he’d used his own safeguards and changed his exact resting place nightly. Each had their own small place where they kept the façade of a house. That was considered a private place for each and they slept somewhere in the parameters of that area.
He glanced over his shoulder at her, but she was looking around the cave as if she was going to decorate it. “In a minute I will provide seating for you and a bed with a comfortable mattress.”
She turned to look at him and then at the slender crack. “If something happens to you, I’m not positive I can get out of here.”
“You’re mage. You can get out if you need to.” His voice carried absolute conviction. He didn’t have a doubt in his mind that she could widen the opening enough to allow her body through. Apparently, he said the right thing because she smiled at him, and this time that smile lit her dark eyes.
She waved her hand and sconces with candlelight flickered along the walls of the cave, high up, illuminating the interior. Another wave took the dirt and debris from the floor, replacing it with a thick carpet. She flashed a conspirator’s grin at him, inviting him to share her happiness. “Not bad for an illusion.”
It was near perfection. “Nice job.” He let admiration creep into his tone. He didn’t want to like anything about her, not even her sense of fun. Many women would be complaining after what she’d gone through. The tears weren’t even dry on her face, but she didn’t grumble at all. In fact, she clearly was trying to make things nice for them.
“Where will you sleep, Isai?” She began to pace the chamber.
The cave was small, but no one had noticed it. There was no evidence of man, mage or Carpathian using it prior to the two of them. Again, he hesitated before answering her. Carpathians didn’t allow others to know where their resting places were. But even if he wasn’t going to claim her, she was his lifemate.
“Beneath you. Directly beneath you. Should you have need you can reach out to me on the pathway we have established.”
Isai turned back to the crack and began weaving layers of safeguards. When he was certain the layers would stop even Xavier himself, he turned to her. “If you can stop the shadow cat from entering, add your safeguards now and I’ll finish after you.” He stepped back and waited to see what she would do. He was going to layer more weaves on top of hers in order to ensure nothing could get to them.
The shadow cat worried him just for the reason she’d stated. Not only were the caverns protected with the strongest safeguards the prince of the Carpathian people could weave, but the book itself had been protected. Mikhail had contacted Tariq Asenguard, his voice in the United States, and asked that the ancients spread out and look for Iulian Florea and the book, and the mage as well. The moment Isai had heard his brother’s name, he had volunteered to go. His blood would call to that of his brother and he would be able to better find the trail.
Julija came to stand right beside him, under his arm, and playfully bumped his thigh with her hip as if she could move him out of her way. Laughing softly, she pushed a second time until he stepped to the side, although her shove hadn’t even rocked him.
“Bossy little mage.”
“Someone has to get it right.”
She lifted her hands into the air and began to weave another complicated pattern. He watched closely, imprinting every graceful movement on his brain. Her voice was musical as she began to chant.
Spiders scurry, spin your web.
Winds that flurry, catch their threads.
Sink them deep within the earth’s wall,
Let none who seek hear my call.
Twist and turn, weave and bind,
Set these wards so none may find.
Isai added the closing safeguard to her webbing and then turned to the room. He created two comfortable chairs and a bed with plenty of covers for her. He didn’t like that she sometimes shivered for no apparent reason. He was careful to keep her body temperature up yet he’d noted several shivers as if a sudden chill would take her.
“Julija, are you afraid of me?”
Her dark eyes revealed shadows until her lashes feathered down. She twisted her fingers together and he reached out and stilled her hands.
“You are mage and very powerful in your own right,” he