"Yes it was his fault," the maid said, laughing, and then hurried away. Damali almost screamed. Carlos had her by the hand go ing in the opposite direction in a flat-out ran. He was so shook that he couldn't even focus to fold them away, and she was on the border of such instant panic that her shoulder blades were bulging and threatening to present wings. They practically crashed through the door and made Guardians stand up in unison.
"Don't eat the food, center of room, evac now, leave anything behind!" Carlos shouted.
"What happened?" Shabazz moved fast, sending a cre denza across the room with tactical energy to block the door as the team huddled.
Carlos opened his arms, adrenaline spikes making him dizzy. "They breached a freakin'
prayer barrier between two married Neterus - that's what the fuck happened, 'Bazz. We're out!"
* * *
"you didn't," lilith said, laughing and shaking her head.
"I did, my darling. .. . And I told you I would flush them to you in a panic to begin our little dance," Sebastian murmured as Lilith reclined in his large, circular bed staring out at the Carpathian Mountains.
"But how did you manage to break a prayer barrier between two married Neterus?" She lifted herself up on her hands and knees and crawled toward him, stalking him for answers.
"Do you really want to know?" he crooned, taunting her.
"Don't toy with me, Sebastian. I am in a very dangerous mood." He tilted his head to the side, unafraid. "Make me a councilman."
"Or make you dead - spit it out." She folded her arms over her naked breasts.
"All right, you're no sport at the moment, I see."
"I'm exhausted, having to think of everything and set wheels in motion... I now better understand Lu's lament about always being busy. He's not just a workaholic; there is vast incompetence that must be coped with. So, you were saying - so that I do not rip out your heart."
Sebastian folded his arms over his narrow, sallow chest and lifted his pockmarked face, indignant. "Am I not the greatest warlock you've known? Sleight of hand, my darling."
"Sleight of hand? I must understand this trick."
"Hunches, playing the best of hunches," he said, watch ing intrigue glitter in her dark eyes with great satisfaction. "Hunch number one: have witches the world over in the various covens hone in on where seven or eight wedding ceremonies took place in a hurried condition - same day. Not like Las Vegas that does hundreds, or a municipality. But the exact number all in the same facility. That was clue number one."
"Brilliant," Lilith murmured, easing down to lie on her side. "Tell me more." He lay down beside her, tracing her arm. "Then track the silver. We wouldn't be able to see it, but it would appear like a blinding supernova to our dark coven forces blocking them - and in that blindness is where we should go." He sighed, his expression smug.
"And once they found that, they should look for couples who have an extra Light around them....and listen to their conversation. If the witch or warlock was deaf to what they said, then it was one of them."
Lilith cradled his cheek. "You never disappoint me with your treacherous mind."
"And if a beautiful woman was arguing with a handsome man who fit the description that we all know ... the familiar has only one thing to say: 'Yes, it was his fault.' To reinforce his guilt and hysteria and to rock his faith that even his prayer barriers with his wife can now be breached... And to make him think your husband can track him from the throne." Sebastian laughed when Lilith's eyes got wider. "But he can't, of course... however, our male Neteru doesn't need to know that." He kissed her as her mouth gaped. "You wanted dampened libido, worry, fear, self-recrimination. I delivered, Lilith - and I'll have your potion ready soon. So... what is my reward?"
"Two more days and nights of hard negotiation with me... how's that for starters?"
* * *
she'd never seen her husband do a power foldaway with no clear destination in mind, and drop the team hard, off-course, in the middle of a public beach, then have to mind-stun civilians for a second until he could get himself together. He was breathing erratically, wild in the eyes as she stopped time with everything in her for a few seconds to give every one a chance to adjust.