Blood of the Sorceress by MAGGIE SHAYNE

was long gone. The rains came heavily and often, but left days in between their soaking visits for the sun to reign supreme. Daffodils and tulips surrounded Magdalena’s big old house at Havenwood, and the trees around Indy and Tomas’s cabin were covered in newborn leaves, still small and pale, but growing rapidly. Much like Ellie, now nearly three months old, with chubby cheeks and frequent smiles, and red curls just starting to twist to life all over her little head.
    Lilia had grown to love it there, among her family, though the entire time she had been fighting the constant pull of Demetrius. The part of his soul she held inside her wanted to return to him, wanted to reunite with the rest of the pieces and become whole again.
    So she’d been biding her time, trying to be completely present in the moments she was given. Loving her sisters and “their” mother, her brothers-in-law and Tomas’s sister, Rayne, who was a frequent visitor. Loving her baby niece. Those things distracted her a little from the dire challenge she would soon face. But always it waited in the back of her mind like a demon to torment her nights and add to the already huge heartache of missing her beloved. When must she leave her family? Would she ever see them again once she did? Would Demetrius let her win his trust again? What if she failed?
    And then, one night it just happened. Her eyes popped open an hour before dawn, and she simply knew. It’s time. Her heart seemed to jump a little inside her chest, just for an instant. It felt like a trapped bird, flapping excitedly.
    She pushed back the covers and got up, unable to wait. She would take a shower, pack her things, all of them beautiful gifts from her newfound family, and be downstairs when Indy and Tomas awoke, so she could break the news. Then they would go down to Lena’s place together and tell everyone else. It wasn’t going to go down easily. They loved her so much.
    As it turned out, however, she didn’t need to tell them. When she came down, showered and dressed, her long hair hanging in a braid over one shoulder, wearing a white sundress and a turquoise cardigan, she didn’t see Indy and Tomas pouring coffee as she’d expected.
    There were only her two sisters waiting for her, and she knew by the dampness on their cheeks that they already realized she would have to leave them today.
    Lena hugged her hard, sniffling. Indy went next, saying, “I don’t know why you won’t let us go with you. You’re stubborn as hell.”
    Lilia gnawed her lip, tempted. “He’s far away. I don’t even know where. But when I get there, I’ll let you know.” She held up the cell phone Lena had bought her. She’d been added to their family plan and would forever be grateful. “And if I need you, I’ll phone you.”
    “Be on guard, Lilia,” Indy said. “We still don’t know where Father Dom is, and if he’s recovered his health, he could be dangerous. Trust me on this. Bastard almost killed me.”
    “I know. I’ll be careful.”
    Lena took her by the hand and led her to the kitchen table, where a large map of the United States was spread out. From her pocket she took a black velvet drawstring pouch, then pulled a long length of chain from it. At the end of the chain hung a cone-shaped amethyst pendulum.
    “Show me Demetrius,” she said, and then she held the chain over the northeastern section of the map. The amethyst was still at first, but slowly it began to swing from side to side, its momentum making it sweep wider each time.
    Snapping it up into her palm, Lena moved to the southeastern part of the country and repeated the procedure with the same results. Ditto to the Midwest, the center of the country, the Northwest, and the West Coast. It was only when she suspended the pendulum over the Southwest that it began to move in a different way. Not back and forth this time, but in ever widening circles.
    “He’s in the Southwest,” Lena said.
    Lilia nodded, her eyes on the