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been able to keep Sebastian a weasel. But my magic was strong now, especially
tonight and especially in this place. The power of the circle would hold her
for a very long time. I knew though that one day I would have to fight her
again. By then I would be smarter, stronger, my power greater. I d beaten her
once and I d do it again. I laid my hand against the stone. I could feel her,
not with my flesh but with my magic. She felt like a moth trapped in a jar,
its wings beating against the glass.
We are The Righteous, I said.
Devlin moved to stand at my left. We are the defenders of the innocent.
Justine moved to my right. We are the hand of justice.
Michael stepped up behind me. We are the sword of vengeance.
I leaned forward, putting my lips near the stone, just so she could hear me.
We are what Evil fears.
Devlin s town coach was a massive thing, large enough to fit six people
comfortably. The windows had been painted over in thick black paint. Archie
had explained that they hadn t found my note until the night after my
disappearance and to make up for lost time he d painted the windows black to
keep out the sun and they had driven day and night in an effort to catch up.
Even though the coach was big enough for all of us, Devlin offered to ride up
top with Archie back to the Red Lion Hotel inSalisbury , he said to give my
cousins a little breathing room. Devlin had told them that he would hire a
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second carriage for their return trip toLondon . He d taken enough rooms for
all of us at the Red Lion and I felt a surge of pride that they hadn t doubted
that I would be able to work the spell and get Thomas, Amelia and I out alive.
Thomas was holding up well enough but I worried about the strain of the last
few days on Amelia. That is, until she paused climbing into the carriage,
looked at my head and said, Dulcinea Macgregor Craven, whatever have you done
with your hair? I hadn t bothered with my glamour in days and she hadn t even
noticed. I figured if she was feeling well enough to scold me about my hair,
she d be all right. A nice hot bath and a new dress would do us both a world
of good.
Before I climbed into the carriage after her I pulled the door halfway closed
and took a closer look at the crest on the side. Someone had painted a silver
pentagram above the falcon. I smiled. The three of them were a family and now
I was a part of them. I traced the coat of arms with my finger, the Jacobite
rose, thefleur-delis and the pentagram forming a triangle around the falcon
with its outspread wings. The motto that curled around the edge was Latin. I d
looked up its meaning in the library at Ravenworth.
Non Sum Qualis Eram: I am not what I used to be.
Chapter Forty-Two
I snuggled my head into the crook of Michael s shoulder and sighed. We d
returned to Ravenworth last night and it felt good to be home. Devlin and
Justine had stayed behind inLondon with Mrs. Mackenzie and Fiona to give us
some time alone together. They would return in a few days with the trunks that
Fiona and Mrs. Mac had packed up from theLondon townhouse.
Thomas and Amelia had gotten home to their children safe and sound, just as
I d promised. Again, I said a silent prayer of thanksgiving for that miracle.
An anonymous note had alerted Lord Lindsay to the fact that he might want to
search the Montford estate in connection with the village murders. They d
found bodies littering the manor and the grounds and four terrified servants
locked in the cellar, babbling incoherently of demons and vampires. There was
a warrant out for Sebastian s arrest but it was believed he d fledEngland for
the Continent. I certainly hoped so. I d sent a letter off to Tim and John
Coachman advising Tim that he and the boys could return and that John could
follow in the spring when his leg had healed.
As for myself, I couldn t remain here for long with Michael and Devlin and
Justine under my roof while I was supposed to be in mourning. Eventually
people would find out and there would be talk. We decided to stay at
Ravenworth for a few weeks and then it would be said that I d gone to stay
with my aunt inScotland . In reality, Michael had promised me that he would
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