The room fell silent waiting for the answer.
"Because I didn't know what he would feel if he touched it. What did you feel?"
"Warmth," Isabel said simply.
CC nodded. "Because you don't wish me harm. Sarpedon did, and the amulet protects me. I think the abbot wishes me harm, too. I didn't know what would happen if he touched it."
"Are you a sorceress?" Isabel asked.
Still meeting her eyes, CC shook her head. "No, I'm not."
"But how do you know?" Gwenyth broke in breathlessly. "You cannot remember your past."
"I remember more about my past than I can admit to you right now, and I'm sorry about that. I can assure you, though, that I am not a sorceress." CC looked at each woman as she spoke. "But I do believe that women have magic. I don't mean anything dark and sinful. I just mean that I think that there is something special inside of us, and it's a part of what makes us women. I don't think you have to be young or beautiful or a princess to have it—you just have to be female and willing to listen within and to believe."
The room was silent as CC continued eating, but the silence didn't feel tense, instead it felt thoughtful.
"I had no idea I would be putting to use what you taught me this afternoon so quickly," CC said, breaking the silence with a smile.
CC was surrounded by looks of confusion until Isabel threw back her head and laughed.
"It was a ruse! The swoon was a ruse," Isabel said gleefully, nudging the two women nearest her. "You should have seen our princess. Like a delicate flower folding, she crumpled into my arms." Isabel did a rough imitation of CC's faint and the women cackled happily.
"Probably not as believable as my swoon," Lynelle grumbled before winking at CC and refilling her wine.
CC drank the last of the wine, grateful for the warm buzz in her stomach that helped offset the ache within her that seemed to be getting stronger by the minute. Now that work or talk wasn't distracting her, desire for the sea rolled through her and coupled with the longing she felt for Dylan, almost caused her to wince with the pain. Tomorrow night, she reminded herself. Then maybe she would never have to leave the water or Dylan again.
"You are tired, Undine. Come, let me take you to your chamber." Isabel said gently.
"Thank you, ladies. I appreciate all of you. Dinner was delicious—almost as good as the company. And thank you for trusting me."
A medley of "Sleep well, Princess" followed CC and Isabel from the room.
In the middle of the dining room, CC paused. "I don't want to walk back through the courtyard. Can we go the other way?"
"Certainly," Isabel said, changing direction for the doorway at the far end of the room through which CC had entered that morning.
"The creature's spirit comes from the well, doesn't it?" Isabel asked in a low voice.
CC glanced at the old woman. Then she nodded. "He is using the well to enter the monastery."
Isabel looked sharply at CC. "Can this thing harm you?"
CC shook her head slowly. "Not directly, but he can cause all kinds of problems for me, like he did this evening. And I worry what would happen if the abbot or even Sir Andras realize what is happening." CC turned to Isabel and grasped the old woman's gnarled hands. "Thank you so much for not betraying me to the abbot."
Isabel's smile was motherly. "As you have already said, women must stick together."
"And we certainly did stick together."
The women shared a satisfied smile that was decidedly feminine. They continued down the dim hall, swinging their joined hands.
"I am relieved to hear that the evil spirit cannot harm you. But I would also be relieved to know…" Isabel said haltingly.
"No, I don't think he is able to possess you and the other ladies." CC cocked her head to the side and grinned at her.
"That is unless any of you are harboring hidden lusts for my body."
Isabel cackled and it took several moments for her to answer CC. "I feel confident that I speak truly for the other women when I say we feel no such desires for you."
"I'm glad to hear it."
Isabel snorted, and CC laughed.
They walked on a little way before CC spoke again. "I have to stay at the monastery for a little while longer."
Isabel flashed her a look of understanding. "You are safe here."
"Yes, and my family is helping me."
"As is the Holy Mother," Isabel said with certainty.
CC squeezed her hand. "Yes, the Great Mother is helping me."
They turned the corner. A plump little monk knelt near the door to CC's room. He appeared to be deep in prayer.
"Your guard," Isabel whispered.
"More like a jailer," CC whispered back.
The women exchanged grim looks as they entered CC's room, ignoring the kneeling monk.
Chapter 19
CC warred with herself. She wanted to climb through the window, rush down the path to the sea and hurl herself into its wet comfort. She missed Dylan, and, of course, she worried for him, too. She knew he waited for her, just as surely as she knew Sarpedon hunted for a way to possess her.
Her skin crawled at the memory of his glowing eyes and the touch of his hand on her skin. Gaea had told her not to be afraid of the merman's spirit, but Andras's use of the word we had frightened her. He had said we know that you are not pure. Did that mean Sarpedon knew she loved Dylan? Or was he talking about an imagined affair with Andras? If Sarpedon had access to Andras's mind when he possessed the knight, he would know that Andras and Undine were not lovers, which gave the we an ominous meaning. He probably knew about Dylan. Wouldn't she just endanger Dylan if she went to him again?
And then, of course, she had to worry about the abbot. Before the incident in the courtyard, he already believed Undine was a Viking witch. The events of the day had done nothing but support his belief, and that definitely made CC uneasy.
Tossing fretfully in her narrow bed she wanted desper-ately to call to Gaea, but she knew she couldn't. Gaea would be busy with Lir, and CC couldn't interrupt her just to ask her a string of self-serving questions. CC sighed. She needed Dylan. She ached to have the comfort of his arms wash away the poison of Sarpedon's lust, and the pain of being separated from the sea, but tonight the answer had to be that she stay safely in her room and try to sleep. She closed her eyes. She'd dreamed of Dylan once before, maybe tonight she would again…
"Dylan swam restlessly back and forth along the shore. He could feel Christine's need as clearly as he had felt her fear earlier that night—a fear that had to have been caused by Sarpedon. The merman must have found her in the monastery and discovered some way to accost her. Dylan's jaw clenched. He could feel it when she used the power of the goddess to thwart Sarpedon's attack. If only he could be there beside her!
A school of giant angelfish fled from his path as his rage caused the surrounding waters to froth and boil. He felt another surge of frustration as Christine struggled alone on land against her need.
"By Lir's trident, there must be something I can do!" Dylan raged.
"To begin with, you could change your curses. Evoking the power of Lir will not aid you at all if what you desire is on land." Gaea's lilting voice was a song as it carried clearly over the waves.
"Gaea!" Dylan exclaimed.
With powerful strokes, he propelled himself to the shoreline. The goddess was sitting on an old piece of driftwood, dangling her feet in the surf. She was clothed in a dress the color of night, but it shimmered with the reflection of the water as if it was made of liquid velvet.