Read Online The Phoenix Charm by Helen Scott Taylor - Free Book Online
Authors: Helen Scott Taylor
Tags: Fiction
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trousers.
The cat uncurled from its spot on Cordelia’s lap,stretched, and hopped between the front seats into the back. The creature paused and looked at him with enigmatic eyes. “Hello, cat.” He did not want to like the creature because it belonged to Cordelia. The cat blinked at him, then stepped softly onto Michael’s lap. After circling, it settled in a furry ball, a cheek pressed against his zipper.
Despite his mood, Nightshade laughed. The creature had waited until Cordelia slept, then swapped allegiance. Even the cat wanted a piece of Michael. For some reason, the thought made Nightshade feel better. He wouldn’t give Michael up without a fight.
Cordelia woke to the emotionless voice of the satellite navigation system: in one hundred yards, turn left; turn left.
Michael was now driving. His hair shone lustrous as ever but his face was pale, with tiny lines of tension around his mouth instead of his usual smile. She hoped he’d caught some sleep before he took over the driving from Thorn.
“Where are we?” She massaged her tight neck muscles and admired the misty mountains in the distance.
“Would you believe Wales, the Neath Valley?” he asked dryly.
He glanced at her, his gaze flicking to her legs before moving back to the windshield. Nerves sparked beneath her skin. Was he remembering the image in her divining mirror of them making love? Maybe she shouldn’t have worn trousers. With her legs on show, she felt vulnerable.
“Only a few more miles to Craig-y-Ddinas car park, then we’l l hoof it ,” he added.
As Cordelia drank from her water bottle, she realized Tamsy wasn’t on her lap. She glanced back, expecting her cat to be with Thorn. Her heart jolted when she saw the traitorous creature resting her chin on Nightshade’s knee while he stroked her face.
Cordelia jerked her gaze away, stared out the window at the narrow road threading its way among stunted oak trees.She pushed out her consciousness to meld with Tamsy and released shock and disapproval into the cat’s mind. Tamsy gave a lazy mew, radiating pleasure. Why wasn’t she frightened of Nightshade? Being confined in the car with him set Cordelia’s nerves on edge. She had only been able to sleep because she was exhausted.
She could hardly reach back and grab her cat, so she sat stiffly, jaw clenched, while Michael maneuvered the car into the parking lot. He stopped in the middle, the engine idling. They all stared around at the numerous walkers in weatherproof jackets with backpacks. A little girl ran in front of their car wearing a pink My Little Pony anorak and matching cap.
Nightshade was the first to speak: “Shit!”
Cordelia wouldn’t have vocalized her feelings in quite that way, but he summed up her sentiment exactly.
“This wasn’t how I imagined the entry to the Underworld,” Thorn said.
Michael laughed, short and sharp and very un-Michael-like. “We’ll have to walk to the Sgwd yr Eira waterfall to find the way into Gwyn’s demesne.”
“Oh, that’s all right then,” Thorn said.
Michael pinched the bridge of his nose and Nightshade groaned.
“Thorn, sweetheart,” Cordelia said, turning to look at him, “why do you think all these humans are here?”
“Don’t call me sweetheart.” A telltale hint of pink crept into his cheeks.
“They’re all going to walk to the ruddy waterfall, you dunderhead.” Nightshade punched Thorn playfully on the arm. Cordelia bit her tongue and turned away. Tamsy scooted onto her lap to escape the roughhousing. The two men wrestled on the backseat until Nightshade had Thorn in a headlock.
“What’re we going to do?” She glanced at Michael.
He ran his fingers back through his hair. “Park and take a jaunt to the waterfall, with every tourist in Wales, by the looks of things. ’Tis bound to take us a while to find the door. Let ’s be hopingthis lot have gone home by then.”
He squeezed the Range Rover into a space and they all piled out. Nightshade wore
The cat uncurled from its spot on Cordelia’s lap,stretched, and hopped between the front seats into the back. The creature paused and looked at him with enigmatic eyes. “Hello, cat.” He did not want to like the creature because it belonged to Cordelia. The cat blinked at him, then stepped softly onto Michael’s lap. After circling, it settled in a furry ball, a cheek pressed against his zipper.
Despite his mood, Nightshade laughed. The creature had waited until Cordelia slept, then swapped allegiance. Even the cat wanted a piece of Michael. For some reason, the thought made Nightshade feel better. He wouldn’t give Michael up without a fight.
Cordelia woke to the emotionless voice of the satellite navigation system: in one hundred yards, turn left; turn left.
Michael was now driving. His hair shone lustrous as ever but his face was pale, with tiny lines of tension around his mouth instead of his usual smile. She hoped he’d caught some sleep before he took over the driving from Thorn.
“Where are we?” She massaged her tight neck muscles and admired the misty mountains in the distance.
“Would you believe Wales, the Neath Valley?” he asked dryly.
He glanced at her, his gaze flicking to her legs before moving back to the windshield. Nerves sparked beneath her skin. Was he remembering the image in her divining mirror of them making love? Maybe she shouldn’t have worn trousers. With her legs on show, she felt vulnerable.
“Only a few more miles to Craig-y-Ddinas car park, then we’l l hoof it ,” he added.
As Cordelia drank from her water bottle, she realized Tamsy wasn’t on her lap. She glanced back, expecting her cat to be with Thorn. Her heart jolted when she saw the traitorous creature resting her chin on Nightshade’s knee while he stroked her face.
Cordelia jerked her gaze away, stared out the window at the narrow road threading its way among stunted oak trees.She pushed out her consciousness to meld with Tamsy and released shock and disapproval into the cat’s mind. Tamsy gave a lazy mew, radiating pleasure. Why wasn’t she frightened of Nightshade? Being confined in the car with him set Cordelia’s nerves on edge. She had only been able to sleep because she was exhausted.
She could hardly reach back and grab her cat, so she sat stiffly, jaw clenched, while Michael maneuvered the car into the parking lot. He stopped in the middle, the engine idling. They all stared around at the numerous walkers in weatherproof jackets with backpacks. A little girl ran in front of their car wearing a pink My Little Pony anorak and matching cap.
Nightshade was the first to speak: “Shit!”
Cordelia wouldn’t have vocalized her feelings in quite that way, but he summed up her sentiment exactly.
“This wasn’t how I imagined the entry to the Underworld,” Thorn said.
Michael laughed, short and sharp and very un-Michael-like. “We’ll have to walk to the Sgwd yr Eira waterfall to find the way into Gwyn’s demesne.”
“Oh, that’s all right then,” Thorn said.
Michael pinched the bridge of his nose and Nightshade groaned.
“Thorn, sweetheart,” Cordelia said, turning to look at him, “why do you think all these humans are here?”
“Don’t call me sweetheart.” A telltale hint of pink crept into his cheeks.
“They’re all going to walk to the ruddy waterfall, you dunderhead.” Nightshade punched Thorn playfully on the arm. Cordelia bit her tongue and turned away. Tamsy scooted onto her lap to escape the roughhousing. The two men wrestled on the backseat until Nightshade had Thorn in a headlock.
“What’re we going to do?” She glanced at Michael.
He ran his fingers back through his hair. “Park and take a jaunt to the waterfall, with every tourist in Wales, by the looks of things. ’Tis bound to take us a while to find the door. Let ’s be hopingthis lot have gone home by then.”
He squeezed the Range Rover into a space and they all piled out. Nightshade wore
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