Gramps smiled. “Our estate was built around this hot spring. The water is magic as you’ll soon see.”
Right then I didn’t care if there were piranhas in there. I wanted to slip into that water and let the heat leach the tension from my body.
My grandfather pointed to a shoulder-high wall of rock that served as a privacy area. “You’ll find a couple swimsuits hanging on pegs on the other side. Reyna uses them if she needs to accompany me. Hopefully, they fit.”
“Okay, be right back.” I wandered toward the changing area while reaching for the zipper on my dress. I dropped my shoes and pulled the zipper down the back of my dress as I circled the corner.
There were two one-piece swimsuits and a pair of boardshorts. I pulled on the nearest one piece and then the shorts, cinching the waist as tight as it would go. The dark red suit was so not my jam, but it was better than my white push-up bra and undies.
The warm, moist air kissed my skin as I adjusted myself to make sure everything was covered.
The water beckoned me, and I wound my way back to the pools.
Still wearing his spirit master robe, Grandpa Geoff pulled out a palm-size black bag with several small lumps inside. “You’ll need these at first to contact your ancestors,” he said, holding it out to me; the lumps clicked against one another like stones or glass. “Tuck it into a pocket, or tie it on to your suit. You need to have it on your person.”
Then he pointed to the larger of the two pools. “There’s a ledge of stone on one side that will act like a bench.”
Reaching out, I took the black pouch from him, trying to ignore the nerves in my stomach.
Okay. Magic rocks on my person. I shoved them in the back pocket of the shorts.Check.
“Are you going to be joining me?” I looked at his robe, wondering if he was going to change as well.
“Not this time,” he said, smiling at me with a hint of sadness. “But I’ll be right outside the pool to make sure you’re safe.”
That was nice. I dipped my foot into the water and then slid inside fully, securing the small pouch inside a zippered pocket on my boardshorts. As soon as I was submerged, the heat wrapped me in its embrace, and I sank onto the ledge with a sigh and then wiggled to move the bag of rocks so I wasn’t sitting on any of them.
“Are you comfortable?” Grandpa asked.
“Mmm-hmm.” I rested my head against the paver stone behind me and closed my eyes. “If I were any more comfortable, I’d be asleep.”
“Excellent. Now. Take a deep breath, Nai, and let go.”
Okay. Maybe he was going to lead me in guided mediation or something. Mother Mage knew I needed therapy. Probably a lot of it.
Exhaling, I opened my eyes and stared up at the night sky through the glass windowpanes. My body lifted from the bench and floated to the surface of the pool. My ears filled with water, muting the sounds around me.
Then my mind started to spin.
What would Rage be doing right now?Probably looking for me. Guilt bubbled up with the thought. Was Honor okay with Reyna? Kaja was going to freak out when she found out I’d disappeared—
‘Once you’re relaxed, think of your favorite place,’Geoff said, speaking into my mind.
I tried … really I did. But now that my mind was churning, I couldn’t seem to make it stop, let alone imagine a beach or mountain cabin or anything else serene.‘I’m having a tough time focusing.’
‘I was afraid that might happen,’he said.‘Don’t worry, I came prepared.’
‘Prepared with what?’I asked. Unwilling to have any more surprises, I glanced toward him, but he was fumbling in his robe, not looking at me.
And he didn’t answer.
Of course.
I pulled myself upright just in time to see Grandpa Geoff toss something …at me, or rather the pool I was in. A beam of moonlight reflected off the object—
The crystal from his office!
I lunged forward to catch it, but the water slowed my movement, and with a soft splash, the crystal disappeared beneath the surface of the hot spring.
