Darkmoon (The Witches of Cleopatra Hill Book 3) by Christine Pope Page B

someone around who knew what was going to happen before it actually did happen could be a bit disconcerting.
    Connor rang the doorbell, and, as before, Marie opened the door almost at once. Yes, he’d called her on the way up, but still….
    Too bad she wasn’t a poker player, because her usual impassive expression would have stood her in good stead on the pro circuit. As it was, I gave her a half-hearted smile as we entered the living room. The last time I had been here was when we were planning Damon’s death, and what a grim, cold meeting it had been. Today she had the windows cracked open, letting in a fresh-smelling breeze, and a slim vase of ruby-colored glass held a bouquet of irises from the garden. There was even a pitcher of water and three glasses sitting on the low coffee table in front of the couch.
    I shot a sideways glance at Connor, and he offered the smallest lift of his shoulders. Apparently he didn’t have any more idea than I did why Marie would provide us such hospitality this time when she certainly hadn’t ever before.
    “It’s good to see you, Angela,” she said, and I almost tripped over the rug as I made my way toward the couch.
    “Um…thank you,” I faltered. “It’s good to see you, too.”
    Marie’s gaze shifted to Connor, and he said, “So…things are better. A lot better. But Angela and I have some news we’d like to share.”
    His remark didn’t surprise me; we’d agreed that Marie needed to know about the baby. It seemed only fair, since my clan’s elders had been informed of my condition. The Wilcoxes didn’t have clan elders, not in the same way we McAllisters did, but Marie — and, to a lesser extent, Lucas — seemed to have something of the same capacity in their family.
    Then again, it was entirely possible that Marie already knew….
    “Connor and I are going to have a baby,” I said, even if making such a proclamation turned out to be unnecessary.
    Her expression didn’t change. “Ah. So it has come at last.”
    “What has come at last?”
    For the first time since I’d met her, Marie appeared almost nervous. She reached for the pitcher of water and poured some in each glass, then handed one to me. “The joining of the Wilcox and McAllister clans.”
    She made it sound as if it were something she’d been expecting for some time. “And so…that’s a good thing, right?” I ventured. “So Damon was right? This will break the curse?”
    Even as a look of relief began to spread across Connor’s face, she shook her head. “No. That is, the two lines being commingled in such a way is not enough to end the curse. But it is the reason you must make the attempt.”
    I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. “Making an attempt isn’t good enough. Damon tried — Jasper tried, too, from what I’ve heard. So how is this any different?”
    Marie picked up her own glass of water and took a sip, and after a brief hesitation, Connor did so as well. From the tight set of his shoulders, I gathered he’d drunk the water to keep himself from telling Marie she was being no help at all. Goddess knows I felt like saying more or less the same thing.
    “Because it will not be a primus seeking to break the curse, but a prima . The energy involved is completely different.”
    That made some sense, I supposed. Maybe. “So what do I have to do?”
    Her eyes shut. I noticed how long and thick and black her eyelashes were, just like Connor’s…and those of most of the Wiloxes I’d met. The blood ran strong and true in this family, no matter what it was mixed with, apparently. Then she opened her eyes and, rather than looking at me, seemed to stare through me, as if her gaze was intended to pierce something that no one but she could see.
    “It is not my place to tell you everything. You must make the journey yourself. But I can tell you that sometimes you must go back to the beginning to see your way through to the end.”
    Well, that was helpful. Any more vague,