Chapter 23
Nervous didn’t begin to cover what Jacinda felt. Normally, when she took odd jobs, it was someone she sought out from an ad. This time, she was going by what Chatan had said.
What if George didn’t need an extra set of hands?
“Stop stressing, Jace. Trust me when I say George will welcome a new person.” Chatan parked.
“You reading my mind?”
He shook his head. “No, but that’s the only thing that would explain your nerves.”
“I can think of a few things, but you’re right, that’s why I’m nervous right now.”
“Don’t be. Please. I promise, everything will be fine.” He climbed out of the truck, and she joined him. He took her hand with a grin. “Just smile.”
She dipped her head and followed Chatan into the nursery. A man stood toward the far end with his back to them. She saw the large braid all the way past his belt buckle. He turned with an infectious smile.
Chatan jumped in. “Hey, George. This is Jacinda. I was hoping she could fill the vacant position. She may not be experienced with plants, but she’s resourceful and a fast learner.”
A blush spread across her cheeks. “Pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand.
George took her hand. “Pleasure is mine. I’ve heard much about you. I always need another set of hands here. Chatan is an excellent trainer. And if you’re willing, I’ll hire you on the spot.”
“I’m willing, just tell me what I need to do.”
“Chatan will show you.” He let her go and nodded back to the plant he was working on. “I’ll be over here. Chatan will make sure you’re up to speed in no time.”
“Thanks.”
George smiled and went back to work.
Chatan leaned down. “Told you.”
“You did. Now let’s hope you’re as good at training as they say.”
* * * *
Jacinda hadn’t lied about learning fast. She picked everything up faster than he could hope. She even mimicked some of his magic to help some of the weaker plants along.
By the time lunch came around, George walked over. “My, my, my, fast study indeed. Go on, get out of here for the day. Together, the two of you work faster than five people.”
Chatan patted George on the back. “Told you she was eager to learn.”
“Will you want me back tomorrow?”
“Of course. You’ll always be welcome here.”
“Thanks. Have a good evening.”
Chatan pulled her toward the door. He couldn’t wait to get her to the waterfall to see what she was going to do. She’d never once mentioned it, but her mind was clearly working through the process.
At the truck, he lifted her into the seat. “I brought lunch today, in hopes we’d avoid Jenna.”
“I’m not worried about her.” Jacinda shrugged a shoulder. “But I like that you thought ahead.”
He nodded. “You seem nervous with too many people around. And I’ll admit, I’m curious to see how you handle the falls.”
“I think I’ll surprise you.” She glanced around. “Are we going?”
Grinning, he closed the door and went around the truck. Once he was seated and belted in, he started the engine. “Eat where we park? Or near the waterfall?”
“Near the waterfall. There’s something about the area that feels at home. That’s probably stupid.”
“Not at all. You feel akin to the area. I’ve always felt the same.”
He took them down the road and parked in the same place as he had yesterday. “Luckily, no one else seems to be here.”
She nodded. “Yeah, not sure I want anyone to see what I’m going to do.”
“Not even me?”
She glanced over and away. “You already know most of my secrets. May as well show you this bit of magic.”
But she really didn’t want to. Hmm. How long before she’d fully trust him? Then again, he was still hiding his own list of things from her.
Maybe one day, they could stop with the secrets.
She climbed out of the truck and he grabbed the basket before following her down the trail. This time, she led, moving faster than he expected to go.
A woman on a mission. And if he wasn’t so curious how she was going to manage the next bit, he’d distract her long enough to make love under the sun.
She climbed up the rock with ease and he joined her.
Jacinda took his hand. “Where do you want to set up that picnic?”
Maybe he could get inside her before they went under the falls. He wasn’t even sure that was possible. He couldn’t fathom an approach. No one in the tribe had.
“That log we sat at.”
She nodded. “Good choice.”
* * * *
As she took her last bite, Chatan asked, “How did you like your first day at the nursery?”
“A hundred times better than I expected.”
“How so?” He leaned closer.
Jacinda turned toward him, a smile on her lips. “I was nervous I’d be horrible. You’re a great teacher.”
“You’re an excellent student.” He nodded to the waterfall. “So what’s your plan?”
“How about I show you?” She didn’t think she could explain it well.
Chatan nodded. “All right.”
She hopped up and he followed as she walked toward the cliff wall. “Don’t freak out. Everything will be fine.”
“Okay,” he answered.
She placed her hands on the wall of the cliff, five feet from the water, and channeled her energy to create a magical tunnel from the rock wall, stretched out about five feet to give them room to walk. She scooted down the tunnel, keeping her hands against the wall as she continued to chant to keep the shield going.
Chatan followed close behind.
The cave was a few feet from the water level. She adjusted the floor of the shield so she was able to step into the small cave, only big enough for her. Chatan leaned in close to see what he could.
Right in the center of the back wall were five glowing symbols. Those same ones Chatan taught her. Then more symbols in the other languages in rings around those.
She knew the spell. It was the same one her father always sang. She let the song flow through her and the lights flickered and brightened, then the wall cracked and a tiny dove flew out. The white bird circled her head before landing next to the hawk on the necklace and shifted into ivory.
Chatan caught her as she slipped. Then he scooped her up as the ground shook. He hurried back to the shore.
The spell collapsed as he made it to solid ground, the waterfall going back to normal. She fought for consciousness for a few seconds, and when she was sure she’d keep it, she scrambled out of his hold, determined not to pass out again.
That would only fuel his concern, which she felt like a lead wall closing in on her. She needed to nip that in the bud.
He caught her shoulders, studying her face for a moment. “You okay?”
She nodded. “It was wet in there. Only slipped. The shield would have caught me.”
Uh-huh, that was what she told herself. If she landed badly, she could have dropped the spell, but she would have been able to recover. Still, it would have been messy.
He didn’t need to know that. Better if he believed she had it under control.
“You sure?” he prodded.
“Very.”
Letting out a sigh, he pulled her into his arms. “What did you do in there? That spell? What is it?”
She pulled him back to their log and sat down on the blanket, facing the water.
“I’m not one hundred percent sure, but what I can figure, it’s a gateway, or maybe a pocket of space between realms. A place where things that don’t quite exist do. That doesn’t make sense, does it?”
“Not really.” He smiled, though, taking her hand. “But you were able to reach Dove and pull her into this realm through this gateway?” His attention caught on the necklace and he lifted the redwood hawk next to the ivory dove. The birds stayed together without any fastening. “You did it.”
“I just hope this doesn’t turn everyone against me.”
He brought her chin back to peer into her eyes. “Neither Dove, nor Hawk belong to anyone. They choose who to help. I believe they chose you.”
She looked back at the waterfall. “I opened the way.” Jacinda lifted the necklace. “Hawk has Dove back.” But she was no closer to figuring out what she was supposed to do now that she found the bracelet and dove.
* * * *
Chatan wasn’t sure he believed her when she said she was fine. He was worried, he couldn’t help it. She looked like she was ready to pass out. And now, she was acting like nothing happened.
Although, she had impressed him. Her magic washed through him, into the cave, and the engraved glowing etchings had danced with light as the tiny dove broke free.
And had there been an earthquake?
If there was and anyone felt it, he’d hear about it soon.
Chatan focused on her necklace. “Amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
She looked down and tipped her head. “I never imagined I’d find this. Of all the things my father talked about in the journal, this wasn’t it.”
“What did he say?” Chatan asked.
“He was cryptic. So maybe, I don’t know. I feel like a failure because I can’t decode it. And maybe it’s nonsense like my mother says.”
“Maybe she’s afraid of whatever he thought you were going to find.”
“Possible, but she’s convinced…” She trailed off, staring at the falls.
“Don’t want to share?”
“You wouldn’t understand. Or you’d think I was crazy. Either way, it doesn’t matter.”
“I want to understand.”
“Just like I want to understand your secrets, but you told me you needed to keep them. Same damned thing.” She hopped up and marched back toward the truck. Only he had a feeling she’d walk if given the opportunity.
His phone rang and he pulled it out as he gathered the picnic basket. “What?”
“Did you feel that earthquake?” Loval asked.
“Yeah, look, I’m busy. I need to go catch up with Jacinda before she tries to disappear.”
“What? You think she had something to do with it?”
“I got to go.” He hung up and hurried down the trail. She made good time because he caught her arm ten feet past the damned truck. “Hey, please listen, Jace.”
She turned to glare at him. “Then stop pushing for answers.”
“It was a gentle prod, and all you had to do was say you weren’t sharing. I would have left it at that.”
“Right.” She pulled free. “I don’t need the prodding or prying. Okay? I’ve got enough on my mind that the last thing I want to deal with is someone breathing down my neck, expecting the world of me.”
“I don’t want the world. I just want you with me. That’s all. I don’t need to know your secrets. I promise.”
His phone rang again. He reached into his pocket and flipped it off.
Her brow arched. “You’re not answering?”
“I care about exactly one person right now. Can you guess who?”
One corner of her mouth twitched, but her eyes narrowed, even as they softened. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do you care so damn much?”
“I’m falling for you. You see that, don’t you? I know you don’t have much experience, but it’s pretty damned obvious I’m head over heels for you.”
Her eyes slid closed as her shoulders rose and fell. “I’m falling for you too.”
He nudged her chin up. “Just tell me to shut up if I push too much. I’m stupid. I don’t always think before I speak. Give me a chance. Please.”
“I am. I just needed to move. You get up in my business, trying to figure me out, and I can’t give you everything, just like you can’t give me everything.”
“It’s give and take, Jace. You tell me and I’ll tell you everything.”
She shook her head. “Stop. We’re not doing this.”
“All right.” He lifted his hands in surrender. “When you share everything, I will too. That’s how it has to be.”
“Fine. Let’s go.”
She was still mad, and he didn’t know what to say to make it better. There weren’t words to fix it all. Keeping secrets sucked. He wasn’t good at it. He’d rather tell her the pieces he hadn’t shared, but until he knew she wouldn’t run when things got tough, he was going to keep quiet.
He dropped his shoulders and nodded. “Dinner?”
“Yeah, dinner.” She turned back for the truck.
“This was not how I imagined our afternoon going.”
“Yeah, how did you imagine it?”
“Well, I never would have guessed you could do what you did to get under the falls. But I wanted to make love to you back there, by that log, under the sun.”
Her face scrunched up. “Then why did you have to get all weird on me?”
“You worried me. Would you rather I lie and never admit when I’m worried?”
“No, of course not, and you’re right, it must have looked bad when I slipped. I’m sorry.”
He smiled slightly. “Does that mean I’m forgiven?”
“Maybe,” she answered, her eyes sparkling.
He leaned down to capture her sweet lips. “I want to do something special tonight.”
“Like what?”
“A surprise. You, me, alone.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
“All right.”
He opened the truck door, then thought better off it. He pulled her close, his mouth covering hers. She pressed into him, her hands trailing up his chest, into his hair.
A soft growl left his lips as he slipped his hands into her back pockets, pulling her against him to show her how much he needed her.
Chatan needed to find the words to make her understand what they were for each other. This need was never going to dampen. The love growing wasn’t either.
His phone rang again.
She pushed him back, breaking the kiss. “Get it. Must be important.”
He dipped his head and let her climb into the truck as he walked a few steps away. “What?”
“I’m going to need you to work my shift tonight.” Loretta continued, “I’ve been asked to look into the Monvoisins’ habits of late, and I’ll need time to dig deeper.”
“Be careful, but you know I’ll do it.”
“Jacinda can stay with you in the office, if you’d like.”
He smiled. “I’ll see what she says.”
“Be careful, though. I suspect we’ll be hearing from the Saint Morton boys tonight.”
“Yeah, I got a feeling this is far from over. We need to find a way to shut them down. I’m glad you’re digging. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”