Except invisible was not the balm she'd assumed.
Looking around the room she was unable to comprehend where she was, and she missed her small, white, womblike space on the Other Side.
When they'd come over from the beyond, they'd taken form in the bedchamber next door, the one that he'd said was his. Her first thought had been that she'd loved the way it had smelled. Slightly smoky, with that dark, spicy scent she recognized as his own. Her next was that the crush of color and texture and form was overwhelming.
And that was before he'd walked her out into the hall and she'd been completely overcome. For truth, he lived in a palace, its foyer as big as the larger temples on the Other Side. The ceiling was high as the heavens, its paintings of warriors in battle bright as the gems her eyes had worshiped. When she'd put her hands on the balcony's rail and leaned over, the drop to the mosaic floor below was dizzying, thrilling.
She'd been astounded as he'd led her into the room she was in now.
She did not feel that awe anymore. Now she was in shock from sensory overload. The air was odd on this side, full of foreign smells, and it was dry in her nose. It also moved constantly. Here there were currents that brushed against her face and her hair and the curtain she had wrapped around herself.
She glanced toward the door. There were strange sounds here, too. The mansion around her creaked, and she could hear voices on occasion.
Huddling closer into herself, she tucked her feet under her and looked to the fancy table to the right of the bed. She wasn't hungry, but wouldn't know what to ask to eat if she were. And she had no idea how to use that object he'd called a phone, either.#p#分页标题#e#
Outside of the window, she heard a roar and whipped her head to the sound. Were there dragons on this side? She'd read about them, and although she trusted Phury that she was safe herein, she worried at the perils of what she could not see.
Mayhap that was merely the wind? She'd read about it before, but she could not be sure.
Reaching out, she picked up a satin pillow that had tassels at each of its four corners. Holding it to her chest, she stroked one of the silky tails, trying to calm herself with the feel of the strands sliding through her hand over and over again.
This was her punishment, she thought as she felt the room press in upon her and overwhelm her eyes. This was the result of her wanting to leave the Other Side and find her way independently.
She was now where she had prayed to be.
And all she wanted was to go home.
* * *
Chapter Forty-five
Jane sat in her kitchen nook with a cold mug in front of her. Across the street the sun was coming up, its rays twinkling through the branches of the trees. Vishous had left about twenty minutes ago, and before he took off he'd made her the cocoa she'd just finished.
She missed him with an ache that made no sense, considering how much time they'd spent together during the night. After V had spoken with Manny, he'd come back and reassured her that her boss was still alive with all his limbs attached. Then he'd wrapped his arms around her and held her… and made love to her. Twice.
It was just now he was gone, and the sun had to drop like a stone before she saw him again.
Sure, there were phones and e-mail and texting, and they would meet up tonight. It didn't feel like enough, though. She wanted to sleep beside him, and not only for a few hours before he had to go fight or headed back to his house.
And speaking of logistics… what did she do about the opportunity at Columbia? It was farther away from him, but did that matter? He could travel anywhere at a moment's notice. Still, it seemed like a bad idea to be too far away. After all, he'd already been shot once. What if he needed her? She couldn't very well poof to his side.
Except then what was she going to do about running her own shop? The need to lead was part of her chemical makeup, and going down to Columbia remained her best bet, even though it could be five years or so before she was up for a chairmanship.
Assuming they still wanted to interview her. Assuming she got the job.
Jane looked at the cold mug with its chocolate-streaked insides.
The idea that came to her was nuts. Absolutely nuts. And she pushed it away as evidence that her head wasn't quite back on track.
Getting up from the table, she put the mug in the dishwasher, and went to shower and change. A half hour later she pulled out of her garage, and as she headed off, a minivan was turning into the short driveway next door.
A family. Great.
Luckily, the trip downtown was smooth sailing. There was little traffic as she shot down Trade Street, and she hit every light on green until she got to the one opposite the Caldwell Courier Journal's offices.
As she came to a stop her cell phone went off. No doubt her on-call service.