Chapter 22

It seemed that Jack's hunger for treasures and knowledge meant that he'd known all along where Kierlan or at least Hunter might be.

"He's a businessman," Kelly said coolly, as Jack's car, a black, streamlined Porsche, purred down the motorway. "He gets the biggest deals. Otherwise I'd never have been interested in joining this geeky little band."

Roseclear was in the front seat, sitting on Anthony's lap. She was like a kitten, and looked like she might purr at any second, blissfully dozing in Anthony's arms. Anthony looked smug and peaceful because of that.

"So we go in, beat a few brains, drag Kierlan out and then throw a party," Brooke drawled, buttoning up her jacket over her jumper and straightening her necklace, then pulling her jeans more snug. "Now, turn and face me, sweetie."

Sarah obeyed warily. Already, Brooke's bright red witchlight illuminated the backseat as the witch playfully rolled a handful of round pieces of black-green malachite between her fingers.

"We're working on theory," Jack explained, not turning to face Sarah. "And we can't be bothered to waste time, so we'll try this out on you."

"So you're going to take a nap," Brooke said smoothly. "And then we'll…hack into your Soulmate connection. How exciting, eh!"

Ye gods, Sarah thought fearfully, but obeyed and lay back as Brooke gently pressed her fingertips to Sarah's temples. The girls closed their eyes and Sarah thought about the place she and Kierlan shared. It made her nervous and narked, the thought of sharing it with someone else. It was an invasion of privacy. But Kierlan's life was at stake.

"Don't you have a clue how to meditate?" Brooke asked Sarah, neither of them opening their eyes.

"I'm a human," Sarah retorted. "I'm not expected to."

"That sounds like something Mary Burnett would say in Secret Garden," Brooke drawled in disgust. "I'm not expected to!" She said in a mimicking tone then turned serious. "Just meditate, dammit!"

It was there in her tone: if Sarah didn't meditate, Brooke would strangle her.

She tried a mantra, repeating Kierlan's name over and over in her head. It actually worked. Kierlan, Kierlan, Kierlan… the only noise that lay underneath her chant was the motorcar's engine purring.

Kierlan, Kierlan, Kierlan, Kierlan, it was becoming a natural word inside her head as the black light behind her closed eyelids swirled and flared, first red, then purple, too royal a purple, then paling, to violet…excitement flared in her at the familiar warmth of the violet as it gathered around her like a warm cloud.

"Good girl," she distantly heard Brooke say in an approving voice, as a tendril of bright red sneaked in amongst the violet. She felt a tinge of Brooke's own excitement and jealousy, like something impossible to ignore. "Now trace that feeling. Kierlan's like half of you. The Soulmate connection is never a half: it's a whole. So Kierlan's end of the connection is here."

Obediently, Sarah searched gently through the mist. The scent of violets was heady and the mist was like tendrils. "Kierlan?" she asked softly, wonderingly.

There. He was here too. He'd recoiled; he was afraid. And he definitely didn't like Brooke being here.

"She's here to help," Sarah called.

Finally Kierlan was audacious enough to appear. "She's a witch," he retorted. "I wanted you to stay away from this. Not to get hurt. Go home, Sarah!"

"Come on, let's go," Brooke said brusquely, and grabbed Sarah's arm. "I've got enough."

"We'll get you out," Sarah told Kierlan, a hint of desperation in her voice.

"No!" he snapped urgently. "They've got three dragons, Sarah! Go! Do not come near!"

"Three!" Brooke whispered, eyes widening as the girls snapped awake, back in the black Porsche on the motorway. "How'd it go?" Jack demanded, business-like as usual.

"Kierlan's in a cave below one of Hunter's mansions," Brooke reported. "And he's said there's three dragons."

"Three," Anthony said sleepily, his voice a monotone. "Roseclear. We need another two."

"No," Jack said sharply. "We'll make do. I'll call in to Circle Daybreak and we'll grab Kierlan in the chaos that ensues."

Sarah saw Anthony smile very slightly, very slight relief in his keen bright colour-shifting eyes as he held Roseclear who'd yawned, showing her vampire fangs again. "Really, Jack? It's easy enough. There are four dragons sleeping very near here."

Jack shook his head. "It costs far too much to locate the ingredients. I had to go to China for the last few herbs. Daybreak nearly noticed it and I nearly got caught!"

Roseclear pouted then shrugged. "Fine. Anthony shall have to do."

Anthony didn't seem too unhappy with that.