Gene of Isis

Clearly the bandits were losing the battle, and as most of his associates had already withdrawn, the rider wisely decided not to accept Albray’s offer.

A loud cheer sounded from the gypsy camp as the bandits were driven off. Albray departed my form at once, leaving my heart thumping in my throat and my body shaking from the shock.

‘Miss Winston.’ Terkari was at my side at once and caught me up when my knees threatened to buckle beneath me. ‘You need to lie down.’

I nodded to agree and pointed him toward my caravan.

Unwittingly, I had placed myself in a very compromising position.

There I was, laid out on my bed, Terkari seated beside me wiping my head with a damp cloth. I was noting how gentle he was for a man so fearless, noble and forbearing in spirit—all fine qualities that I had never seen in Devere.

‘The day has been rather enjoyable apart from that last adventure,’ he commented.

‘Yes…I haven’t had so much fun in forever.’ I looked away for only a second as I considered how true my statement was and when I glanced back his lips were but a breath away. I wanted to return his kiss and put Devere from my mind forever, but when it came right down to it, I urged Terkari back. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘No, don’t be,’ he assured me rather oddly, as if he was more relieved than bothered by my rejection.

‘Please don’t be offended…as much as I don’t want to be, I am a married woman.’ I was relieved to get that off my chest. When would I learn to kill these attractions before they started and not wait until they burned out of control? ‘I still love him, you see.’ A tear escaped my eye and I brushed it away, frustrated by how much Devere haunted me.

‘Then why do you persist in keeping us apart when it makes us both so miserable?’ Terkari said in English and I recognised his voice.

The shock struck me witless a second. ‘Devere?’

He removed the mask and forced a very sweet smile.

‘Are you testing me?’ I was referring to the kiss and shoved him off my bed.

‘I forgot that I wasn’t myself for an instant,’ he defended.

‘Did you have anything to do with that attack?’ I demanded, getting to my feet. Now that I thought about it, I didn’t see the attackers take anything. They looked more like they were searching for something. ‘Those men seemed awfully keen to cart me off somewhere.’

‘Yes, I noticed,’ Devere impressed on me. ‘They belonged to the Order of Sion, which I have nothing to do with. Perhaps your friend in Paris sent them after you.’

I took offence at his tone and implication. ‘Molier locked me in a room on your behalf,’ I pointed out, glad that he’d raised the subject of Christian Molier. ‘So, whose friend was he again?’

‘Please, Ashlee,’ Devere appealed, weary of fighting. ‘I have pursued you for weeks just to talk to you. Won’t you please hear what I have to say?’

‘And how do I know you are not just feeding me more lies?’ I was angry as I recalled why I had left him. ‘Keep her safe, Devere. Learn about her, learn from her and keep me posted. If you can please this woman, you will become a very powerful man!’

Devere was devastated that I had perceived that particular memory. ‘I know it looks bad, but you were my choice. I was fighting for your hand in marriage long before you ever knew I existed.’

The fire in his eyes struck at my heart and I crumpled. ‘I so want to believe you…’

‘Then take my hand, scan my mind and know it all,’ he offered, ‘just as Chavi did.’

‘I am the woman that she was speaking of.’ Recalling Chavi’s reading, my tears welled again. That was why he’d had Chavi read for him in front of me when they’d first met, so that I would know it had not been prearranged—not that any amount of money would cause Chavi to betray me. Devere had been clever enough to know that there was no better assertion of his love—I would always believe the word of a fellow psychic. I had been touched by Chavi’s description of this man’s deep feelings for his beloved and I forgot my anger, suspicion and pride, and kissed him.

‘I didn’t know that you suspected my Grand Master of killing Hereford,’ he confessed between kisses. ‘I swear to you, I would never have allowed it.’

‘I believe you,’ I assured him, encouraging him to cease talking and free his lips for other pursuits.

In retrospect, it was a great relief that Devere and Terkari were one and the same man, for now I could have the pleasure of loving them both.

I did adore life this morning.

To awake warm and snug in my lover’s arms held a kind of security that I’d never envisaged before. For the first time in my life I understood what home really meant and, instead of feeling trapped as I always imagined I would, I felt a deep sense of belonging and contentment.

It was most fortunate that everyone in the gypsy camp was so inebriated during the wedding celebrations, as we emerged from my caravan to hear talk of objects being spotted floating around my abode late last night.

I’m sure the red flush on our cheeks did not increase people’s faith in our plea of disbelief.

‘You know, I believe you folks need to abstain from the drink for a while,’ I said, to take the heat off us.

‘Yes.’ Devere backed me up. ‘I fear the excitement has gone to your heads.’ He wound a finger around beside his ear, to imply they had all gone a little loopy.

Chavi approached me, looking pleased that Devere was unmasked this morning, and I noticed her son was headed our way too. ‘I told you love would catch up with you,’ the old gypsy ribbed me.

‘Yes, you did,’ I was happy to concede.