Note to self: Don’t ask such stupid questions. The Universe will be sure and answer them. Usually in a way you don’t like.
She frowned some more, tipping the teacup back and forth and muttering a little under her breath. “I’m not really sure. All I can see is that there is more to come for you both with this ability and with others, much more. There is someone who will show you the way, someone who knows the truth. Unfortunately, that someone isn’t me.”
She placed the cup down and leaned back in her chair. “But this gift is definitely part of what I told you was coming, the changes. I’m sorry I can’t be any clearer than that, but I can only work with what I’m given. Unfortunately I’m not being given much.” She threw an annoyed look in the general vicinity of heaven. I’d hate to be on the receiving end of that look.
I sighed. “Thanks for looking.”
“Anytime. Now, about your Inigo … “
I rolled my eyes. I was doing a lot of that lately. It was a wonder they didn’t roll right out of my head. “He’s not my Inigo. And I swear to all the gods there’s something weird going on with him.”
“I’ll ask.” She folded her hands over her stomach and closed her eyes.
I glanced over at Bastet who gave me a baleful look, then turned her head haughtily. Bloody arrogant cat.
“Well, I never!” Cordelia sat up abruptly. “How rude.”
“What is it?”
“Do you know what they told me?” She spluttered. “They told me to mind my own business. Oh, they’re happy enough to boss me around when it suits them, but the minute they don’t want to answer my questions … irritating little trolls.”
I could only assume that ‘they’ meant the Beings of the Otherside; angels, spirit guides, ghosts and whatnot. I wondered what they thought about being called trolls. “They couldn’t tell you anything about Inigo, I take it?”
“More like they wouldn’t tell me anything. I swear, some days.” She drew in a deep breath and made fluttery motions with her hands as though splashing something on herself. “Positive thoughts. Positive energy.” She gave me a beatific smile. “There. I feel much better now.”
“This is getting weird. First Eddie’s book won’t show us anything about Inigo, and now you can’t get anything on him.”
She shook her head her expression pensive. “I honestly don’t know what’s going on, Morgan. Honestly. But I think maybe it’s something you shouldn’t mess with. They were quite specific that Inigo was not something I should be getting involved with.”
She frowned a little and her eyes got a faraway look in them like they do when you’re remembering something. “Sometimes there’s a reason things are kept secret.”
“Yeah, you could be right.”
There was no way I was giving up on figuring out the whole Inigo thing, but I had other stuff to worry about at the moment. I had a clan of vampires trying to kill me, a magic amulet to find, the death of a Sunwalker to prevent, and my lovely new ability to deal with, not to mention the very real possibility that I may no longer be human at all. I didn’t have time to worry about Inigo right then. Someday soon, though, I was going to figure out what was going on with him, whether the Powers That Be liked it or not.
It was dark out with a slight chill in the air when I left Cordelia’s. A gentle breeze teased my hair sending a few strands of red dancing across my face. It was a bit early in the year for such a chill, but sometimes I felt things that weren’t really there in the physical world. Like cold fronts in the middle of summer. I shoved my hands into my pockets and strolled slowly toward the car, my mind in a whirl over the things Cordelia had told me.
The phone ringing jarred me out of my thoughts. “Hello?”
“Morgan, it’s Jack. Are you all right?”
“Of course I’m all right. Why?”
There was a slight hesitation. “Last night I got this strange feeling like you might be in trouble. I tried to hone in on you, but I couldn’t. Something was blocking me.” His voice held an edge of frustration. “I called, but Inigo answered. Said you’d gone to bed with a headache.”
Shit. Oh, shit. “Um, yeah. I’m fine Jack. Like Inigo said, it was just a headache. I get them sometimes. Inigo brought me some herbs that help.” I was going to hell for lying. Or I would be if I believed in hell.
“Uh, huh.” He didn’t sound like he believed me.
“Listen Jack, I appreciate you calling but, ah, I gotta go. Talk later?”
“Sure, OK.” He cleared his throat. “Be careful.”