Night Magic (27 page)

Jane let out a sigh of relief.
The indirect lighting in the display cases and the very dim overheads left the gallery in twilight. The guests became half shadows moving from case to case, clustering, exclaiming and then moving on.

Kemble drew her over to the less crowded side of the gallery.
“According to the catalogue, a collection of jewelry belonging to Eleanor of Aquitaine is in this first gallery somewhere. I thought you might like to start there.”

He’d been thinking about what she might want to see?
“That would be wonderful.”

Since Kemble was taller than most
people around them, he found what he was looking for. “There,” he said. Since he was broader of shoulder than any man she’d seen except his brothers and his father, when he put her behind him and moved forward through the crowds, she was spared any anxiety about people stepping on her dress. He towed her over to a large case.

“
Oh my goodness,” she exclaimed, coming out from behind him. Collars and rings, crosses, pendants, and small, delicate earrings—the cases contained a whole host of beautiful things. Most had cabochon stones—polished rather than cut. In the light of the cases the jewels glowed. The gold was worked intricately. Jane exclaimed over each new find. “However did they preserve all these? I mean, wasn’t Eleanor twelfth century?”

Kemble had his catalogue out and was consulting it.
“1122 to 1204. You know your history, Jane.”

“
She went on a crusade. That was very unusual for a woman of her time.” Jane felt the need to explain why she knew about Eleanor.

Kemble raised his brows then peered at the jewelry.
“And lived to be a ripe old age. No mean feat back then.”

Lanyon arrived with his female entourage, who cooed and giggled over the jewelry. He gave Kemble and Jane a
wink and a smirk.

“
Having a good time?” Jane asked, teasing.

“
I might do, later,” he whispered conspiratorially. “We’ll see.”

“
Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Kemble said, in his sternest voice.

“
Tris told me the stories about when you were young,” Lanyon said. “I’ve got a lot of leeway.”

“
Ouch,” Kemble whispered to Jane as they exited Lanyon’s harem. “When I was young?”

Jane laughed.
“He meant that to sting.” They made their way past jeweled belt buckles, golden dinner plates, even a suit of armor said to have been worn by William Wallace. It was all a little overwhelming. Suddenly, Jane felt lightheaded. Was it all the people in the room? This really was a crush. She looked up to find a rather queasy look on Kemble’s face, which he immediately masked. “Up for some more? The next gallery has some real treasures,” he said, pulling her forward. Jane shook herself ever so slightly and resolved that she was not going to be the one who spent tonight in the ladies’ room.

On their way through the archway separating the galleries, they met Brian and Brina coming out. Brian held Brina’s elbow almost as if he
was half supporting her. She looked a little green. Brian looked grim. “Would you mind letting my wife sit for a moment?” he asked two young men who had taken up residence on one of the benches in the center of the gallery.

They vacated with murmured deprecations and Brina sat.
“Don’t let me spoil your fun,” she breathed. “I’ll be okay in a minute.”

“
Might be the shrimp they served,” Brian muttered. “I’ve got a touch of it myself.”

At that moment, Keelan and Devin hurried up to the party.

“Daddy,” Keelan said, her voice an urgent whisper. She only called her father Daddy in times of stress. “Are you feeling okay?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Mom?” Her eyes got big. “You’re not!” She looked around frantically. “Where are the others?”

“
Lanyon’s over at the jewelry with his harem,” Jane offered. “I haven’t seen Tamsen.”

“
No, no,” Keelan protested. “They wouldn’t feel it. I mean Drew and Michael, or Tris and Maggie.”

“
What is it?” Brina asked.

Keelan gasped and turned to Devin.
“They wouldn’t know. They’ve never felt it.”

Devin got a grim look on his face.
“Talisman,” he said. “People with . . . you know. . . .” Here he looked around to see who might be listening in. “What we’ve got . . . feel its power.”

“
It makes you feel like you’re sick,” Keelan whispered fiercely. “We felt it up at Pendragon’s house in the presence of the Wand.” She put her hand to her lips, obviously trying to quell her queasy stomach.

“
What?” Brian barked. Then he lowered his voice to a whisper. “You’re telling me there’s a . . . Talisman here?”

Both Keelan and Devin nodded, big-eyed.
“That’s what we’re saying,” Keelan said.

“
Somewhere back there,” Devin added, jerking his head back toward the second gallery.

Brian shook his head.
“Nonsense. Pendragon didn’t look sick when we saw him wielding the Wand. And you two never mentioned anything like this before.”

Keelan shrugged helplessly.
“It never came up, and we had other things on our minds.” She squeezed Devin’s hand. It reminded Jane that she and Kemble weren’t the only newlyweds in the bunch. “And . . . I don’t know . . . maybe you get used to it or something. Pendragon had the Wand for nearly a century.”

“
Kemble and I didn’t feel anything up at Pendragon’s castle,” Brian said.

“
Well, you were far away from the Wand. And Kemble . . . wouldn’t.”

Jane squeezed Kemble’s arm as she felt him stiffen.

“Maggie felt it.” Devin always cut to the point.

“
We got some bad shrimp,” Brian insisted. “We’ll never hire that catering company again. Now if you’re not feeling well, let’s collect the children and the others and head home.”

“
I’ll go get Lanyon and Tamsen,” Jane offered. “But—don’t you think you should at least, uh, check it out?” Brian’s one weakness was that he sometimes didn’t give others enough credit for ideas he didn’t originate. Understandable, since he was usually pretty omnipotent.

Keelan and Devin were holding their breath. They only let it out when Brian’s shoulders relaxed and he said,
“Kemble, stay here with your mother. This is only to satisfy everyone that it’s preposterous that there would be a . . . you-know, here.”

He strode off into the next gallery. Jane saw h
im run into Tristram and Maggie. Maggie whispered urgently to him. If possible, Brian’s expression grew even darker. Beside Jane, Kemble stood over his mother. “Father’s right. It’s the shrimp,” he said to her. “It’s got to be.”

Jane glanced over to where Lanyon looked in seventh heaven, dividing his attention between beautiful girls. Best let him enjoy it while he could. She’d go after Tamsen first. Where was she? Jane caught a glimpse of emerald green in
the next room. “I’ll just tell Tamsen,” she murmured to Kemble and Brina. “I’ll be right back.”

As Jane
went into the next room, she realized that might have been a mistake. Her stomach rolled. Determined, she made a beeline for Tamsen.

Things seemed to slow do
wn. She turned her head. Drew and Michael stood before a display case, blocking Jane’s view. Maggie and Tristram were turning away from Brian. Brian looked up. Keelan and Devin got a strange look on their faces and began to drift toward Drew and Michael. Brian followed slowly, Tristram and Maggie in his wake.

What did they see? Jane had to know. She veered t
oward them. She heard the murmur of the crowds from a distance now. She could smell the wine in the champagne glasses and feel the heat of the dim lights, faint as they were. Everything was heightened, yet seemed far away. The crowds, so thick everywhere, had somehow left a circle of emptiness right in front of the display that captivated Drew and Michael so. The circle slowly filled with Tremaines. They stood, transfixed. Slowly, as she worked her way around behind them, the display case came into view.

It held a chalice. Light flickered off the chased gold. Huge cabochon jewels
, as big as her thumb in red and green and blue, glowed. It was probably twelve inches high. The placard at the front of the case read, “The Chalice of Aachen, said to belong to Charlemagne, circa 800.” It looked like the cup of a giant.

Cup!

Jane knew it was true, deep in her belly. This chalice was the Cup. It practically shouted that it was not like the other exhibits in the room. Was that why the Tremaines were the only ones within twenty feet of it, even though the rest of the gallery was crowded? Even ordinary people, without magic, like Jane could feel its power. A thousand thoughts crowded Jane’s head. What was a Talisman doing in the middle of an exhibition traveling the world? Did the Clan know it was here? Were they even now lurking somewhere close? She couldn’t help but scan the crowd behind her.

Drew tore her eyes away from the display.
“The shape is right, and the lumpy silhouette because of the jewels. I saw it at night, though, in red light.”

Brian muttered,
“The exhibit is protected by lasers after hours. Red lasers.”

“That’s it, then,” Michael breathed.

Brian nodded. “Looks like the Chalice of Charlemagne came down to him from a wizard we know. And its origins are earlier than 800 A.D.”

“
It’s like he’s calling to us,” Drew whispered. “I can feel it.”

“
Yeah,” Tristram muttered. “We would. Because he lives in our blood and our bones.”

Well, Jane thought, not
in all of them. Standing there, as the overwhelming power of the Cup sloshed over her, she’d never felt more like an outsider.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Kemble watched as his family cut thr
ough the swirling crowd like a Roman phalanx. Their expressions were a little stunned, all except for his father. Jane had Tamsen in tow.

“
We’re going,” his father barked. “Call Edwards and have him bring the cars around.” He turned. “Michael, go collect Lanyon.” He frowned. “Let him get the phone numbers of his, uh, female associates, but I want him outside in five minutes.”

Kemble already had his phone out and pressed the
“frequently dialed” code for Edwards.

“
It’s here,” Senior said to Kemble’s mother, who was staring up at him like he was out of his mind. “Keelan and Devin were right.” He turned as the governor came up and put a hand on his shoulder.

“
Everything all right?” the politician asked, concern etching his expression.

Senior adjusted his face carefully, forcing his muscles to relax.
“Oh, of course, Jim. Brina’s just got some kind of bug and it looks like Keelan might have it too. Time to circle the wagons. Not a popular decision with some members of the family.” He glanced over to where Michael was in forceful, if not heated, conversation with Lanyon, who had on his stubborn face.

As the governor looked around, Keelan’s face was green enough to lend credence to Brian’s diagnosis.

Edwards picked up on the second ring. “Bring the cars around. We’re leaving,” Kemble said, sotto voce. “No, nothing’s wrong. I’ll fill you in when you get here.”

The gove
rnor turned his attention to Kemble’s mother. “My dear, I hope you feel better.”

His mother
held up a hand and smiled ruefully. “Don’t get too close. I wouldn’t want to infect the world here. I’m just trying not to embarrass myself at the moment.”

“
Well, tell this guy to get you home then. Anything I can do, Brian?”

Senior shook his head then thought better of it.
“Make my apologies to Christian, will you? He worked so hard on the exhibit. I hate to cut out on him in his moment of triumph.”

“
Now, now. Christian’s triumph will be all over the Internet tomorrow, and he’ll get headlines in the Arts section of the Times.” The governor grinned. “Still, I’ll soothe his ego. Such a big family draws attention when you leave en masse.”

“
Thanks.” Senior was already motioning to Lanyon to give up the fight. Kemble saw his little brother’s face fall as he turned to his female admirers. The governor drifted away. Senior helped Kemble’s mother rise from her bench. “Kemble?” Brian jerked his head to Lanyon. Kemble knew when he’d been given an order. He pushed his way over to where Michael was looking like he’d blow a gasket. Lanyon’s good-byes were becoming extended.

He was kissing a blond girl’s hand as Kemble came up.
“Time to go, little brother.”

“
Shove off,” Lanyon gritted out. “I saw the signal. I’m going.” He let his attention sweep over his three companions. “You must all come out to the house this weekend.”

“
Oooh, I’ve heard about your house,” the blond cooed. “It’s called the Breakers, isn’t it?”