"Do you think we contained the energy?" Rhys asked.
"I do not know," he said.
"I do not mean," said Barinthus, "where did you get it just now. I mean how did it come to you?"
"I dreamed of it, and when I woke it was in bed with me."
"I thought this was a secret," Sage said.
"Barinthus needs to know," Rhys said, "and all cats love to keep secrets."
"Princess and Darkness have no problem with that?" Sage asked.
Doyle and I exchanged glances, then both of us shook our heads. "No," we said together.
Usna had managed to wiggle out of all his clothing. He crawled toward us with his shoulder holster flapping loose over his bare shoulders and his sheathed sword in one hand. Crawling on all fours, even with the sword in one hand, seemed strangely suited to him. His right shoulder and most of his upper arm were black, and, if I remembered, his back was red and black. A flash of red decorated what I could see of his right hip, and the calf of his left leg.
He spoke to them, but he stared at me. "What came in a dream?" His voice was lightly curious, and held none of the heat of his gaze.
"This," Rhys said.
When Usna saw what Rhys held, he raised up on his knees and cursed long and soundly in Gaelic. "The chalice, the real chalice?"
"It would seem so," Barinthus said.
I was inches away from Usna where he knelt. Perhaps I had been too much among the humans, but it struck me as odd that he could be this close to me nude and not be aroused. Something in me felt slighted by that. Childish? Maybe. But I had the almost irresistible urge to cup him in my hand and make him notice me. I must have made some small movement because Barinthus touched my shoulder, stopped my arm from finishing the motion.
"Do you feel compelled to touch him?"
I thought about that. "Maybe, sort of."
"Then do not do it here with the chalice so close. As Doyle has said, we are in a moving car. The water at the press conference would have been enough to flood the interior of this car."
I leaned back on my knees, resting on my heels. It wasn't entirely comfortable because of the spike high heels. The patent leather just didn't have as much give as regular leather.
"You're right," I said, and crawled away from Usna and the chalice. I didn't stop until my back hit Galen's damp legs and the puddle of water that was collecting under the three men on the seat. I stayed in the water. My hose, skirt, and panties were all black. It was uncomfortable, but it wouldn't ruin anything I was wearing. At that moment it was more important to be as far away from the chalice as I could get. Stretch limo, or not, there just wasn't room to run.
"What would have happened if the princess touched me?" Usna asked.
"Perhaps nothing," Barinthus said, "or perhaps much." He turned toward Doyle. "The chalice always had a mind and agenda of its own. Has that changed?"
Doyle shook his head. "On the contrary, it seems to have grown worse."
"Consort help us," Barinthus whispered.
The driver spoke over the intercom. "The bridge is blocked off, police lights everywhere."
Doyle hit the button. "What's happened?"
Silence, then the driver's voice again. "The river is over the bridge. I haven't seen the river that high since the big flood of 'ninety-four. Strange, we haven't had any rain."
In the silence that followed, we all looked at each other. "It looks as if we did not contain all the power from Barinthus's return to godhead," Doyle said.
I remembered the earthquake that had happened after I brought Kitto into his power. A thought occurred to me. "Was there an earthquake in California after we left today?"
Barinthus shook his head. "I checked the weather to see if your plane would be delayed; there was no earthquake." He looked suddenly thoughtful. "There was a freak windstorm, almost a tornado, which they do not have there, but it was not close to the airport."
We all exchanged glances, those of us who knew.
"What is it?" Barinthus asked.
"When I brought Kitto into his power, there was an earthquake later that night."
"What has that to do with the windstorm?"
"Nicca's wings came at the same moment that..." I shook my head. "Sage, just show him."
Sage turned to Barinthus and the now staring Usna. Sage was smiling, enjoying the hell out of all of it. He lowered his sunglasses enough for them to see the tricolor of his eyes.
Usna hissed. "Goddess, he's sidhe."
Barinthus touched Sage's face, put the newly colored eyes toward the light. "He is not sidhe, no part of him." He let go of Sage and turned to stare at me. "You did this?"
I nodded.
"How?"
"Sex."
Barinthus frowned. "You said Nicca's wings came at the same time."
I nodded. "Yes."
He seemed to think about that for a moment. "You had sex with both of them at the same time."
The fey did not have a problem with multiple partners, and it was rude of him to remark upon it. "What does that matter?" Doyle said, coming to my defense.
"The queen is convinced that Meredith must take more than one lover at a time, to conceive."
"Why?" I asked.
He shrugged. "I am not sure, but she has been very clear on her plans in this area." By wording it that way, he implied that she had been unclear about her plans in other areas.
"I have taken multiple lovers before this, Barinthus."
"Who?"
Rhys was wrapping the chalice in its silk robe, tucking it into the case once more, as he answered, "Me and Nicca."