Dark Wolf (Spirit Wild) - By Kate Douglas Page 0,69
me to join her, and I imagine you two have a lot to discuss, but I wanted to find out what happened today on the astral.” He glanced at Sebastian but focused his gaze on Lily. “I’ve spoken with Eve. She said there’s something dark and unnatural affecting the normal flow of power, something she associated with Sebastian after she saw him today.”
“Eve?” Sebastian glanced at Lily. “Was that the really powerful mage beside you?”
“Not a mage,” Lily said. “Eve is our goddess, the entity who watches over us. She resides as spirit on the astral plane, but when I visited with her today, she told me that there’s something wrong, a dissonance that she believes is based in dark magic. It’s affecting the patterns on the astral, her ability to follow us and protect us. It’s also interfering with her communication with the Mother who watches over all creatures.”
Sebastian stared at her as if she’d grown a third eye, before looking at her father. “You communicate with a goddess? One who lives on the astral?”
Smiling, Anton nodded, but Lily answered.
“That’s who you saw today.” Lily sighed. “Sebastian, I have to know this. Do you practice dark magic? Blood magic? That’s why she shouted at you and forced you out. She said your magic was tainted with evil. That it felt the same as what’s been causing the trouble.”
He looked stricken. She didn’t think he could fake that expression of absolute horror if he’d tried. “Good gods, Lily. I had no idea. That was my first time. I wasn’t even sure if I’d ended up in the right place, and I was absolutely shocked to see you. When she yelled at me, I lost my grasp on the spell. Got tossed back into my room in San Francisco.”
Lily stared at him, sickened. Blood magic? The taint of evil she’d thought was his father was actually Sebastian? Using sacrifice to power his spells? She swung around and glared at her father. Did he know this already? It changed everything!
Anton quickly covered her hand with his. “Lily, it was blood magic, but he used his own blood. He didn’t use a live sacrifice. Stupid, but not an unusual thing for an apprentice wizard to do. We’re always testing limits. Learning.” His eyes actually twinkled, and Lily felt the tension melt away.
He squeezed her fingers. “Trust me, sweetie. I tried the same thing in my early days when I was still learning the craft, and my results were just about as disastrous.”
She glanced at Sebastian and nodded. “Okay.” If her dad wasn’t concerned, she wouldn’t be, either. She trusted his instincts. She’d never known him to steer her falsely.
Anton focused on Sebastian. “Actually, I think my experience might have been worse. You said you were nauseous? I puked all over myself. It was not a pretty sight.” He studied Sebastian for a moment, and Lily was surprised that Sebastian didn’t even flinch. Her father’s close scrutiny could be more than a little bit intimidating.
Then he did something even more surprising. He rested his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze. “Sebastian, I’m not positive, but I suspect your father might be linking to your magic. Piggybacking on your power, so to speak. I’ve met Aldo, and he’s a very strong wizard, but I sense more power in you. Untapped and untrained, but still very much a part of your basic nature; more than Aldo Xenakis will ever wield. I can only imagine his envy, because he’s not a man who wants to be second to anyone.”
Sebastian was obviously turning that over in his mind when Anton added, “I think that might be what Eve sensed on the astral today. Not you and your spell, but your father’s spirit tagging along for the ride. He’s probably curious as to what skills you have, how powerful you are. I’d like to help you work on your shields. It’s a different method of blocking when you’re trying to keep another mage out of your mind, but I think it’s something you need to consider. And if you’re interested—and I’m not trying to force you into anything—but I’d like to work with you, help you learn to use your magic. Learn to find power in other methods than blood and sacrifice.”
Sebastian shot a quick glance at Lily. She merely raised one eyebrow, but she really wanted to do a handstand or two. She’d never known her father to make such an offer.