William Douglas joined in the merriment. "Yes, we can always count on you for entertainment."

Teresa McEwan smiled and pointed her finger. "Allow me to freshen everyone up."

Dagon was about to stop her useless gesture when Sydney interrupted. "Please, allow me, since I went unscathed." Without waiting Sydney cast her hands out, sending a ripple of energy rushing over the guests and table and instantly returning everything and everyone to their previous condition. Everyone, that was, but Dagon.

"You missed Dagon," Catherine MacTavish informed Sydney, lifting her gla.s.s of merlot.

Sydney smiled. "So I did." She pointed a finger at him "Shall I?" she asked.

He knew her finger was accusing, letting him know he had not behaved properly. But at the moment he was too furious to care what Sydney thought. He had wanted Sarina attending the dinner party, not serving at it, and for a good reason. He wanted her beside him, not a d.a.m.n servant in his castle. And now look at the mess she had made, creating pure chaos, drawing attention to herself, and then running out of the room in tears. And who followed her, Sebastian. And who handled the aftermath, Ali, and who accused him of wrongful reaction, Sydney. The night was not going as he had planned.

"By all means, Sydney," he said and suddenly realized that Sydney had righted Sarina's wrongs. How? Sarina sat in the garden crying. She had fled without thought, making her way to the wildflower garden that was now barren, the numerous beds covered with a heavy protective mulch. She sat on the stone bench, her face buried in her hands, finding it hard to calm her rushing tears. The night air was chilled though not uncomfortably so, and besides Sarina was too lost in her own misery to care that she needed a sweater. Sebastian on the other hand was practical and had grabbed Margaret's sweater from the hook by the kitchen door as he ran out. He placed the heavy beige cardigan over Sarina's shoulders. His unexpected presence startled her. "I thought you might need a friend," he said and sat down beside her. His generous offer caused a stirring of tears that she fought to control, especially when the light from the near full moon slipped across him and she saw what damage her unskilled hands had done to his suit. She offered the only words she could. "I'm sorry." "It wasn't your fault." "Yes, it was," she insisted. "I should have paid closer attention. I should have been more careful." "You were doing excellent. There's no reason to blame yourself." She shook her head in disagreement. "No, it's all my fault. I'm such a powerless witch. If I were skilled I could have prevented the whole terrible incident, but with less than adequate abilities, I could do nothing but stand there and watch the small accident turn disastrous."

"You'll learn," he a.s.sured her.

She wanted to laugh, scream, and cry until no tears remained. Her plight was useless. She was doomed, completely doomed.

"Don't get discouraged," Sebastian said. "My first few attempts at developing my newly acquired

powers turned out less than favorable."

Sarina sighed, wishing for all the world that her powers were restored and she was her natural, vibrant, powerful self.

"Practice makes perfect," he said with a pat to her hand. "At least my wife tells me that."

Sarina liked Sebastian. He possessed a strong sense of himself and had the courage and strength to deal with a castle full of witches. He allowed no one to intimidate him, not his beautiful wife or Dagon, whose arrogant pride could disarm any mortal or witch.

"I don't think that saying applies to me," she said with disappointment. "I'm a hopeless witch." And she surely felt like one, having been unsuccessful in any attempt to make right her awkward situation.

"I think you worry overly much on doing wrong."

He was a wise mortal and her opinion of him blossomed.

He continued giving her advice. "You need to take small steps and one at a time. If you attempt giant-size steps, you'll miss one and have to go back."

"How did you begin?" she asked, curious.

"I began as soon as I found out I was capable of magic." He smiled. "It was our wedding night."

Sarina looked at him with wide eyes. "You practiced your first magic feat on your wedding night?"

He nodded with pride. "Of course, Ali helped me and warned that one was enough for the night, and

being I had more important matters on my mind, I didn't argue."

Sarina couldn't help but giggle.

"After that I practiced every chance I could and constantly pestered my wife for lessons."

"Was Ali patient with you?"

Sebastian grinned. "Her patience wore thin after I deposited her on her bottom one too many times and

of course there was that time I accidentally dropped her in the pool."

"The pool?"

He offered an explanation. "You see, I didn't believe in witches when I first met Ali, and the night she

attempted to convince me with a few small tricks, I still refused to believe her. So she resorted to a harsher demonstration and with a crook of her finger, she had me suspended over her indoor pool."

Sarina enjoyed another giggle. "You wanted to get even."

He put his finger to his mouth. "Shhh, she mustn't know that or I'll suffer a dunking myself."

"But your other lessons went well?" she asked anxiously.

"Not quite," he admitted. "One day Ali cast her hand over a rosebush, gently separating a beautifully bloomed rose from the bush, and she presented it to me. Wishing to reciprocate, I attempted likewise."

"What happened?"

Sebastian shook his head and laughed. "I uprooted the whole bush from the ground."

Sarina joined in his laughter.

"Then there was the fairy dust incident."

"Fairy dust? You tried working with fairy dust while a novice?" she asked in surprise.

He nodded. "What did I know? A sprinkle here, a sprinkle there."

"What happened?" she asked, anxious to know the results.

"I became invisible for almost an hour."

"Good heavens, how much dust did you use?"

"Evidently too much. Ali banned me from using it until further notice."

Sarina laughed, finding it difficult to stop.

"See, you're not the only one that gets herself into difficult situations." Sarina's laughter slowed and she smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you for being my friend when I needed one the most." He took both her hands and held them tight. "Friends are always there for each other. Whenever you need a shoulder to cry on or to bubble with laughter, I guarantee I can promise you both." Sarina leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Again, Sebastian, thank you. You are a true friend, and I am grateful for our newly found friendship." "The feeling is mutual," he a.s.sured her. "Now let's get back and enjoy Margaret's magical cooking." Sarina stood along with him. "Margaret uses no magic to enhance her cooking skills. She cooks as a mortal." "Then she is truly a magician," Sebastian said, and they strolled back toward the castle discussing the various dishes Margaret had waiting. Sebastian returned to the table, and before he sat, Sydney quickly had him looking refreshed. He leaned over by her and said, "I tried that but I guess I couldn't quite get it right." "Practice, dear boy," Sydney said and patted his hand in rea.s.surance. Dagon finished his conversation with Catherine Mac-Tavish and looked down the table to Sebastian. He simply smiled and acknowledged Dagon's attention with a nod, then turned to speak with his wife. Dagon wanted to throttle him. He expected at least a word on Sarina, and what did Sebastian do? Smile, nod, and completely ignore him. It wouldn't be proper for him to leave his guests. Sydney herself would reprimand him for his rude behavior, so he had little choice but to see the meal through. Then he could seek out Sarina, but first he would have a word with Sebastian. The meal proceeded without incident, though Sarina did not return to serve the meal. Janey a.s.sisted Bernard in finishing the serving, and Bernard took over the serving of dessert and after-dinner drinks in the parlor.

It was after eleven when the guests left, and it was Sebastian who said to Dagon, "I wish to speak with you." He then turned to Sydney, gave her a good night kiss on the cheek, and then kissed his wife gently on the lips, whispering how it would be worth her while to wait up for him. With that he marched toward Dagon's study.

Dagon's annoyance had grown throughout the evening, though he kept his temper concealed. All evening he wondered over Sarina, his mood alternating from concern to anger before blending a little of both to form a strong annoyance.

And the thought that Sebastian was the one to console Sarina angered him all the more A peck on Sydney's cheek, a mumbled good night to Ali, and he was directly behind Sebastian, his strides just as determined.

Sydney hooked her arm in Ali's. "What say you to a cup of Earl Grey and a little chat? I have a feeling your husband will be awhile."

"I was thinking the same myself," Ali said, "though I thought we would invite Sarina to join us."

"You stole my thought," Sydney accused with a laugh.

"You planted it," Ali challenged, and they walked toward the kitchen in search of Sarina and tea.

Dagon slammed the door behind him.

"Don't go getting your temper up with me, Dagon," Sebastian warned. "This evening was your own fault."

"My fault?" Dagon repeated, slipping out of his jacket and tossing it on the back of a nearby chair.

"Right, your fault. You had more than enough time to invite Sarina to the dinner party, but you waited until the last minute, and when she was put on the spot, you knowing she had limited abilities, what did you do?"

Dagon went to answer, but Sebastian did it for him. "Nothing. You did nothing. You placed her in a precarious situation, and she courageously faced the challenge."

"She was doing well," Dagon defended himself and her. "And besides, she's stubborn and would do as she pleased anyway."

"Yes, I'm familiar with tenacious women." Dagon ran his hand through his hair. "I have always handled them well, but Sarina is . . ." He shook his head as his words drifted off.

"Different?" Sebastian suggested.

Dagon dropped down in the chair next to the burning hearth. Sebastian took the chair opposite him.

"She's like no other woman I've encountered." "She has a refreshing, simplistic quality about her," Sebastian said. "She appears young and innocent yet worldly and wise as if she has lived for so many years she understands the true mysteries of life." "I know what you mean. I sometimes think she has much to learn, and other times I think she knows much. She is an enigma and it drives me crazy."

Sebastian laughed. "You mean you're not totally crazy yet?"

Dagon didn't find the situation amusing. "I am in full control of my faculties."

"Are you?" Sebastian questioned with amus.e.m.e.nt. "Tell me your first thought after the chaos subsided in the dining room this evening."

He answered immediately. "I was angry, but"-Dagon paused and ran his hand through his hair again-"the anger was with myself while my concern was for Sarina."

"You wanted to shield her from the hurt and embarra.s.sment of the unfortunate incident."

"I wanted to scoop her up into my arms and rescue her from the disastrous scene."

"Do you always want to rescue her?"

He nodded. "She always needs rescuing."

"Perhaps she's rescuing you."

Dagon raised a brow. "From what?"

"Only you can answer that question."

"Playing with words, mortal?"

Sebastian grinned. "Witch to you."

Dagon smiled. "I forget how much I helped you."

"Helped me?" Sebastian laughed good-naturedly. "When you didn't bother to advise me of how to seal the spell once cast?"

Dagon leaned forward. "I had confidence in you, mortal. I knew you'd figure it out for yourself."

Sebastian sighed with the sheer pleasure his memories brought and nodded slowly. "I had no problem, no problem at all."

"Some things are better left to be discovered by oneself," Dagon said.

"Have you discovered for yourself?" Sebastian asked in a serious and concerned tone.

Dagon gave thought to his words. "I've discovered that a clumsy witch has robbed me of my senses."

"Did she rob you or did you freely give them to her?"

"You begin to irritate me."