Maya was one of the most powerful young witches in England, and Jewel, whatever insecurities she might nurture, had plenty of common sense. He dismissed the idea.
“Safe journey,” he told them. “Maya, you must come back soon for a proper visit.” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She was almost as tall as he was, and glancing down, he saw she wore high heels again. Orange high heels. He stopped himself from commenting on how inappropriate they were but shook his head at her.
Jewel shuffled her feet in the sand and glanced up at him, an unfamiliar shyness in her face. She wore pink capris and a white t-shirt, with plastic flip-flops on her feet.
Sweet, but Jewel is always sweet. He would miss her.
“Jewel, I hope to see you soon.” He thought about his new awareness of her and couldn’t resist touching his mouth to her soft pink lips. She blinked up at him in confusion, so he swept her into a passionate embrace, bending her over his arm and kissing her thoroughly.
Maya’s giggle brought him to his senses, and he reluctantly released a bemused Jewel.
“I mean it.”
She pulled away, her blue eyes bright with suspicion. She squinted at him, cute as a Siamese kitten, then pulled a pair of dark glasses from her pocket and rammed them on her nose.
“Come back when your business is finished. I don’t want to have to come and find you.”
Jewel peered over the top of her sunglasses then pushed them up to cover her eyes before following Lini to the boat. She paused, swung round, and her mouth widened in a smile.
Maya caught up to her and linked her arm with Jewel’s. “What was that all about?”
Jewel glanced back again, and he heard her mutter, “I’ll tell you later.”
Rann took the seawitch by the hand and led her to the water’s edge. He’d discovered that she would follow slowly if he led her. It was a source of great relief to him, as he’d been contemplating the logistics of wheelchairs. He was sure it was a relief to Maya and Jewel as well, as they were going to have to get her through the airports. Maya slipped her shoes off, and the two women waded after Lini through the shallow water to the boat. Once they’d boarded, Rann followed with the seawitch, hoisting her up and waiting while the others helped her in. She sank down onto a bench voluntarily. He hoped that meant she had some awareness buried somewhere.
Lini started the engine, and Rann shaded his eyes to watch as the boat headed towards the gap in the reef. Eventually he made his way back to the house, feeling a little deflated. At least he wasn’t going to have to kill the seawitch. Not yet, anyway.
Chapter 6
“Thank God.” Jewel sank onto one of the sofas with an exhausted sigh. Her body ached as though she’d been travelling for weeks rather than for a couple of days. Island life had spoiled her—the clean air, the peace, the relaxed pace of everything. The recycled air on the plane and in the airport hurt her eyes and gave her a headache. Then she had to endure the long wait for a transfer in Amsterdam and the irritating delays due, apparently, to bad weather in the Med. There was the constant worry of looking after the seawitch. She’d discovered something new about herself—she hated travelling.
Maya pushed the seawitch into the corner of the opposite sofa. She stayed there, arms limp at her sides, eyes staring blankly ahead. Maya made a small grunt of frustration, picked up her travel bag, and carried it into her bedroom.
Jewel leaned back and stretched her arms above her head. She thought about helping, but her body ached with exhaustion. She looked round the flat without moving; the last time she’d seen it was after she’d been banished from the coven. Maya shared it with her sister in those days, but now that Lila was married, Maya had it to herself. It wasn’t big; it had a long living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and two bedrooms, but Maya had made it into a home. The walls of the sitting room
“Safe journey,” he told them. “Maya, you must come back soon for a proper visit.” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She was almost as tall as he was, and glancing down, he saw she wore high heels again. Orange high heels. He stopped himself from commenting on how inappropriate they were but shook his head at her.
Jewel shuffled her feet in the sand and glanced up at him, an unfamiliar shyness in her face. She wore pink capris and a white t-shirt, with plastic flip-flops on her feet.
Sweet, but Jewel is always sweet. He would miss her.
“Jewel, I hope to see you soon.” He thought about his new awareness of her and couldn’t resist touching his mouth to her soft pink lips. She blinked up at him in confusion, so he swept her into a passionate embrace, bending her over his arm and kissing her thoroughly.
Maya’s giggle brought him to his senses, and he reluctantly released a bemused Jewel.
“I mean it.”
She pulled away, her blue eyes bright with suspicion. She squinted at him, cute as a Siamese kitten, then pulled a pair of dark glasses from her pocket and rammed them on her nose.
“Come back when your business is finished. I don’t want to have to come and find you.”
Jewel peered over the top of her sunglasses then pushed them up to cover her eyes before following Lini to the boat. She paused, swung round, and her mouth widened in a smile.
Maya caught up to her and linked her arm with Jewel’s. “What was that all about?”
Jewel glanced back again, and he heard her mutter, “I’ll tell you later.”
Rann took the seawitch by the hand and led her to the water’s edge. He’d discovered that she would follow slowly if he led her. It was a source of great relief to him, as he’d been contemplating the logistics of wheelchairs. He was sure it was a relief to Maya and Jewel as well, as they were going to have to get her through the airports. Maya slipped her shoes off, and the two women waded after Lini through the shallow water to the boat. Once they’d boarded, Rann followed with the seawitch, hoisting her up and waiting while the others helped her in. She sank down onto a bench voluntarily. He hoped that meant she had some awareness buried somewhere.
Lini started the engine, and Rann shaded his eyes to watch as the boat headed towards the gap in the reef. Eventually he made his way back to the house, feeling a little deflated. At least he wasn’t going to have to kill the seawitch. Not yet, anyway.
Chapter 6
“Thank God.” Jewel sank onto one of the sofas with an exhausted sigh. Her body ached as though she’d been travelling for weeks rather than for a couple of days. Island life had spoiled her—the clean air, the peace, the relaxed pace of everything. The recycled air on the plane and in the airport hurt her eyes and gave her a headache. Then she had to endure the long wait for a transfer in Amsterdam and the irritating delays due, apparently, to bad weather in the Med. There was the constant worry of looking after the seawitch. She’d discovered something new about herself—she hated travelling.
Maya pushed the seawitch into the corner of the opposite sofa. She stayed there, arms limp at her sides, eyes staring blankly ahead. Maya made a small grunt of frustration, picked up her travel bag, and carried it into her bedroom.
Jewel leaned back and stretched her arms above her head. She thought about helping, but her body ached with exhaustion. She looked round the flat without moving; the last time she’d seen it was after she’d been banished from the coven. Maya shared it with her sister in those days, but now that Lila was married, Maya had it to herself. It wasn’t big; it had a long living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and two bedrooms, but Maya had made it into a home. The walls of the sitting room
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