Page 105 of Dark Embrace

Moray laughed. “You are trapped,” he said.

Shocked, Aidan breathed hard and attempted the same leap.

He had been trapped in space and time.

BRIE HOPPED INTO HER JEANS. Barefoot, she ran down the hall and the narrow spiral staircase, stumbling as she did so. As she burst into the great room, she wiped her wet face with her sleeve.

Tabby and Allie sat in two huge chairs before a roaring fire, Claire on a footstool with them. They had their heads together and were in a frantic and hushed conversation. Not one of their husbands was present. The moment Brie barged inside, they leapt to their feet.

Brie ran to them. “Aidan is confronting Moray! He has gone to Urquhart—where he will hang.”

Tabby steadied her, her amber eyes filled with worry. “Brie, we think we’ve figured out what to do about Moray.”

“That’s great,” Brie cried, “but you can tell me all about it after we leap to Urquhart. Where’s Malcolm? Where’s Guy? Where’s Royce, damn it?”

“Malcolm and Royce went to Urquhart to plead his case before Frasier,” Claire said grimly.

“Then where’s Guy?” Brie cried. “He can take us!” A glance out of a window as she ran downstairs had her blinded by the whiteness outside. It must have snowed a foot last night. Ordinary travel would be impossible. They would have to leap, as Aidan had done.

Tabby took her hand. “I found a Wisdom,” she whispered.

Brie faced her, fighting her panic. Wisdom was dispersed throughout the two thousand pages of the Book. Sometimes the verse was so damned cryptic, it could take days to try to figure out—and even then, they wouldn’t know if they were wrong or right until they attempted to carry out whatever Wisdom had been proffered. “Go ahead,” she said.

Tabby spoke softly from memory.

“Sleeping evil

The ripest time

To reap protection.

Alas the devil

Bemoans design

Set free the Keepers of the Faith.”

“Oh, great,” Brie cried. “Another frigging holy riddle. He could be hanged by the time we figure this out!”

Allie showered her with a soothing light. “I guess you’re head-over-heels. I have never seen you panicked before, not ever, and we’ve been in a few big jams.”

“I will love him for eternity, and he loves me,” Brie said, and she threw her arms around Allie. “But I have a terrible feeling.”

“Has he come back to us?” Claire asked, eyes wide.

“Yes, he has,” Brie said without a single doubt. “But this summons is a diabolical setup!”

Tabby said, “We need to find out where Moray’s body is when his evil is in another human being.”

Brie looked at her quickly. “You have my undivided attention now.”

“That Wisdom is not cryptic at all,” Tabby said. “When evil sleeps, the devil is in trouble and it’s the time for us to reap our triumph. I am certain this refers to Moray leaving his body to possess another being,” she continued earnestly. “Where is he when he is Lord Frasier? What is he?” She added seriously, “He is somewhere, and I am guessing he’s not walking around. You guys need to figure it out. Meanwhile, I have a spell.”

Brie prayed. “What kind of spell?” she asked.

“A spell to block his energy from going back to his body, so we can get rid of the sonuvabitch once and for all,” Tabby said. Her golden eyes flashed.

Brie felt relief flood her. There was hope.