Chapter 15

As I carried Adin toward the couch, she didn't wiggle and play the way she usually does. Instead, she sagged against me as she hugged my neck.

"Kade I would really love to mess around with you, but I'm still exhausted after that cleansing you did on me. May I please just get some rest?"

Concerned again for Adin's health, I gently set her down on the couch and covered her with a small quilt.

I said, "Of course. I'll just go take my shower..."

Before I had finished talking Adin had snuggled down and was fast asleep. In fact she was sleeping so deeply that she was snoring delicately. I smiled and kissed her nose and then next checked on the patients. They all were sleeping soundly, too.

The shower felt so good that I stayed overlong, and got to look like the proverbial prune. One and a half hours later I was sitting in the chair across from Adin as I meditated. I was trying to decide on how, when and if I should pull Tony and his family into my world. Suddenly, I realized that they were already partway in the door, metaphorically speaking. After all, Tony had seen the drastic changes in Carol and her family. If he put that together with the sudden improvement of his wife, well...

"Ryn, to me."

Small glittering motes of dust began to gather in the center of the room, forming a mini tornado that coalesced into Ryn (this all happened in much less time than it took for you to read about it).

"How may I serve you, Kade?"

"I need to bounce some thoughts off of you."

"Of course."

"OK, first: do you really think Tony will figure out what I am? And second: how soon do you think that he will get to the right conclusion? That's it for the moment."

"Ah ... well ... Yes, he will; and very soon, if he has not already."

"That's what I think too. Damn! I hate to put them at risk so soon after healing his wife."

"I'm afraid it is too late to worry about that, Kade. Since Carol was attacked, it then stands to reason that any and all that are around you are now targets, too. I am afraid that that includes all that work here at the diner, also."

"That's what I was afraid of. Ok, on to my next thoughts. First: as bad as this attack was, it still seems to me to have been small potatoes; was it? Second: my response was quite strong, and in all probability killed the attacker. Was that a mistake? I mean, did I show too much of my power?"

"Without a doubt it was a small attack, to test you; and no, you did not show too much power. The attack was meant to go on until you stopped it. That attacker was expendable. You were always meant to kill him. The Dark Ones wanted to see if you have the willpower and the strength to kill."

"My thoughts, also! Next, is an amulet or a mark better to anchor a ward to a person?"

"Well ... that is not so clear, because the person's culture comes into play. Centuries ago most people used amulet bags on a thong, so that the bag was at the base of the throat. Today, though many primitive peoples still have such a practice it is not common in industrialized lands. Marks or tattoos are the same, though tattoos are becoming more mainstream, today. There is another way, however. You could implant a small charm somewhere within the recipients body."

"That's a good idea! That would solve the problem of tattooing the girls! It's ok for adults, but some goody-goody would report Carol as an abuser if her girls had tats. We don't need the authorities getting involved. That's good, Ryn!"

As we were talking there was a clamor on the stairs. Then the door to the apartment opened and a stunning woman walked in. She was followed by a younger version of herself that was, in turn, followed by a much older version. Then, finally, Tony entered the apartment.

"This can't be good," I thought.

Tony came forward and was about to speak when I interrupted him, and pointed to my sleeping wife. I had another problem, though. Madame was looking right at Ryn! She could see him! She looked into his eyes and then said something in a strange language!

Ryn jumped to his feet and bowed. He then responded in the same tongue.

I stood and motioned toward the back door, but at the same time I pointed again at Adin, and then put my finger to my lips. All nodded understanding, and moved outside. As we moved I put a small ward around Ryn and myself.

"What just happened?" I asked.

"My Lord Kade, our lives just became more complicated! Please cast your strongest ward around me as I am not sure that I trust that old woman, or any of those women for that matter."

"Done."

"Oh, and cast the same around all of the rest of your people."

"Done."

Ryn nodded and we made our way out back.

"Ryn what are their auras like?"

"That is what bothers me, Kade. All of the females have auras like the rising sun. It's an intense, pure, golden light, the likes of which I have never before heard or seen!"

As we arrived at the back of the yard it was clear that the Zen garden was too small for all of us so we gathered at the picnic table. I was now, to say the least, officially worried, for when Ryn put my title with my name he showed just how worried he was and then to ask for the wards well...

Tony began by introducing his wife, Michelle and then his mother-in-law, Madame Cecile Du Bois and lastly Ann Marie. I greeted each in turn and then I got a shock as Michelle impulsively stepped forward, and hugged me.

She said in my ear, "Thank you for healing me! I cannot tell you how grateful I am. Tony would not have been able to bear my loss."

Both of the other women smiled, as Tony got a little confused. I, on the other hand, was greatly confused! I showed it, but no more so than Ryn!

"Perhaps I should explain, my Lord. I, and all my female offspring, are seers. Some are more able, and some less, but all are seers," Madame Du Bois said.

It was now Tony's turn to be dumbfounded, with his mouth hanging open.

Madame continued, "Michelle had very little ability, until you healed her. Now ... she is most probably the strongest of we three."

"WAIT! You healed Michelle?" Tony hung his head as he thought and muttered, "Yeah, yeah, I could see that you and Adin were different, somehow; and then there was that slave thing; and ... and ... then there was the healing of the lady ... ah ... Carol and her kids. No fever in four people breaks so suddenly, AND at the exact same time..." by now Tony was walking in circles. "And then there was the fact that Madame was never concerned about Michelle..."

Tony's head snapped up and he looked at his daughter and asked, "What about you?"

Ann Marie blushed and looked at her feet as she said softly, "Sometimes I see things, but not often."

Tony had had enough and sat down heavily on the seat of the picnic table; so hard, in fact, that the table started to tip. In the next instant, the poor guy was sprawled on the lawn.

Without embarrassment he looked up at us and asked, "Is there more? Should I stay down here?"

We all laughed as I helped the poor man to his feet.

Madame Du Bois turned to me and asked, "May I send Ann Marie in to wake our Lady? She should hear these things, too."

"Again with the Lord and Lady stuff." I thought.

However, I silently nodded my assent, and Ann Marie quickly left to get Adin.

"Well, Madame, since you are using my honorific I must assume that you know what I am. Correct?"

"But of course, my Lord," she said with a slight smile and the bow of her head.

"I thought so. Well, then..." I said as I conjured sandwiches, a large pitcher of lemonade ... along with the needed plates, napkins and glasses.

Tony's eyes about fell out of his head as he asked breathlessly, "What else am I going to find out, today?"

Michelle then spoke up, "My Lord? Would you please drop the spell on your companion? It feels rude to me to ignore him while we talk."

I stared at the woman for a few beats then I looked at her mother. The woman was staring at Ryn in a most lascivious manner. I then looked at Ryn and remembered that he had said that I could cast spells for anything that I could see in my mind's eye. I shrugged. As I dropped the cloaking spell I made him fully corporeal.

Ryn staggered and almost fell to his knees, but regained his balance quickly.

"I feel..."

"Yep, you're fully functional when in this form, my friend."

Ryn turned and prostrated himself before me and said, "I will never be able to thank you enough for you kindness, my Lord! I swear my full allegiance to you, forever!"

"I accept your allegiance but you know how I feel about all of these honorifics, Ryn. Now get up and stand before me as the man that you are."

"Yes ... Kade."

Adin and Ann Marie arrived just then. Suddenly the three seers went still as if seeing something inside of their heads.