Carole Price was on her feet instantly. “Here, I’ll take you right up. Ray, forget about that coffee. I don’t think it’s what she needs just now. C’mon, Nest, come with me.”
She took Nests arm and led her toward the elevator. “Nice meeting you. Nest,” Stefanie Winslow called after her. “Maybe I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, Nest,” Ray Hapgood said.” You take care.”
Carole Price had her almost to the elevator when the doors opened and Simon Lawrence stepped out. She knew him right away from his pictures in the magazine articles and books. He was dressed in jeans with the sleeves of his plain blue workshirt rolled up, but there was something polished and elegant about the way he held himself as he stepped out of the lift and smiled at her.
He held out his hands. “Here, here, what’s this Carole, where are you taking her?” She just got here. I haven’t even met her yet. Is everything all right?”
“She’s feeling a little queasy, that’s all,” Carole replied, slowing. “I was taking her up for some air.”
Simon Lawrence soak Nest’s hands in his own and held them. “Well, we can’t Stave you getting sick” he said. “you go on upstairs, Nest, and we’ll talk later. I want you to know that I’m very pleased you’ve come to see us. I didn’t realize you were a friend of John’s, but I certainly know who you are.”
Everyone stared at them, confused. Simon Lawrence laughed. “You don’t recognize her, do you?” He shook his .head. “I have got to get you out of the office more, all of you. Or at least reading the papers about something besides the homeless once in a while. Ray, I’m especially disappointed in you.” He squeezed Nest’s hands. “This young lady is the best college distance runner in the nation —maybe in the world. She’s been written up in any number of articles as the next Mary Decker Slaney — except that Nest isn’t going to fall when she runs in the next Olympics, are you, Nest? You’re going to win.”
Nest knew she was expected to say something, but she couldn’t think of what it should be. Finally she said, “It’s a long way off yet.”
Simon Lawrence laughed and released her hand. “Good point, young lady. We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. But you’ll do fine, I know. Its very nice to meet you. Now you go on up with Carole, and I’ll see you later.”
He walked past Nest with a smile, already back to kidding Ray Hapgood about his failure to recognize Nest Freemark when he was such an avid sports fan. Stefanie Winslow was on her feet, grinning and joking, as well. Nest stepped into the elevator with Carole Price and let the doors close behind them.
She rode back up to the ground floor with something approaching panic, but she made it down the hall past a wondering Dells Jenkins and out the front door, where she stood with Carole holding on to her while she took huge gulps of fresh air in an effort to steady herself. The deep breathing seemed to work. The nausea and headache went away. Her uneasiness lingered, but gradually it began to lessen. Her insides quit churning, and the whispers and buzzing receded into the sounds of the city shout her.
“Are you feeling better?” Carole asked her after a few minutes.
Nest nodded. “I am, thanks. Much better.” She straightened, gently freeing herself from Carole’s proprietorial grip. She tried out a fresh smile. “I didn’t come here to get underfoot. I know you must have work to do, and I’m fine now. I’ll just wait out here for John. Maybe I’ll come back inside in a few minutes.”
Carole seemed uncertain, but Nest reassured her, and the other woman left her alone. Nest leaned .against the wall of the building and stared out at the people and traffic, trying to make sense of what had happened. She could not account for it. This odd uneasiness was an entirely new experience. It was like having a sudden bout of flu coupled with a good scare. It didn’t make any sense. The feeling had started when she entered the building and talked with the people who worked there. Was it something connected with that? Was it her magic, reacting to something. If so, her magic was taking a new direction; it hadn’t ever done anything like this before.
She whispered Ariel’s name as she stood with her back against the building wall, thinking that the tatterdemalion might appear and reveal to her the source of her discomfort. But Ariel stayed hidden.
Nest stood to one side of the doorway and considered the matter from every angle she could imagine, but the answer she was seeking eluded her.
She was still deliberating when a taxi pulled up in front of her and the man she had come to Seattle to find stepped out.
* * *
Chapter Twelve
A Knight Of The Word
Terry Brooks's books
- A Betrayal in Winter
- A Bloody London Sunset
- A Clash of Honor
- A Dance of Blades
- A Dance of Cloaks
- A Dawn of Dragonfire
- A Day of Dragon Blood
- A Feast of Dragons
- A Hidden Witch
- A Highland Werewolf Wedding
- A March of Kings
- A Mischief in the Woodwork
- A Modern Witch
- A Night of Dragon Wings
- A Princess of Landover
- A Quest of Heroes
- A Reckless Witch
- A Shore Too Far
- A Soul for Vengeance
- A Symphony of Cicadas
- A Tale of Two Goblins
- A Thief in the Night
- A World Apart The Jake Thomas Trilogy
- Accidentally_.Evil
- Adept (The Essence Gate War, Book 1)
- Alanna The First Adventure
- Alex Van Helsing The Triumph of Death
- Alex Van Helsing Voice of the Undead
- Alone The Girl in the Box
- Amaranth
- Angel Falling Softly
- Angelopolis A Novel
- Apollyon The Fourth Covenant Novel
- Arcadia Burns
- Armored Hearts
- As Twilight Falls
- Ascendancy of the Last
- Asgoleth the Warrior
- Attica
- Avenger (A Halflings Novel)
- Awakened (Vampire Awakenings)
- Awakening the Fire
- Balance (The Divine Book One)
- Becoming Sarah
- Belka, Why Don't You Bark
- Betrayal
- Better off Dead A Lucy Hart, Deathdealer
- Black Feathers
- Black Halo
- Black Moon Beginnings
- Blade Song
- Blood Past
- Bound by Prophecy (Descendants Series)
- Break Out
- Brilliant Devices
- Broken Wings (An Angel Eyes Novel)
- Cannot Unite (Vampire Assassin League)
- Caradoc of the North Wind
- Cast into Doubt
- Cause of Death: Unnatural
- Celestial Beginnings (Nephilim Series)
- Club Dead
- Conspiracies (Mercedes Lackey)
- That Which Bites
- Damned
- Damon
- Dark Magic (The Chronicles of Arandal)
- Dark of the Moon
- Dark_Serpent
- Dark Wolf (Spirit Wild)
- Darker (Alexa O'Brien Huntress Book 6)
- Darkness Haunts
- Dead Ever After
- Dead Man's Deal The Asylum Tales
- Dead on the Delta
- Death Magic
- Deep Betrayal
- Defying Mars (The Saving Mars Series)
- Demon's Dream
- Destiny Gift (The Everlast Trilogy)
- Dissever (Unbinding Fate Book One)
- Dominion (Guardian Angels)
- Doppelganger
- Down a Lost Road
- Dragon Aster Trilogy
- Dread Nemesis of Mine
- Dreams and Shadows
- Dreamside
- Dust Of Dust and Darkness (Volume 1)
- Earth Thirst (The Arcadian Conflict)
- Ella Enchanted
- Eternal Beauty Mark of the Vampire
- Evanescent
- Faery Kissed
- Fairy Bad Day
- Fall of Night The Morganville Vampires
- Fearless (Mirrorworld)
- Firedrake
- First And Last
- Forever After