“I wish I knew what it meant.”
“Bright magick.” Bran stroked a hand down her hair. “White magick. We fight her with it as she fights against it. But something more, or something more through that. I can work on it.”
“And meanwhile?” Doyle asked. “This time of transformation? What’s that?”
“I’m not looking for Optimus Prime,” Sawyer put in. “But we’re transforming, in a way. From each of us going on our own to working as a unit. We’re not all the way there, maybe, so we’ve still got some work to do on it.”
“Maybe so, but while that transforming’s going on, we’ve got a fight coming. Sooner or later,” Doyle said. “It seems to me we’re leaning too heavy on witchcraft.”
“When I’m going up against a homicidal god, I like having a witch in my corner,” Riley tossed back.
“Not saying different. But since we’re going up against a homicidal god, we ought to have some battle plans.”
Riley nodded. “I’ll give you that. We should eat, get going, and we can start working on those plans on the boat. Cold breakfast’s still breakfast,” she said as she sat.
Bran waved a hand over the platter of bacon and eggs. “Now it’s hot.”
“See that?” Happily Riley piled food on her plate. “Having a witch around’s handy.” She rubbed Sasha’s thigh under the table with one hand, scooped eggs onto Sasha’s plate with the other. “Even if you’re a little queasy, it’ll settle you—and it’s going to be a long workday.”
She’d carry her weight, Sasha promised herself. And despite being a little queasy, picked up her fork and ate.
* * *
Sasha worked on her nerves on the way to the first cave. She’d done all right on the dives the day before—even enjoyed part of them. But the morning vision left her shaken and uneasy. She hoped the cool, damp wind, the flashing sun off the water would clear out those nerves. When they didn’t, she dug out her sketchbook.
“We’ll be fine.” When she glanced over at Bran, he tapped a finger on her temple. “You don’t have to be a seer to see. You’d do better to relax. We’re here for a purpose, and it isn’t to lose when we’ve barely begun.”
“I could smell the blood,” she said quietly. “Hear the shrieks those things made as they poured out of the sky. And feel the madness in them. Her creations, Bran, formed of nothing but hate and madness. Their only purpose is death.”
“Ours is life. I believe life, if it’s willing to fight for it, wins. Trust life. Trust yourself and what’s in you.”
“I’m working on it.”
When they geared up, Sawyer hooked on a camera.
“I picked this up in the village yesterday. Depth rated to two hundred feet. I figured we should start documenting.”
“I’m keeping a log.” Riley studied the camera. “That’s a really nice toy. Good idea, Sawyer. Stills and video?”
“Yeah. I’ll do some of both, see how it goes.”
Though the dive proved pleasant and pretty, even amusing as Annika performed underwater gymnastics for the camera, they found nothing but sea life. And while Sasha caught herself glancing over her shoulder, half expecting to see a black cloud of winged creatures slicing through the sea, she felt more confident in her rudimentary diving skills by the time she pulled herself back on deck.
“Hydrate.” Riley dug in the cooler for bottles of water after she’d stowed her used tank. “That’s three crossed off. My pick’s next,” she added, tossed a bottle to Doyle.
“I’m going to review the pictures.”
“I want to see.” Annika snuggled onto the bench beside Sawyer.
Because she’d leaned in as well, bracing a hand on Sawyer’s shoulder, Sasha felt the lust punch through him. Surprised at how clear it came, embarrassed she hadn’t blocked it, she eased back just a bit.
Not that anyone could blame him, she thought, as Annika wiggled closer. But understanding it and feeling it were different things. To ensure his privacy, Sasha moved to the other side of the deck where Doyle pored over maps.
“Do you have another location in mind?” she asked him.
“A lot of possibilities. We should pick up the pace.”
“Which is slower because I’m inexperienced.”
“You’re doing all right.”
He looked up then, and she sensed something hard and deeply guarded.
“Looking for something?”
She answered as coolly as he’d asked. “Trying not to.”
Still watching her, he picked up his water. “Anyone else in your family with the sight? It tends to run in families.”
“No. Not that I ever heard of.”