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Authors: Shannon K. Butcher
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me the way she was masked from Synestryn for a time.”
“So there could be another woman like Rory out there?”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember where you came across this other woman, this half sister?”
Logan nodded. “She was among those we rescued from Krag’s lair.”
“Do you know where she is now?”
“There was so much going on then. So much chaos. I assume she went to Dabyr with the others, but Rory slipped away.”
“But you had this other woman’s blood. You could find her.”
“Yes. And I will, but until I do, say nothing to Cain. She could just as easily have shared the same human mother rather than the same Athanasian father.”
“Either way, it doesn’t matter. Rory is so alone. So isolated. I felt that when I touched her mind. Any family of hers we can find will make a difference, even if that family can’t save Cain or one of the others.”
Logan stroked Hope’s honey-colored hair. “She’s one of us now. Part of our family. We will do whatever we can to bring her joy.”
She looked up at him, her amber eyes shining. “And that is just one more reason I love you.”
Chapter 5
C ain was seeing things—proof of just how far he’d slipped over the past few months. As he walked in through the back door of the shelter, he was sure that he’d seen Sibyl. She’d stood there, staring at him in shock. Her face had been partially hidden by shadows, and he wasn’t yet as familiar with her adult face as he had been with her childlike appearance, but for a moment, he’d been sure that it was her.
And then she was gone—slipping out through the kitchen door into the dining area. He followed after her, but there was no sign of anyone passing this way. No lights, no movement . . . nothing but the aching hole Sibyl had left behind.
If he’d slipped down to the point of hallucination, he didn’t have much time left. He needed to see Rory settled safely at Dabyr. Now.
He turned and went back to the safe room, carrying a mostly intact demon for Logan to study. As soon as he entered the room, he knew Rory was gone. The space felt empty without her, echoing and lifeless in her absence.
Anger surged and bubbled beneath his skin as he spotted Logan burning her clothes. It sharpened his tone, but he couldn’t help that. “You let her go? Alone?”
“It was my fault,” said Hope. “I compelled her to trust me so she’d tell me what she was hiding. I’m not very good at that kind of thing yet, and the moment my magic wore off, she knew what I had done. It spooked her. I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault, love,” said Logan. “Rory is not as susceptible to our skills as a human would be. At least you got her to talk. Now we know the source of her pain.”
“Who’s hurting her?” demanded Cain. He would find this person or demon and destroy it. Just the thought had his blood pumping through his limbs in eagerness.
Since meeting her, he’d been buoyed by a heady sense of purpose. Her need drove him forward, compelling his actions as strongly as any vow he’d ever given.
Hope shook her head, making her blond ponytail sway. “It’s not like that. She has visions of some kind. She’s looking for the person she thinks stops them.”
“Visions? Of the future?” Sibyl had those, and the knowledge of what would happen to those she loved haunted her. Cain often worried about how she dealt with them now that he was no longer there to comfort her.
“She wasn’t specific. All I know is she sees things and these visions clearly hurt her.”
That’s what he’d seen before his collapse—her face twisted with fear and pain.
The idea of her out there alone was bad enough, but knowing she was out there alone and suffering was too much for him to stand. He had to find her. Help her. He wasn’t sure what he could do, but he’d figure out something.
He could help.
The thought whispered through his mind, tempting him with things he knew better than to believe. He couldn’t
“So there could be another woman like Rory out there?”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember where you came across this other woman, this half sister?”
Logan nodded. “She was among those we rescued from Krag’s lair.”
“Do you know where she is now?”
“There was so much going on then. So much chaos. I assume she went to Dabyr with the others, but Rory slipped away.”
“But you had this other woman’s blood. You could find her.”
“Yes. And I will, but until I do, say nothing to Cain. She could just as easily have shared the same human mother rather than the same Athanasian father.”
“Either way, it doesn’t matter. Rory is so alone. So isolated. I felt that when I touched her mind. Any family of hers we can find will make a difference, even if that family can’t save Cain or one of the others.”
Logan stroked Hope’s honey-colored hair. “She’s one of us now. Part of our family. We will do whatever we can to bring her joy.”
She looked up at him, her amber eyes shining. “And that is just one more reason I love you.”
Chapter 5
C ain was seeing things—proof of just how far he’d slipped over the past few months. As he walked in through the back door of the shelter, he was sure that he’d seen Sibyl. She’d stood there, staring at him in shock. Her face had been partially hidden by shadows, and he wasn’t yet as familiar with her adult face as he had been with her childlike appearance, but for a moment, he’d been sure that it was her.
And then she was gone—slipping out through the kitchen door into the dining area. He followed after her, but there was no sign of anyone passing this way. No lights, no movement . . . nothing but the aching hole Sibyl had left behind.
If he’d slipped down to the point of hallucination, he didn’t have much time left. He needed to see Rory settled safely at Dabyr. Now.
He turned and went back to the safe room, carrying a mostly intact demon for Logan to study. As soon as he entered the room, he knew Rory was gone. The space felt empty without her, echoing and lifeless in her absence.
Anger surged and bubbled beneath his skin as he spotted Logan burning her clothes. It sharpened his tone, but he couldn’t help that. “You let her go? Alone?”
“It was my fault,” said Hope. “I compelled her to trust me so she’d tell me what she was hiding. I’m not very good at that kind of thing yet, and the moment my magic wore off, she knew what I had done. It spooked her. I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault, love,” said Logan. “Rory is not as susceptible to our skills as a human would be. At least you got her to talk. Now we know the source of her pain.”
“Who’s hurting her?” demanded Cain. He would find this person or demon and destroy it. Just the thought had his blood pumping through his limbs in eagerness.
Since meeting her, he’d been buoyed by a heady sense of purpose. Her need drove him forward, compelling his actions as strongly as any vow he’d ever given.
Hope shook her head, making her blond ponytail sway. “It’s not like that. She has visions of some kind. She’s looking for the person she thinks stops them.”
“Visions? Of the future?” Sibyl had those, and the knowledge of what would happen to those she loved haunted her. Cain often worried about how she dealt with them now that he was no longer there to comfort her.
“She wasn’t specific. All I know is she sees things and these visions clearly hurt her.”
That’s what he’d seen before his collapse—her face twisted with fear and pain.
The idea of her out there alone was bad enough, but knowing she was out there alone and suffering was too much for him to stand. He had to find her. Help her. He wasn’t sure what he could do, but he’d figure out something.
He could help.
The thought whispered through his mind, tempting him with things he knew better than to believe. He couldn’t
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