Artistic Vision

Leo.

Her star expanded as she looked for the man who’d plotted against Duncan. “Oh gods, yes. He’s in bed with Cecelia, doing truly nasty things.” She shuddered. “Sometimes I hate my talent.”

“Do I want descriptions? Pictures? How-to manuals?” He laughed when she growled. “Where’s Tristan?”

The star twitched. “He’s currently in Henri’s office, going through his files.” She frowned. “He seems very excited by something.”

“Then you’ll just have to find out what that something is and take it from him.”

She blinked, the star shrinking down to its normal size. “In order to do that, you have to get off.” She punched him in the stomach when he laughed again. “Not that way, you goob.”

“Was that love tap supposed to hurt?” He rolled off her, still chuckling.

She growled and swiped at him, but he noticed her claws didn’t really come close to him. “I hate you.”

“I’d believe that if you hadn’t been screaming my name last night.” He helped her to her feet. “Come back here when you’re done with work.”

“Aileen will have hot chocolate waiting for me. What are you offering?”

He bent down and kissed her, telling her without words exactly what he was offering.

“Mmm.” She licked her lips. “You’d better be awake when I get back.”

He pulled her hips close to his body, letting his erection brush her stomach. Gods, she was so tiny compared to him. It amazed him how much strength was packed into that little package. “Maybe I’ll have a thermos of hot chocolate waiting too.”

She cupped his cheek. “I need you to do something for me while I work.”

“Hmm?” He bent his head and kissed her palm, gratified to see the flush on her cheeks.

“Call my mother.”

He immediately looked up.

“What?”

“Just checking. Yup, sky’s still there.”

“Look, Farm Boy, for once in your life, do what I asked without making smart-ass comments, okay? This is serious.”

He bent once more and kissed her, but this time he kept it short and infinitely sweet. “As you wish.”

She bit her lip. “We need to know two things, and only my mother can help.” He nodded and waited for her to continue. “Who is the woman in Robin’s statue, and who is missing from Oberon’s.”

“I can find out the one, but it’s the other that’s giving me fits.”

She blinked. “Huh?”

He sighed. Sometimes explaining how his visions worked was more difficult than making the piece. Very few people seemed to understand that there were times when he just didn’t understand what he was seeing. “Not all of the pieces are in place, or something else needs to happen before I can finish it, before it makes sense.”

“Ah.” She patted his chest. “In that case, perhaps that’s the one you need to concentrate on.”

He should have known the daughter of the Seer would understand. “I think Oberon’s unfinished statue might have something to do with the whole child of Dunne thing.” Akane was the only one he was willing to tell that to. Not even the Seer. It seemed wrong somehow. Every instinct he had told him that Oberon’s unfinished statue was pivotal somehow. The missing piece had to have something to do with the prophecy. He just didn’t know what. He wasn’t even certain if it was a person, place or thing, and it was driving him insane.

“Should we warn the rest of your family?”

“Only if Jaden promises to keep quiet. This…there’s something about that statue that tells me too many people who know could seriously screw things up.”

“Robin will have to know, but if we keep it to only him, would that be all right?”

Shane nodded reluctantly. “I trust Robin.”

“Thank you.”

Shane was getting tired of the Hob popping in and out as he damn well pleased. “Can’t you knock or something?”

A knocking sound drummed through the building, but Shane couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

“Smart ass.”

Robin’s blue eyes appeared before the Hob did, much like the Cheshire Cat’s grin. He bowed once he was fully in the room. “I try my best.”

Shane couldn’t stop himself. Robin just made him smile. “You heard us?”

“Yes.” He stared through the wall, and damn if he wasn’t looking right where Oberon’s statue was sitting, even though it was on the other side. “I will keep silent on your vision of Oberon’s future until I am forced to speak of it.”

“Thank you.” Relief washed through him. One of the possible blocks to Oberon’s future had been removed. The Hob always kept his word. “Once I see more I promise I’ll tell you, but it’s still very murky.” He shook his head. “I just know a Dunne has a hand in it.”

“Could it be one of your future nieces or nephews will fulfill the prophecy?”

“A child of Dunne will change the world as we know it.” Robin began to fade from view. “I’m beginning to agree more and more with Jaden. Be careful, children. More is at stake than you could possibly understand.” The Hob disappeared, but Shane was certain he’d soon reappear again.

“What does Jaden think?” Shane cradled Akane close, hoping to delay her departure a little bit. He’d missed her badly during the day.

“That the Child is either you, Leo or Moira.”

Shane nodded. He’d already known that. “I think he’s right.”

Chapter Six

Shane waited until Jaden and Akane left the farm before pulling out his cell. He had a few things to discuss with Akane’s mother outside of the vision he’d had of Robin. He dialed the Seer’s number and listened to it ring.

“Hello, Shane.”

He smiled. Even before Caller ID she’d always known who was calling. “Hello. I need your help with a vision and with the Malmayne situation.”

“You know what I have to do.”

He grimaced. He hated this part. “Yes. I consent.”

Shane gasped as the Seer invaded his mind, read his visions. Because he was also to some extent a Seer, the only way for her to get an accurate read on the questions he had was to take a look at his visions, to know what drove his hands to create. All the possibilities floated in his mind, but his hands only created the most likely outcome. The closer the event, the more accurate the vision until he was moved to go to his studio and bend metal and glass. The mental rifling she did through his mind hurt like hell as she basically took his gift and used it as her own.

He was pale and sweating when she was done, his head pounding and his heart racing. All he wanted in that moment was to curl up on the bed around his mate, but that comfort was denied him. Shane tried to shake off the effects, but only time would erase them. “What do you think?”

“I think that soon the second piece will be complete.”

Shit. That meant the event the child of Dunne was supposed to influence was closer than his visions had led him to believe. “And Robin’s?”

“The Hob will find his heart before the Gray King does. Something must be lost in order to be found again. The damage that was done to the King’s soul will finally be healed.”

“Vague as always.” He could almost picture her smile. “And the Malmaynes?” The vision he’d had in Leo’s office came back to him in all its gory detail. If things went the way he’d seen, Shane would be in a world of hurt.