Gene of Isis

The suggestion made him smile. ‘How about I help you?’ He rose to meet the challenge and swept me up with him.

By the time the candles and the fire in our room were burning low, Devere was unconscious and I found myself alone and wide awake. I was lying beside him, admiring his beauty as he slept. His light-body was ablaze with activity, so clearly our physical relations had triggered some energetic reaction in him—the spinning vortexes of his subtle body whirled ever faster. My eyes became transfixed on his third eye area as the energy centre there pulsed silver and faded to indigo by the time the life force was absorbed by the coiling serpent of his kundalini. I wondered how he fared and a vision filled my eyes.

The imposing fellow who had confronted Lord Hamilton over his marriage to me was addressing me directly. Your personal power will only be realised upon her pleasure.

I sat up, startled from my concentration as I realised this was Devere’s memory. ‘He lied,’ I muttered under my breath, unable to believe it. Don’t be hasty, I warned myself, recalling how Lady Charlotte had advised me not to doubt my husband’s devotion to me. I relaxed onto the bed beside him, to regain my focus. Once I was calmer, the impression of the unknown gentleman returned.

Keep her safe, Devere, he instructed sternly. Learn about her, learn from her and keep me posted. If you can please this woman, you will become a very powerful man indeed. And, with any luck, you’ll have many, many adept offspring.

Tears were rolling down my face for I’d always considered that Devere’s love was too good to be true. How do you know this man? I queried his subconscious directly, and I perceived something then that I did not expect.

It was Lady Charlotte, just as I’d seen her in Devere’s memory that night at Hartsford Manor. Speaking to me from her quiet corner, the oracle had my undivided attention, even though I was vaguely aware that someone else had entered the room in which she sat. And to better prepare the way for this woman coming into your life, you might want to speak with this gentleman.

I turned and there he was. He had a little more hair and was minus a few pounds, but this was definitely the fellow who had threatened Lord Hamilton.

‘Not only did Devere lie to me about that man, but they have a long acquaintance!’

I had grabbed my treasure stone and summoned Albray to the boudoir, so I could pour out my woes to him.

‘What if Devere had a hand in killing Lord Hereford?’

We never established without a doubt that Lord Hereford was murdered, my knight suggested in a reasoned and calm tone.

‘Even Lady Charlotte seems to have had more of a hand in manipulating my destiny than I had otherwise imagined…can I trust no one?’

You can trust me, Albray stated consolingly, although I was not really listening.

I was furious when I thought about my intimate encounters with Mr Devere over the past few days. ‘Learn from me, protect me, please me…Oooooh!’

Do you want to wake him up? This was Albray’s way of suggesting that I turn my temper down.

I waved off his concern. ‘I think my energies have exhausted him.’ Which reminded me…‘Is there anything in this Star-Fire lore regarding my talents rubbing off on those close to me?’

Truly? Albray seemed intrigued but not entirely surprised. Devere has had an awakening?

I assumed Albray would know this, as I understood we were psychically linked. When I queried this with him I was informed that we were only telepathically linked when I was wearing my charm on my person, and for the past few days I’d placed the stone in the red book for safe cartage. ‘You sound as if you suspected our relationship might empower him.’

Not exactly, he said defensively. But there was a legend known to my order which claimed that the ambrosia of immortality, Amrita, was released from the reproductive glands of a Grail princess when she was awakened by her prince.

‘Devere is not my prince!’ I protested, growing angrier by the second.

Amrita then triggers a similar secretion in the prostate gland of the said prince .. . Albray ignored my dramatics…whereupon he is endowed with greater powers of awareness, perception and intuition. This awakening is known as the quickening.

‘You could have mentioned this before I married Devere! If he becomes adept enough, he might be able to read my mind. If my husband ever found out about my secret inheritance, my one chance at independence and true freedom would be thwarted!’ Not to mention what might happen if Hamilton’s treasure ended up in the wrong hands.

The ambrosia was supposedly to the mutual benefit of both parties, Albray added, hoping this information might ease my panic.

‘So this chemical reaction, Amrita, has enhanced my natural ability also?’ Albray nodded, and I considered that it might explain the floating furniture. I looked to the leather pouch on the table that contained my travel papers and, no sooner had I wished it, than they had flown into my possession. I gasped at the achievement.

Good Lord! Albray was impressed as well.

‘And nobody knows about this little development,’ I said, with a new confidence, slipping the leather binder into my hand. I smiled, chuffed.

You wish to depart, my lady? Albray knew my mind.

‘Yes…but Devere and his order will surely pursue me.’

I think we could lose him with a few days head start…a good sleeping spell ought to do the trick.

‘You know a sleeping spell?’ I was stunned. He didn’t seem the type for spells.