“Certainly, my lady.”
Another hour of polite banter passed, and in that time, she was able to maintain a subtle heat throughout her body and an intense heat on small portions if she concentrated hard enough.
“I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you. You were the one who knew it could be done.”
“This will make your work easier. Do you think you could learn to do it constantly?”
“In time, yes.”
“Good. Go upstairs and pack. Zenas has orders for us.”
Amaia was careful not to show her shock. “Gentlemen, please excuse me. I have matters to attend to.” Everyone around the table rose with her. She nodded to each man individually, lingering on Sir Patrick longer than the others, and then left. In her excitement, she found it a challenge to maintain human speed.
She had been waiting on this moment for months. Zenas had been using her as an informant. Occasionally, he ordered her to take on certain clients and report back what happened on the political landscape. She knew it was all merely a test. Scottish politics didn’t interest him much. The country was too remote for his tastes and lacked the level of wealth required for real influence.
While she packed, she wondered where Zenas would send them. She had never seen much of the world. During her time in Scotland, Lawrence had instructed her in several different languages. Had he known all along where their next destination would be? She spoke fluent French, German, Spanish, Italian, and was coming along with her Dutch. So many possibilities.
She finished quickly. Instead of summoning a maid, she simply did it herself, moving at her natural speed in the privacy of her rooms. “Are you finished yet?” It wasn’t polite for Lawrence to deliver such news without elaborating.
“Patience, dear. I’ll be along when I’m done.”
Amaia sighed as she sat back in her window seat. Would the people wherever they were going be different? She hoped so, though she didn’t think it likely. They would probably just look different and complain about their problems in foreign languages. Still, it would be interesting to see.
The lovers from before were gone. She saw an older couple working side by side to pack up their market stall. They barely spoke, but when they did, it was with smiles. Amaia reached out to their energy. It was happy, content, and there was a love there, even if it lacked the heated passion of the young lovebirds.
While Amaia could identify these emotions, she couldn’t comprehend them. How did they feel? How could one person attach so much to another equally weak flesh-and-blood person? She knew she had loved Michael, but how strong could love be if she had killed him? Was it love that prompted her to keep wearing his engagement ring? She harbored no sadness where Michael was concerned. She had simply moved into a different state of being. A better state.
Lawrence finally joined her, interrupting her thoughts. “I see you didn’t wait on a maid.” He looked meaningfully at the packed trunks and bags.
“There didn’t seem to be a point. I thought when Zenas calls, it’s up to us to jump to obey.”
Lawrence didn’t rise to the bait. “It is. He wants us in Frankfurt. The religious fervor in the area grows too hot for his tastes. There are whispers that witch hunts will soon commence. We need to do what we can to stop it. The systematic burning of people doesn’t bode well for our kind. We’ll travel as humans, but once we land in France, your name will change to Maria.”
It was tiresome always being called by a different name. She wanted to just be Amaia. Surely there had to be more to life than only being able to be herself around Lawrence.
“When do we leave?”
“Tonight. How did Patrick’s energy feel? Different from the others?” Lawrence always thought Amaia would be able to perceive something he couldn’t.
“Not much different, no. Just stronger. It’s a pity I haven’t found a woman with a decent energy for him to breed with.”
“Hmm. We can revisit his line later. But you did well warming yourself. I want you to try to keep doing it. I hope that it will eventually become second nature to you. If it does, you’ll be able to blend in perfectly.”
“I’ll work on it. It took a fair amount of concentration.”
“Well, time is something you have plenty of.”
“Have you told Zenas?” Amaia focused on Lawrence, hoping to discern the truthfulness of his answer.
“No. There’s no sense telling him until we’re sure you can keep doing it.”