leaving.
Her fears were confirmed moments later when a ghostly figure appeared in the empty space behind her. Marlene…
A hand reached out for her, and she shied away with a guttural cry. With trembling hands, she reached into her bodice and withdrew the pentacle, which was glowing with an equal amount of strength as the key. It released a faint blue light toward the apparition and the haze disappeared with a haunting growl of fury.
The door abruptly unlatched behind her, and she shoved it open and ran down the hallway until she reached her chamber. She slammed the door shut behind her and leaned against it for several minutes, her eyes clamped tightly shut and her breathing coming in uneven pants. The single thing that helped to calm her was when she reached up and clutched the pentacle around her neck. “Thank you,” she whispered to the item.
She dared to remove it from around her neck and held it in her palm where the key had been. It seemed to soothe the stinging pain with a cool touch. It was the first time she had dared to truly inspect it since Alaric had given it to her. The night before, she’d put it on and tucked it between the valley of her breasts, comforted by something that belonged to him.
Now, however, she took the time to study it. It had the same daisy symbol that was marked upon his back, and the blue light that emanated from the center swirled with a magical energy that made her hold it closer to her heart. Wherever Alaric was, she prayed that he would return soon, just as he’d promised.
