I heard his footsteps returning, so I dropped the globe, its lights sparked in front of me.
Carrig held a napkin to his face as he approached. “It’s just a scratch. There be no harm.”
“I feel sick,” I said with my back to him, the corner of my lip twitching out of control. “I think I need to lie down.” Using the globe still sucked energy from me.
His hand dropped on my shoulder, and his fingers dug into my skin as he spun me around. “What’s this? Sparks? I thought you hadn’t come into your magic. What have you been up to?”
I backed away from him, my legs weak. “Nothing.”
“You lie.” He grabbed my wrist, causing my sword to slip from my hand and thud against the ground. “Do you think me a fool?”
I tried to wrench free, but his grip tightened. My heart slammed against my breastbone.
No one had shown up yet to challenge Carrig…Sinead, Professor Attwood, Merl, even Nana had more power than I did, and they knew how dangerous it was for me to battle him by myself. A guard was supposed to watch our sessions from the dining room. But I was alone, taking on an experienced Sentinel.
You can’t depend on anyone else. You can best him. You have to.
I steadied my breaths and concentrated on the pink globe, willing it to come to me. Warmth rushed through my body, and my skin prickled. The globe encased Carrig and me. It formed and breathed around us, cradling us in its sphere.
Fear. Thoughts that make me feel secure. Anguish when I believed Faith would die. My emotions ignite the globe.
Sparks shot through my stomach and into my chest. I held on to the magic with all my will. The bubble lasted a little longer this time before the magic slipped from my hold and the globe busted.
Carrig sank to his knees. “What happened?” He looked confused. “Who are you?”
I stumbled backward and plucked up my sword. “You don’t remember me?”
“No. I’ve never seen you before in all me life.”
“But I look just like Deidre. You remember her, right?”
“I don’t know a Deidre.” He glanced around, shock evident on his face. “Where am I?”
Great. Either he has amnesia or he’s playing me.
I pointed my sword toward his chest, staring down the blade at him. “What do you remember?” The sword seemed heavier than normal and my body seemed weightless. I pushed through the side effects of using the globe, struggling to keep my grip on the handle.
“The last thing I remember…I got off work, stopped off at the pub, and downed a few pints. Just a minute, a French lass was at the pub. She bought me a strong one and now, you and this.” His face went pale. “What’s going about here?”
What the hell? Was he cheating on Sinead? He was lucky I didn’t slice him again. Instead I asked, “Do you remember the lass’s name?”
“Christ, it was something like Ver…Vera…” He rubbed his temples.
No. It couldn’t be. Could it?
“Veronique?”
“That’d be it. She’s about this high.” He raised his hand to indicate about five-eight. “With bosoms to here.” He cupped his hands out in front of his chest. He exaggerated.
“Yes, that’s her.” I rolled my eyes. “Wait. She’s a Sentinel, Carrig. Why didn’t you recognize her?”
“Me name’s not Carrig.”
“Really.” That globe must’ve hit him hard. “What’s your name, then?”
“Sean McGann.”
Sean McGann? I bit my lip as I processed his words. “Oh, my goodness. Are you Carrig’s changeling?” My globe must have released whomever, or whatever, was controlling him. Or was this a trick?
“Bullocks,” he muttered.
I had asked the globe if Carrig was untrue. Not Sean. I needed to verify his identity. “You know your Irish tales about magic?”
“Aye, I do.”
“Well, that’s what this is. Magic. I have to do something, and it requires a drop of your blood.” I bent, lifted the corner of the bandage on his face, and rubbed my finger across the cut. The truth globe verified Sean was indeed Carrig’s changeling. I had read about wizards weaving people’s minds together in one of the books Professor Attwood gave me. Could it be that their minds had been woven together and that’s why the globe was unclear? If so, what wizard was controlling them? And where was Carrig?
Apparently, someone had switched Carrig with Sean, and worse of all, Aunt Eileen had something to do with it.
Glancing from Sean to the darkened windows of the castle, I wasn’t sure what to