“That’s unusual for Nessie,” Garrett teased, and she frowned.
Jess hated that nickname. “Yes, but she needs the water today.”
“Kinkaid and Salah are also joining us,” Garrett said.
Jess looked horrified. “Jase, Willow, and the triplets aren’t?”
“No, just us,” Garrett assured her, and Jess relaxed. She loved the triplets, but they were a handful. The entire castle had to keep a sharp eye on those three.
She and Garrett walked down to the lake and weren’t surprised to find Salah had shifted into Scylla already and was splashing about in the deep part. Kinkaid was waiting on the shoreline, smiling.
“Ready?” he said and shifted into Swamp Creature.
Swamp Creature cackled at Scylla and dived into the water. Jess smiled as Scylla immediately submerged all six heads, looking for him.
Garrett chuckled, and within a second, Merman was cutting through the waves to play with Scylla. Jess watched for a few moments, admiring her siblings’ ease and happiness and wishing she felt the same. One of Scylla’s heads popped up and stared at Jess in puzzlement. Damn it, Scylla was picking up her doubts. Before Scylla could pry, Jess shifted into the Loch Ness Monster and headed out to join the game.
???
At times like this, she hated her almost-perfect memory. Despite knowing she was asleep, Jess was very aware of the dream she was trapped in. She was back in five-forty-one AD. And she went by the Roman name Isca, a variant of Jess. Isca whirled around in a market, laughing as vendors offered her flowers and sweet treats. Her basket was already full of bread,cheeses, and meats. The sun beamed down, and she revelled in the feel on her skin.
Tonight, she and Gaius were planning an intimate feast for the two of them. They had been courting for a year. While she was richer than Gaius, he held status.
Isca liked him a lot; she might even be in love with him. Gaius made her laugh, was kind, and was brave.
“Isca!” a woman called, and she turned.
“Valeria!” Isca exclaimed happily. They were good friends. “How are you?” she inquired as Valeria linked arms.
“Wonderful. What are you up to?” She asked, peering into Isca’s basket.
“Preparing a special meal for Gaius,” Isca replied.
Valeria’s mouth opened, and an excited squeal escaped. “Do you think he might ask for your hand?”
“I know not. But it remains exciting that he requested this meal,” Isca said.
“Indeed, it is! Gaius was called to the palace to meet with the emperor earlier,” Valeria stated. Isca didn’t ask how Valeria knew. Her brother was a fixture in the emperor’s court.
“Oh, Gaius never told me, maybe he will later,” Isca said unconcerned.
As a legate and one who was rapidly making a name for himself, it was no surprise that Gaius had been summoned. Isca hoped Justinian had some good news for Gaius, who’d worked too hard.
“Guess who has returned?” Valeria teased.
“Who?”
“Praejecta, she’s been back a month apparently, but has kept her head down,” Valeria said, wrinkling her nose. “I wonder whose marriage she will ruin on this occasion. Rumours abound that she has her claws into a man already.”
“Really? Praejecta will never learn!” Isca exclaimed. The Emperor Justinian’s niece was barely better than a cat in heat. She’d destroyed two marriages and escaped all consequences because of who she was. Isca had little time for the foolish woman.
“We need special wine if this is to be a celebration,” Isca said and kissed Valeria before hurrying away.
Isca picked up some wine, Gaius’s favourite flavour, and hurried home. There was a lot to prepare. She lived in an affluent area where villas were spacious and well-kept, and the flowers, shrubs, and trees were plentiful.
As she passed a neighbouring villa, she heard a giggle and smiled. Isca loved hearing other people happy despite her own burdens. She held the Sin of Disease in her body and had to kill to feed it.
At night, Isca hunted those who polluted bodies of water. That allowed Disease to spread as all living things drank water. It was the life force of every creature in this world. The Sin would claim its guilty victim and be satiated for a while.
