Eye of the Falcon (Psychic Visions #12)(23)

Stefan glanced down at the feather in his hand. “I found a falcon feather a few days ago on my deck. I didn’t understand what it meant.” He corrected himself. “I still don’t understand what it means. But, when I put it down, I feel compelled to pick it back up again.”

“Interesting,” she murmured, her voice low and deep. “Were you able to get any energy off the feather?”

“No, not much. But I can’t seem to stop touching it.”

“You sure it’s not Humbug’s feather?”

“If I’m assuming Humbug is an owl, then this is not Humbug’s feather.”

She chuckled. “You know? In Mother Nature we have attractions that don’t always make sense. It’s quite possible other birds are willing you to help Humbug.”

Stefan rolled his eyes and walked over to the windows. “I’m looking at my railing and my deck, and there is no other sign of any other bird, so I doubt it.” But the words were no sooner out of his mouth than a huge crow came and landed at the railing, right in front of him. Stefan let out a broken laugh. “Okay, I stand corrected. A crow just landed on my railing. But then they’re always around.”

“Keep watching,” she said quietly. “You’ve put out the word, and now they’re responding. See how quickly it happens. Does that tell you that you’re on track?”

The sky turned dark as birds flocked toward his house. Celina walked to his side. She took her cell phone and started taking pictures, then said, “Tell Tabitha what we’re seeing.”

“Tabitha, you won’t believe this, but there could be hundreds of birds outside my place now, some flying around in circles, and it’s like the sky has gone dark. They’re landing on the railing, on the patio, and on the rooftop. Several birds hit the window just now as if trying to get inside. It’s like they’ve gone mad.” He’d never seen anything like it.

“Not mad,” Tabitha said quietly. “They’re desperate. They need help, or somebody they know needs help. Somehow they’ve learned you can connect to them. And they won’t leave you alone until they can save the person or animal they’re trying to save.”

“But I don’t know anything about Humbug,” he said in astonishment. “And certainly not about whoever it is he’s missing.”

“Guess what, Stefan?” Tabitha said, her voice gentle but firm. “You’ll have to find out what’s going on, who’s in need, and how you can help.”





Chapter 9





The soup was just as delicious the second time as it was the first. “Thank you,” Issa murmured as she handed the empty bowl back to him. “You’re a very good cook.”

“No, I’m not,” he said cheerfully. “It’s my grandmother’s recipe.”

She gave him a ghost of a smile, hating that just the act of eating a bowl of soup could exhaust her to the point she wanted to rest.

And she knew those sharp eyes of his missed nothing. He’d seen the weakness on her face yet again. But there was one thing she really hoped she could do, and that was wash up. “I don’t suppose there is any chance of a bath?”

He stopped, frowned, glanced at her, toward the bathroom, and back again.

She shrugged. “I’m not exactly sure how extensive my injuries are, but it seems like a warm bath couldn’t hurt,” she said hopefully.

“I’d love to see you actually get to the bathtub on your own first,” he said as he stood, tapping his foot on the floor, his hands on his hips as he contemplated it.

She winced at the reminder of how much she still depended on him to get to the bathroom. The bathtub was just another trip. And she’d need help to get in and out. “Never mind,” she said hurriedly. “I don’t want to cause any more extra work.”

He snorted. “Running a bath is hardly extra work.” He walked into the bathroom. “The only way to get in is if I carry you, lower you into the water and then scoop you back up again.”

The last thing she wanted was to have this man carry her and treat her like a two-year-old, but her hair was dirty. And even worse, she knew her feet would be also, for, although they had been soaked with antiseptic, the bottoms, the tops, and her toes were grimy. He’d given her a sponge bath, so she certainly shouldn’t be worried about her modesty at this point. But being unconscious and bathed by a stranger was a whole different story than being carried nude into a bathtub and tucked into bed afterward.

“If you’re willing to give me a hand, I should be able to get into the bathtub on my own,” she suggested.

He shook his head. “No, I can carry you to the toilet, but you’re still not able to walk to the bathtub.”

She nodded, resigned. “Maybe in a few days then.”

He gave a muffled exclamation. “If it’ll make you feel better, why the hell not?”

He walked into the bathroom, and she could hear the water starting. And she smiled. She’d do a lot to just get into that tub and soak. Whenever her troubles overcame her, she used to crawl into the hot water and soak. If she could have a natural hot spring on her land, she’d be in heaven. On the other hand, she’d probably stay there every waking moment.

She remembered reading about a certain species of baboon in China that lived at the hot springs. She thought that would be a great animal to reincarnate into.