Crystal Cove (Friday Harbor #4)(57)

“Yes. But how are we to know when a spell will harm someone or not? We can never be certain of all the repercussions. That was the dilemma we faced when Marigold asked us to bind a geas to you. But she persuaded us that it would spare you suffering.”

“She may have been right,” Justine said mournfully.

Sage let out a slow sigh. “Oh, Justine. All day yesterday I kept remembering how it felt to lose Neil. Even now, there are times when it takes my breath away to remember that he’s gone. But there are gifts that we receive only through grief.”

“I don’t want to think about the possible benefits of grief,” Justine said. “All I want is for Jason to be safe.”

“Will he be?”

Justine knew that what Sage really meant was, Are you in love with him? “I don’t know.” She gripped the phone tightly. “I’m scared. I’m not sure how far it’s gone. I keep telling myself that it can’t happen this fast. I mean, I can’t fall in love with someone I’ve only just met.”

“Of course you can,” Sage said gently. “Some people’s hearts are very efficient that way.”

Justine’s throat clenched. “If I’ve put him in danger, I have to fix it,” she said. “There must be an answer in the Triodecad. There has to be something I can do.”

“My poor darling girl, don’t you think I tried anything and everything to save my Neil? Don’t you think your mother sought to have your father spared? Whatever you do will only make things worse. The nature of the bane is sacrificial.”

A human sacrifice. Was that the price of love for someone like her?

“You once told me that nothing is impossible in magic, only improbable.”

“Yes. But I also told you that we must never attempt the improbable. No meddling with matters of life or death. That is the spiritual realm of high magick, which is beyond our power. It’s trying to assume a godlike role for human purposes. And that will never end well.”

Seventeen

Jason spent the better part of the day sitting at a table with Alex Nolan, the two of them signing reams of documents while lawyers and Realtor supervised. A preliminary design-build agreement, letters of intent concerning purchase and sale, qualifying language, timing of events and obligations and ownership transfer. Jason signed each efficiently and without hesitation.

He had wanted to establish a learning institute ever since his first big success at Inari, understanding that he had to do something good in the world before he left it. He saw no point in accumulating wealth for its own sake. Better to use the money to create a place where people could find connection and community, and learn things that would make their lives better.

The decision to establish the institute on San Juan Island was made all the easier by the fact that he would be closer to Justine. Thoughts of her lingered in his mind like a soft autumnal perfume, earth and leaves and rain. He and she were right for each other in the same way darkness was complemented by light, night by day. Inyodo was the Japanese word for it. If Justine were willing to make a place for him in her life, he would stop at nothing to be with her.

As the day progressed, Jason was disgruntled but not surprised to discover that Justine wasn’t returning his calls. According to Zoë, Justine had gone for the day. Jason knew exactly why Justine didn’t want to face him yet. She was trying to come to terms with what had happened—and no doubt figuring out a strategy to deal with him.

Reining in his impatience, he packed for the morning’s departure. As evening approached and there was still no sign of Justine, Jason went out to dinner with the rest of the Inari group. Alex and his fiancée, Zoë, had agreed to join them in celebrating the preliminary signing for the Dream Lake development.

“I haven’t heard from Justine today,” Jason said casually to Zoë during dinner. “I hope everything’s okay.”

“Yes, she’s fine,” Zoë said, a blush infusing her porcelain skin. “She was busy with errands.”

“All day?” Jason couldn’t resist asking.

Zoë looked flustered and vaguely apologetic. She replied in an undertone that no one else at the table could hear. “Justine said she needed some time alone.”

“What kind of mood was she in?”

“She was … quiet.” Zoë hesitated before adding, “She said that having a wish come true was one of the worst things that had ever happened to her.”

Jason gave her a puzzled glance. “What did she wish for?”

After a long hesitation, Zoë replied without looking at him. “I think it was you.”

* * *

The lights in Justine’s cottage were on when Jason returned to the inn after dinner. He waited until the inn was settled and still before walking across the lawn. The night was clear, stars blinking as if to semaphore-coded messages. The scythe-shaped moon was angled to cut a swath through the dark sky. A nightjar cried in a low churr as it chased moths into the shadows.

Jason knocked at the front door. His stomach had contracted into a tight knot. He was accustomed to taking risks. In the past he’d agreed to business deals involving unthinkable sums of money, and launched games that would bury the company if they flopped. He’d handled it all without flinching. But nothing had ever unnerved him like the prospect of losing Justine.