“You most certainly would,” the Watcher stated.
“Un tel soupçon,” he lamented. “She smells sodélicieuse.” He shot me an intense, lingering look, and then turned it on Cara before he returned to the table. “Have you looked into that yet?”
“Working on it. I’ve been a bit busy,” Cara told him.
It was an odd exchange, but my face flushed at his comment. I had to find a good perfume.
“Anna has a clue for you,” Cara continued. “Matt has seen guards at Xumi’s who are distinctive.”
His lively brown eyes snapped to mine. “Tell me,mademoiselle.”
So I did. He listened closely, and his brows lowered as I described the eyes.
“Rantis,” he said. “They’re the only ones I know of with eyes like that. This is good, very good. They are not common and only inhabit a select number of realms.” He riffled through the papers with purpose and emerged with a page of hand-scrawled notes in a language I couldn’t read. “Ah, here we are. Yes, Xumi has strongholds in one of those realms.”
“Strongholds? As inplural?” My heart sank.
Jacques walked to Sparkle, who raised her head. Her beak dripped with juice.
“Sparkle, the map on the dresser. The rolled one. Fetch.”
The Phoenix tilted her head at him, then launched into the air and vanished with a poof of ash.
“She understands that?” My mouth dropped open.
“Oh, yes.” The Satyr grinned at me. “I have trained her, of course. But she is quite intelligent.” His warm brown eyes scanned mine. “This istrès biennews,ma chérie. I will focus my attention on those areas and see which one Xumi is currently using as a residence. If we find her, we will find them.”
I tried to smile at him, but it was a bleak effort.
With a poof of flame, Sparkle returned. Clutched in her talons was a large, rolled map, which Jacques quickly rescued from the embers.
I was beginning to see where befriending a teleporting bird was a handy thing. As Jacques added it to the pile on the table, I rubbed a tired hand over my face.
“Why don’t you use my shower, Anna?” Cara offered. “And then stretch out on the spare bed. You must be exhausted. Cody is excusing you from classes today, but I don’t think anyone will be surprised that you aren’t attending.”
What I was, was numb, but I nodded.
“Down the hall, first door on the left,” Cara pointed the way. “The bedroom is second on the right.”
Trix followed me to the spacious bathroom. It had a large soaking tub, but I used the shower, letting the jets massage the sweat away.
When I emerged, there was a clean robe on the counter. Grateful to leave the grimy clothes, I wrapped myself in it. Trix padded after me as I moved from the bathroom to the bedroom.
A tray sat on the table beside the bed, with a sandwich, three buttered muffins, and a steaming cup of tea. I ate the sandwich—couldn’t have said what kind it was—and shared a muffin with Trix. Sipping the tea, I walked over to open the blinds.
The sky outside the window showed sparkling stars and moonlight. It had to be the early hours of the morning, but not yet close to dawn. I stared out into the darkness, longing for a touch I knew I could not have. And when I tried to narrow it down to one of three possibilities, I couldn’t do it.
I wanted them all.
My yawn came out of nowhere. I stared down into my mug, now empty. I really needed to have a discussion with Cara about slipping herbs into my tea.
Instead, I turned and lay down on the bed. Trix curled up beside me, and my fingers played through her fur.
At some point, exhaustion pulled me under.
11
Sebastian
