Stars of Fortune (The Guardians Trilogy, #1)(79)

“We’ll think of something else,” Sawyer said to the group when she dashed off.

“I might be able to come up with something.” Bran looked after her. “Something that would give her a weapon, a defense, and not upset her. Let me work on it.”

* * *

By the time they’d concluded what Sasha thought of as Weaponry 101, she found all the laundry finished, folded—and her own share neatly stacked on her bed.

And the house sparkled.

She found Annika in the kitchen, diligently unloading the dishwasher.

“I cleaned the house.”

“I’ll say.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You need to stop being sorry. No one’s mad at you.”

“I didn’t do my task.”

“Because it’s wrong, for you. Everyone understands.” Sasha thought of her sore and aching muscles, weighed them against friendship. “You said you’d teach me the handstand. You could give me a couple private lessons before you work with everyone. Give me a—ha-ha—leg up.”

“Yes, I can. I will.”

“How about now?”

She failed, and even when Annika held her legs, Sasha’s arms and shoulder muscles quivered and pinged like plucked harp strings. During the group lesson, after multiple face and/or ass plants, she was relegated to practicing simple forward and backward rolls.

She would get stronger. She would get better.

Deeming herself finished, she took her aches and pings off for a soak in the hot tub. She considered doing laps, as Doyle had suggested, but the way her arms and legs felt, she’d probably sink straight to the bottom of the pool and drown.

Besides, she’d damn well earned a break.

She hit the jets—ahh—adjusted her sunglasses. She’d just sunk down to her chin when she saw Annika and Riley coming her way.

She liked their company, but at the moment she’d have preferred the moans she knew would come to be a private thing.

Riley set a pitcher of margaritas on the table, poured three glasses. And Annika held up a small bottle.

“Bran said to add this to the water.”

“What is it?”

“Lavender and rosemary and . . .” She looked to Riley.

“Magic. He said it would take care of any muscle soreness. Dump it in, Anni. We’re going to test it out.” Riley handed Sasha a glass.

“I’m not sore.” But Annika poured in the pale green liquid.

“She tempts me to say f*ck you.” Riley boosted herself into the tub.

“Consider it said.” Sasha closed her eyes, sipped the frothy drink. She heard the splash as Annika chose the pool instead.

“I hurt everywhere, and it’s worse knowing I’m going to be squatting and lunging and running at dawn tomorrow.”

“Add in upper body work.”

Sasha slitted her eyes open. “Consider it repeated in your direction.”

“We’ll be diving tomorrow, so that’ll mix things up. And maybe we’ll get lucky. I left Sawyer and Doyle working out where.”

“Bran?”

“He got a brainstorm about Annika’s deal, so he went up to work on it.”

Sasha decided she’d go up and help him with it. Eventually. “God, this smells so good. Why don’t I have one of these at home?”

“A hot tub, or a hot magician to make you magic hot tub potions?”

She smiled to herself. “Both.”

“Bet you could get both.”

“Bran, in my little house in the mountains? He has New York, and Ireland. My place is so isolated, so quiet, and he’s . . . he’s larger than life, isn’t he? All that power. He banks it—that’s control—but it’s huge, and passionate, and more than could be satisfied living in a little house in North Carolina.”

“Will you be, once we’re done with what we’re here for?”

“I don’t know anymore.” And that shifted her balance. “But I think I’ll always need a quiet place to go, to live, to paint. I’ll never block what I have again, or feel I have to be alone. I know more about myself, what I’m capable of. I know what it is to be a part of something really important. Something worth fighting for. And when I look at myself now . . .

“The mirror sees the truth, hard and bare. What she fears and fights against lives in the glass. And there lies her end, one only the stars can change. She fears her end.”

She came back to herself with Riley gripping her arm to keep her head above water and calling for Annika.

“I’m all right. I’m okay.”

“Take a hit.” Riley pushed the glass back in her hand. “I saved it when it started to tip out of your hand.”

Sasha shook her head, let out a breath. “Give me a second.”

“The water’s too hot, and you’re pale. Come, cool off in the pool.”

“Good thinking.” With a nod to Annika, Riley put the glass aside, pulled Sasha to her feet. “Out and in, pal.”

She obeyed, as she did feel too hot, and somehow too . . . loose. The cooler water of the pool helped offset the dizziness so she was able to climb out again on her own.

“Do you remember what you said?” Riley asked her.