I frowned. "If you've always had the ability to stop me from sensing you, why haven't you?"
"Because I haven't always been able to."
I blinked. Definitely not the answer I'd been expecting. "Then why have you suddenly gained the ability?"
"For the same reason you are catching more of my thoughts and emotions than I might otherwise wish. The closer our link becomes, the more it opens some . . . abilities and closes down others."
"Meaning it's a two-way street?"
"Possibly."
Meaning yes. I briefly wondered just what it meant for me other than more insight into his thoughts and feelings, but I knew him well enough by now to know he was never going to tell me that sort of information. "And you can't stop it from happening?"
"No." He regarded me steadily for a moment. "We are going in search of the next key?"
"Yes. As scary as Hunter is, she has nothing on the Raziq. If I don't start actively trying to find the keys, they just might stop threatening and start doing."
And Tao and Ilianna would be their first targets; of that I had no doubt.
A chill ran through me, although I wasn't entirely sure whether it was the thought of my friends coming under attack from the Raziq, or a premonition of trouble of another kind headed their way. Fast.
"How do you wish to travel to Ballarat?"
I hesitated, very tempted to ride the Ducati there and tell him where to shove it until he got over the moodiness, but I really didn't have the luxury of time. Not if that premonition was to be believed.
"You can take me, if you'd like."
Amusement briefly touched his lips, and there was something close to mischief shining in the blue of his eyes. "Oh, I would like."