"Yes. She told me she saw you by the Pool with the White Lady. She knew you're special, Shayla."

"I'm not special."

"Humble, too," she said, smiling.

Shayla glared.

Chaeli laughed. She reached into a closet and pulled out a clean sweatshirt. "Here, put this on and then come with me. They're waiting in the library."

Shayla, hands no longer shaking, pulled her tee over her head and replaced it with the white sweatshirt. "They?" she asked, her head popping through the neck opening.

"Yes." Chaeli took Shayla's tee and placed it in the sink after she turned the water on. "Gail will be there with James and Leith. Maybe even Darius. He's from the local authorities." Chaeli reached under the sink, pulled a dark brown bottle out, and began pouring its contents on Shayla's soaking shirt.

"Oh." Shayla stared as the blood staining the white cloth dispersed in the mixture.

They entered the library to see everyone gathered around Joseph's desk.

"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l. I'd heard Syther's wand was a bone filched from a grave. Didn't know if I believed it."

"Aye." Meekal's voice sounded more than a bit disgusted. "Tebalour Doomstar. Fourteenth century evil comes into the twenty-first century."

"Gory." Shayla said, studying them. "Why would anyone want to use an old bone for a wand?"

"Shayla, are you okay?" Meekal asked.

"Yes." She looked at the broken wand on the desk. "Why a bone and why this one?"

Joseph motioned to the broken wand. "Tebalour Doomstar was an evil sorcerer in the thirteen hundreds who claimed to be descended from Kenneth MacAlpin's matrilineal side of the family."

"But why use his bones as a wand?"

James Alexander's emerald eyes locked on her. "To use a piece of him is to bring his essence back. We are all magical. It's in our DNA, therefore, when an artifact of one of us is used, even after death; our magic is pulled in to the situation. In this case, Syther uses it to increase his own power."

Leith listened, and then nodded. "In the wizarding world, he is referred to as a snurp."

Shayla coughed on her surprise. "A snurp?"

Leith bestowed a radiant grin upon her. "Yeah. A suck up." He lifted his shoulder, and then moved the box to the center of the desk. "So you see, even though Syther leads this gang of wizards, in his exalted position, he is little more than a minion. He's someone who kisses a.r.s.e to get where he wants in life. He thinks if he brings Malvenue back, he'll be greatly rewarded for his loyalty."

"Kal said we could use the wand as a deterrent." The broken pieces gleamed in the light, polished and carved to gruesome perfection. Focusing tightly, Shayla leaned closer. After studying its carvings, her gaze rose to Meekal. "How would we do that?"

Joseph Chilkwell looked like an eager boy with a new toy.

Shayla looked to each conspirator circling the desk. They each wore the same look of antic.i.p.ation. "Okay, what is it? Remember? I'm new to this."

"This'll work pretty much the same way we banished Malvenue." Firelight danced across Joseph's face, enhancing his expression of accomplishment. His voice laced with humor, he said, "You have to promise me something, Shayla."

"Promise?" Shayla looked at everyone around the desk.

"No matter how much you're tempted, don't call for Syther's wand."

She held his gaze, getting lost in his amused expression. Realization dawned. "They're a matching set. I saw he had another."

"Yes. When Doomstar's grave was raided, both femurs were stolen."

"So, you want me to let him keep the new one because you can banish its presence the same way you banished Malvenue's mark, the Black Thurisa Rune?"

"That's correct."

"Wow. So cool."

With a curt nod of his head, Joseph replied, "We'll do the spell work in the morning, first light. The sun's dawn will bring new hope and protections."

Shayla felt a seed of antic.i.p.ation take root within.

"Drink some of Mari's tea," Joseph said, handing her a mug. It'll help calm you and we'll begin making our plans. There's enough Pulsatilla in it to relax you without inducing sleep." He pa.s.sed a mug to Gail. "You, too. Drink up. Being subjected to the Agowilt and Soporis Profundus requires a boost. This will balance you."

Gail took the mug with a smile and sat in one of the wing chairs before the fireplace.

A cell phone rang.

Shayla looked at the large man who had been surprised about Syther's wand. She watched as he pulled a phone out of his pocket and answered it.

"Yes, love. Everything is about as well as to be expected considering we didn't get him." He waited, listening. "I'll ask." Darius G.o.dfrey walked to the round table where books, papers, and runes lay. "Do you need Selena to help? She can get a sitter."

"Actually," James said with a small laugh. "Another person would be convenient. Tell her to bring the kids. We'll have Mari watch them."

"That won't be necessary."

Shayla turned to see a tiny woman and a large man standing in the doorway.

The tiny woman smiled brightly. "Vince can help and I'll watch the twins," she said, stepping into the room with him. "Sorry, we couldn't get here sooner."

"That's okay, Vince." Darius held his hand out to shake in greeting.

"Vince?" Shayla felt a new wave of confusion rise within as she looked from Meekal to James.

"Yes, Shayla," James answered. "This is Vince Carlyle and his wife, Daphne. You apparently know about his Thurisa Rune tattoo."

Shayla swallowed, understanding, yet still confused. Her eyes locked with Vince's.

The corners of Vince's mouth rose as his eyes danced with laughter. "After the final battle, Joseph worked a tattoo over my Malvenue original." He pulled his sleeve up. Superimposed over his black rune was the modern standard for no, a red circle with a diagonal line through its center. "I can visit anytime."

A laugh of relief escaped Shayla.

Chuckles moved around the library. Vince pulled a chair out and sat. "What's the plan?"

"We're going to tweak the wards and banish Tebalour Doomstar's energy from the Manor and Well in much the same way we did the Black Thurisa Rune." Joseph placed the stone box with Syther's wand in the center of the table. "At the same time, I want to add in another factor. Any volunteers?" His eyes traveled around the table coming to a stop on Shayla.

"That won't work," James said, sitting forward in his seat.

"No?" Joseph asked.

James elaborated. "We can't use Shayla because she's too close to Meekal and always near him. We need someone Syther would never think of. We can use the 'right in front of your face' method only so many times."

"In front of your face?" Shayla asked.

"Aye. Meekal prancing in cat form right in front of Malvenue's second lieutenant," James answered with a flashing grin.

"Meow," she said, teasing Meekal.

"You had to be there, love."

"Ha, ha."

"Does it have to be a person, Joseph?" Vince asked, reaching across for the stone box. He pulled it closer and studied the broken wand, with furrowed forehead.

Joseph scratched thoughtfully at his jaw. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well..." Vince's voice disappeared in thought.

"Vince."

Vince looked up from the stone box. "I guess I'm thinking if we use an artifact, we can place it the same way we placed the bezoar stone. Well within the wards. That way, anyone who tries to get it, can't."

Joseph began to pace before the fireplace, brow furrowed in deep thought.

"What type of artifact did you have in mind, Vince?" James shook the box, causing the wand to rattle and roll.

"It could be anything connected with the Well." Vince shrugged. "Maybe we could hide it at the Tor, or somewhere right in this library. The possibilities are endless."

Shayla found herself looking at the more experienced people in the room. She pa.s.sed her tongue over the interior of her sore lip as an idea materialized.

Meekal tapped her foot under the table.

Two things happened at once.

"Shay, what is it?"

"I'll do it."

Their voices collided in the air. Joseph stopped his pacing.

Their idea melding, Leith and Shayla shared a look.

"What?" Joseph asked, eyeing them in turn.

Shayla took a deep breath. "At the root of the Well's history, what would you say was a beginning?"

Chilkwell brows furrowed everywhere in the library.

Leith leaned forward. "That's it." He grinned around the table. Puzzled expressions were the only response he received. "Shayla can see it and you don't?"

"So enlighten us."

"Joseph of Arimathea's staff."

Dawning realization journeyed around the room, one face at a time.

"Leith is right," Shayla said, beginning to be excited at the prospect. "The holy thorn tree above the Well is said to have sprouted from Joseph of Arimathea's staff. What an absolutely wonderful source of magic. Powerful, too. We can either use a part of it as an artifact or leave it intact and use the whole tree."

"A wand," James said, and rolled Syther's wand in the stone box again. "We'll make a wand."

Joseph leaned on the table, hands splayed on either side of the box. "Daphne, you have a talent for doing wands. Are you willing?"

"Sure. What other specifics do you want?"

"Well, how about Leith wielding," Joseph asked, his gaze locked with Leith's.

"I already said I'd do it, sir." Leith held his gaze. "Think of it as atonement."

This comment brought a frown to James' face.

"There's no need for atonement," Joseph said. "You know that, Leith. The past is the past. Your father's history isn't yours."

Leith shifted in his seat in apparent disagreement.

"He's right, Lee," James insisted. "I thought you were past this."

"I want to do this, James," Leith insisted. "It's important that I help stop this newest monster. My father's history with Malvenue requires much karmic cleansing. I'll even wield the wand if you like. Syther will never figure it out. Despite my opposing loyalties I'm the last person he'd suspect."

"That settles it then." Joseph moved to a shelf and pulled a book down. "This will refresh our memories of the previous wards. Leith, you and Daphne go and choose your new wand. Chaeli can go with you."

He sat in the chair next to Shayla. "Shayla, all of this is new to you. I realize you haven't had a chance to study the books recommended to you earlier. We'll begin your training here." He opened, 'The Shadow Seeker's Guide to Esoteric Potions,' smoothed the page, and pa.s.sed it across the table in front of her. "This potion, Shadow Perimeters is the basic formula for the current ward. I would like you to read it and familiarize yourself with its properties. Then we'll begin. It'll be sunrise soon. I'll go begin preparations."

Shayla pulled her lower lip in and dropped her eyes to the page.

Guardian's blood Earth Air Water Fire Black adamant Dragon's eyelash Disbelief spiraled around in her mind. "Dragon's eyelash?"

Meekal smirked, his shoulder rising in a half shrug.

She glared at him, irritation flaring within.

"Welcome to the real world, cous," Harry said, returning to the library.

A growl erupted. "I don't believe you."

Meekal leaned over, smiling and gave her a kiss. "Continue with your studying, love. I gotta go with Harry and collect a dragon eyelash."