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I gazed around in bewilder in a room that resembled the old-fashioned library froany shelves to the creained Even the heavy antique desk sat where I’d pictured it Oddly I couldn’t see past the shadowy doorway, nor did the darkened s shed any light

After a night in Boys Toould I drea flames and dire portents, however

"Splendid! I can’t believe it worked"

Though I hadn’t noticed hinized the voice, if not the face With rough features, narrow slate eyes, and a shock of nut brown hair, Booke didn’t look at all as I’d envisioned him

"What worked?"

"Oh, I was justand out-of-body experi"

"Ithink so" Somewhat disappointed, I tried to be discreet as I inspected him "Is this how you really look?"

Was that rude?

"No" He shook his head "I daresay you aren’t like that, either I’m afraid I’ve projected on you But then, I didn’t think this would work Never has before"

When I glanced down, I restrained a snort All I needed to coolden lasso Enjoying the novelty of three feet of shapely legs and a spectacular bosoe the fantasy

"What were you trying to accomplish?"

Could I h the resulting strut suited Lynda Carter better than Corine Solo chair before I tripped on the expensive rug andabout youand your problem," he added hastily His obvious eick leaves a trail or an astral tell I can’t leave Stoke, or I’d come in personbut I wondered if I could help you this way I focused on you and started trying to home in on where you are--"

"And wound up in lanced around, sheepish "This isn’t mine It’s colored by your expectations I must say, I’m quite flattered You clearly take me for a man of taste and means"

I realized I’d interrupted hi poor Maris leave a tell?"

"In fact, he did" He lost some of his diffidence and came over, sat besidelike it" A side benefit of drea I leaned close and sahat looked like a stylized U "Near as I can find, it’s akin to an Aztec or Mixtec symbol for the moon"

"And Chuch’s house is marked with this?" I wanted to be clear

"Indeed It’s ick You need to cleanse the place, top to bottoly easier to work his spells there, even at distance"

"What about the wards?" To my amusement Booke couldn’t tear his eyes away fro Maris, bound like she was, probably underer"

With everything going on, I doubted I was safe anywhere, but we needed to fix things for our friends "We’ll shore the theine you could" He sounded odd, eyes downcast

I pushed the hair out of my face, beet such a color frohts,at?"

"You don’t seem the kind of person ould leave someone when they needed you most"

Ouch

"Don’t be so sure," I said "I’ve done a lot of running in s start to heat up, and you’ll find lanced up in apparent surprise, shadows playing over features that didn’t belong to hiuessed You have a very steadfast feel"

"I do?"

He nodded "Unshakeable Like once you set a course, you don’t alter it"

You think s dried up when you walked away, Corine? I didn’t even know if , the preconceptions we form fro his fingers together, he assu an astral call, I’ve seen your essence, the raw material that shapes your soul You’re stone, Corine While fire may score you, it won’t destroy who you are"

On some basic level I alh some underdeveloped sense If the human spirit could be reckoned in alchemical termsThe point I wanted to rasp it better

"And you?" I asked "What about you, Booke?"

"I don’t know We can’t see ourselves as we are, can we?"