Chapter 8

• At once, Dade stopped shaking the rattle and the three controlling the fire dropped their hands and gasped when they looked at him holding the slumped woman in his arms.
• Leena and Steven settled the wind and turned around to see the others crowding around Owen. He looked at Leena. “I have to set her down, or my legs are going to give out.”
• Dade set his instrument on the ground and scooped Cora into his arms. She was still shaking and breathing hard, as if she’d been running. He walked over to the table and sat with her held in his arms.
• Leena and Chris helped Owen to sit at the table. “Hell of an initiation.” He put his head down on the table for a moment and then looked over at Dade. “Is she okay?”
• Dade looked down at her as her eyes opened. “Yeah, but she didn’t quite share the strength of this with us.” He glanced back at Owen. “If you hadn’t discovered your gift tonight, it would have been a lot worse.”
• Owen looked over at Leena, who was looking worried. “Can I drink now?” He let out a long breath and accepted the bottle she handed him. After taking two long swallows, he looked back at Cora. “I dunno what just happened, and I don’t know what I saw, but as soon as I touched Cora, the fire had images in it... images I’m not sure I even want explained.”
• Cora sat up slowly in Dade’s arms. “I’m okay now, Dade. Thank you.” She pushed against his arm. “Well, you can just sit here for a moment or two longer. You scared the shit out of me! If Owen hadn’t told us to stop, I don’t know what would have happened. Jesus, Cora, why didn’t you tell us it was that strong?” Dade asked.
• She touched his cheek lightly, then rested her head against his shoulder. “I had no idea it was that strong, Dade, or I wouldn’t have exposed all of us.” She took a deep breath, then climbed off Dade’s lap and looked over at Owen. “I owe many thanks to you, Owen Grey. I couldn’t pull back completely, but I felt when you took the burden. You’re going to come in handy when I have seeing to do.”
• Owen took another drink, before offering her the bottle. “You’re welcome, and I’ll get back to you on whether I want to help again or not.” He rubbed his chest. “My chest still burns like hell.”
• Everyone glanced at Cora then back to Owen as Leena sat beside him and grasped the hem of his sweater. “May I?”
• He shrugged as she lifted his sweater. He heard gasps then looked down to see a burn in the shape of a cross on his chest. It covered the skin from his collarbone to the bottom of his rib cage. She touched it lightly. “It’s not hot; does it hurt?”
• “It burned like hell when I told you to stop, but it’s fading pretty quickly. Is it permanent? No offense, but I don’t want a cross burned into my chest.”
• Everyone looked at Cora. She was running her hand down the outside of her sweater. “I felt the burn, but only briefly.” She pulled her sweater out a bit and looked down it to see if she was marked. She sighed and shook her head. There were no marks.
• Owen looked around at everyone as Leena dug around in her backpack. “So, would someone please explain to me what the hell just happened?” He reached for the bottle once again, and then changed his mind. It would not make it any clearer.
• Leena was back on the bench in front of him and lifting up his sweater again. He didn’t know what she was rubbing into his chest, but it felt heavenly after the burning, so he didn’t complain. It crossed his mind briefly that it was just the feel of her hands on his chest making him feel better. “That is really helping. Keep slathering it on.” He hesitantly stroked a hand lightly down her long hair. It felt like satin.
• Chris dropped onto the bench across from him. “Apparently, during the ritual, your abilities are stronger, and in turn you saved Cora from having a cross burned into her chest. What did you see in the fire, Owen?”
• He continued to run his hand down Leena’s hair, encouraging her to continue touching him. “I have no idea. It was like a blurry dream. Were you able to see anything?” He looked up at Cora hopefully.
• Cora took an unsteady breath. “I was only able to make out two deaths and blood. That’s when the burning started in my chest, and the next thing I knew you were handing me to Dade.” She walked over and leaned down and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for pulling me out, Owen.”
• He smiled up at her as Steven laughed. “Great. The guy finds his gifts and has women kissing and stroking him, all in one night. Talk about luck.”
• Leena straightened and took her hand off his chest as everyone burst out laughing. “We’ll talk this through tomorrow. Someone cleanse this area so I can go to the cabin and get some sleep.”
• Rachel sobered, “I’m on it.”