Sorceress of Faith (54 page)

“I’ve
been doing too much,” Marian said.

“Of
course.” Juliet pursed her lips, tapped them with a finger again. “They are
getting ready for the silent auction. I’d like to slip out a moment. I have
something for you.”

Probably
a grounding crystal or an herbal drink. Marian raised her eyebrows. She should
be wary. “Yes?”

Juliet
nodded decisively. “Can you come with me out to my car a moment? I have it
there. I knew it belonged to someone, but not who or when I’d meet the
person—so I’ve been carrying it around.”

A
low hum seemed to rattle her bones—another feeling of premonition. Marian took
another few discreet, deep breaths. “Yes.”

“Great.
Follow me.” Whirling so her silver fringe caught the light and gleamed, Juliet
headed quickly through the room to the exit.

They
were intercepted by her husband, Trenton Philbert III, who was Marian’s height
and towered over Juliet. He set himself firmly in their path and raised a brow.
“Going somewhere, Juliet? I believe we discussed this earlier.”

Juliet
rolled her eyes. “I’ve found the person the book is for.”

Trenton
shifted his gaze to Marian. His eyes cooled. “Ms. Harasta.”

Juliet
tsked and patted Trenton’s arm, bringing his attention back to her. He smiled,
harsh features softening. “Trey, you are making judgments again.”

“An
occupational hazard,” the man said.

A
lightning bolt of recollection hit Marian. “You’re a judge, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”
His tone was clipped.

Marian
frowned. “Do you know Alexa Fitzwalter?”

His
stare pinned her. “She disappeared about three months ago. What do you know of
that?” His voice was harsh.

Too
many conflicting emotions and ideas clashed in Marian’s head. This return to
Earth was as bad as her first hours in Lladrana. She put fingertips to her
temples, trying to find words.

“Let
me remember. Friends told me that Alexa was unexpectedly called away to handle
a…delicate situation.” That was true enough. Marian shrugged casually. “I
didn’t speak to her before she left and haven’t since.”
Not on Earth
.
She kept that thought foremost in her mind when she met Trenton’s eyes. “I was
wondering if you’ve heard whether she’s returned?” Maybe she could find a way
to tidy up Alexa’s affairs—take care of back rent, close her law practice.

“Her
car was found abandoned near Berthoud Pass.”

Shit.

Frowning,
Marian said, “I don’t know how to reach her. I never had her cell number.”
Again truth.

The
man continued to weigh Marian’s words. A portion of his Song pulsed from
him—powerful, honorable, concerned and with a touch of personal
Power—truth-sensing.

“Her
office and apartment have been closed,” he said abruptly.

Marian
shook her head. “Then I guess I can’t help.”

“Where
did you meet Alexa?” asked Trenton.

“We’re
gathering attention, and the silent auction is about to begin,” Juliet
interjected. She pushed at her husband’s shoulder. “Go buy something
outrageously expensive for me to support the charities and show everyone how
much you love me.”

He
threw back his head and laughed. Even more gazes swung in their direction.

Juliet
lifted her snub nose. “I have business with Marian. She needs the book.”

Book?
Trembling started within Marian. A book held infinite possibilities.

In
an unexpectedly elegant gesture, Trenton took his wife’s hands, kissed each of
them. Then he looked at Marian again. “I’ll get back to you later—”

“No,
you won’t,” Juliet said firmly. “You will leave her alone. I know you don’t
like unanswered questions, but I believe that’s the best in this case.”

Trenton
looked pained, shot them a glance from under lowered brows, then strode back to
the plush seats that had been arranged in rows.

As
the auctioneer called the group to attention, Marian and Juliet slipped from
the hall into the cool spring night. Tears stung the back of Marian’s throat.
She was home on Earth, in Denver, where she’d been raised.

Even
the city air tasted good on her tongue. The lights were too bright to see many
stars, but she stopped to look up and find Orion. The scent of blossoming trees
wafted to her, even more familiar and comforting than the brithenwood. How
could she give all this up? Her old, steady life. Her simple dreams. Her home.

A
car door clunked closed and Marian realized that Juliet had left her to collect
the book.

Marian
looked around—the bright lights from Colfax Avenue, a couple of streets down,
the huge trees leafing out, the interesting architecture of the hall…. She’d
find none of this on Lladrana.

Could
she return?

33

J
uliet’s silver
shawl flapped in the breeze as she hurried to Marian and thrust a blue book
into her hands. It was small but heavy, and bound in leather.

“Thank
you,” Marian said. “What do I owe you for it?”

“Free,
on the house.” Juliet started back toward the hall and Marian kept pace. “Will
you be disappearing, too?” Juliet turned her head and smiled.

“Maybe.”
All this indecision wasn’t like her. But the choice was huge and final. “I will
definitely be leaving Boulder for California for a little while. Then I may
disappear, and my brother, too.”

“Then
why did you ask me about a teacher?”

“In
case I stay. I’m not sure what I’m doing and doubts creep in. And there’s my
mother—”

Juliet
patted her shoulder. “You’ll make the right decision.”

They
stepped into the hall and, instead of going to the ballroom where bidding was
active, Marian crossed the lobby to a red leather couch and sat back against the
squabs. Juliet sat beside her.

Looking
down at the book, Marian received another shock. It was written in archaic
Lladranan. She shivered and her fingers clutched the little blue leather book.
She knew enough of the old language to read “Use…Knot…Unbinding.”

Fate.

The
intricate red-silk weapon-knot rested on her bedside table. In Swordmarshall
Thealia Germaine’s Tower in the Keep of the Marshalls’ Castle. In Lladrana. On
the world of Amee.

Her
hands shook and dropped the book onto her lap.

“I
knew
you were the right person for the book,” Juliet said. “You can read
the language, can’t you?”

“Yes,”
Marian whispered.

The
door to the lobby swung open and Trenton stalked through. “I’ve done my part
for the charities, now let’s go home.” He scowled at Juliet. “You’re my bride.
You were supposed to stay with me. You weren’t supposed to abandon me,
especially not for obviously better company than the folks in that room and
more interesting conversation.”

Juliet
rose and crossed to him, smiling serenely. She patted his cheek, stood on
tiptoe and brushed a kiss on his lips. “I’ll do better next time you drag me to
one of these, darling. Did you buy me something wonderful?”

“Yes.
It will be delivered tomorrow.” His gaze fastened on Marian. “I think I want to
speak with Marian Harasta. I’ve been trying to figure out where her path might
have crossed with Alexa Fitzwalter’s.”

Juliet
linked her fingers with Trenton’s, tugged. He didn’t move.

Marian
smiled slightly. “Colorado Shakespeare Festival in Boulder?” After all, Alexa
had quoted
Macbeth
correctly, she must like the Bard.

Trenton’s
eyes narrowed.

Pulling
at his hand, Juliet said, “I think you want to go home for some fun.”

He
jerked his stare from Marian to settle it on Juliet, and grinned. “You believe
you can distract me with fabulous and inventive sex?”

“Oh
yes.” She raised their joined hands and kissed his knuckles and walked away.

He
followed, chuckling. “You are so right.”

Marian
was left aching for Jaquar and the tender affection they’d known far too
briefly. And wondering what she could, what she would do…

S
he waited until
everyone had left the fund-raiser, until her mother had overseen the departure
of the catering staff and the efforts of the cleaning crew. Nothing but
perfection for Candace.

When
Candace sent her husband for the car, Marian joined her in the middle of the
elegant, empty ballroom.

Candace
sent her a brilliant smile, all teeth. “It was good of you to finally show up,
Marian.”

Ignoring
the emotional slap, Marian pressed on. “Mother, have you seen a doctor?”

“Why
do you say that?” Her eyes sharpened.

“You
look a little…tired.”

Candace
waved the comment away. “The ball was quite challenging this year, but I outdid
myself.” Her expression turned smug. “I doubled donations this year.”

Marian
cleared her throat, tried again. “Now that the event is a success, you might
want to slow down a little.”

Straightening
her bony shoulders, Candace said, “Nonsense, you know nothing about my life.”

“I
suppose not, but I think you should see a doctor.”

Candace’s
lip curled. “Quacks, the lot of them. They haven’t got a clue.”

Marian’s
heart thudded. “You’ve been to see some! What did they say?”

“A
lot of balderdash.” She took off on a final inspection of the room. “I’m not
listening to them.”

She
hardly ever listened to anyone. Marian caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
It was nothing but skin and bone under her fingers. Her fear spiraled higher.
“Mother!”

“How
many times must I tell you to call me
Candace!
You don’t listen. You
don’t remember.”

“Mo—Candace,
do you realize you’re ill?” Marian couldn’t give up.

“Oh,
is that some of your New Age wisdom? I suppose you’ll prescribe some nice
herbal tea for me.”

Marian
didn’t want her mother sick. Didn’t want Andrew sick. Didn’t want anyone she
loved to die. “Let me review the doctor’s reports and we can…”

Candace
made a disgusted noise. “No. I’ll live my life as I see fit.”

“You’re
ill.”

“I’m
not.”

“Let
me help!” Marian cried, twisted inside.

Whirling,
Candace glared at her. “You’ve never been a help to me. You barely arrived
tonight on time, and did so only because of the money.”

“No.
Not entirely—” Marian’s breath hitched.

With
a nod of satisfaction at the room, Candace went to the light bank and flipped
all but one switch off, then strode to the double doors to the lobby. She and
Marian went through at the same time.

“Candace,
I need to talk to you.”

“I
don’t want to talk with you. Not now, and not later.”

“A
luncheon appointment.” Marian caught her hand, fragile as a bird’s.

Candace
wrenched her fingers away. “No.” She didn’t meet Marian’s gaze.

Candace’s
jaw firmed and Marian could barely see the scars of her last face-lift. Blue
eyes the same color as her own scanned the lobby, then finally locked with
Marian’s.

“We
simply don’t have anything to say to each other, Marian. We are too different.”
Candace unlocked a closet, slipped on her fur coat and stroked it. Her hand
trembled. Then she straightened her spine and headed to the front door. “Go
away, Marian. I’ll let you know when you might be of use to me. Go back to your
pitiful, lonely little life. You may know book learning, but you don’t
understand anything about the real world or men.”

“I—What
about John? What does he think of the doctors’ reports?”

Candace
lifted her chin. “John supports me in all I do. As for you, I’ll transfer the
last of your college fund Monday. Then we’ll be done with each other.”

The
words were like a blow. Harder than she’d ever heard from her mother.
Impossible to bear without a cry of pain. “Why are you being so hateful?”

Candace
swept out of the lobby into the night; Marian keeping pace. “I’m not being
hateful, I’m being honest. You want to drag me around to doctors, as if you
know best and they can fix my life. My life is
excellent
. Your life is
the one that needs fixing. By the way, that streak in your hair ages you.” She
turned and locked the doors behind them.

“Mother,
I’m moving away.”

Candace
waved for her car parked a block down the street to pick her up. “Is that so?
Out to California with Andrew, I suppose. Well, from what I understand the
Californians are even more fitness conscious than Coloradans. You’ll have a
hard time finding a man there.”

More
words she had to ignore. One last try. “I don’t know when I’ll be back. If
ever.”