The entrance to the house was surrounded by a big white gravel area, and the stairway itself was flanked by ranks of perennial evergreens in massive red stone pots. These might have been carved into animals at one point but were now overgrown into green blobs.

I shook my head in disapproval. I was not exactly a master horticulturist myself, but I knew the value of looking after my stuff. Up close, this place looked dingy, more like some kid millionaire party-animal’s pad than a tasteful, elegant mansion.

Neither Astrid nor Belinda seemed to take much notice of the state of the exterior. Instead, they immediately marched up the steps.

I followed the two women more slowly, advancing up the staircase to stand before the twelve foot tall double doors. They were impressive, massive carved constructions of dark, polished hardwood paneling.

In the center of each door was a shining brass door knocker fashioned in the likeness of a woman’s head. Her features were hard but not harsh, like the fractals of a gemstone, sharp and beautiful, but cold. Her eyes glowed like diamonds. I couldn’t help noticing that the knocker was the only part of the house’s exterior that seemed well cared for. It gleamed as if it was freshly polished.

Belinda nodded to me, then gestured to the shining knocker. ”Let the owner know you’re here.”

I reached for the heavy knocker, raised it, and pounded on the door three times. Each clang resounded like a church bell, and I felt my chi tremble. An answer came, a husky feminine voice that seemed to speak from inside my own mind.

“Enter.”

That had never happened to me before. I jumped back from the door as if I’d been stung and grabbed the spell-rifle from where it hung over my shoulder.

The experience of hearing a foreign entity speak inside my head was disconcerting to say the least.

I knew telepaths existed, both human and Outworlder, but they tended to be given strict caps on their abilities since they had the potential to be incredibly powerful.

Was this Kyrine person a telepath?

“Take it easy,” Astrid said. “Never had a telepath speak direct to you before?”

I shook my head. A deep breath calmed me, but I kept the rifle to hand. My mana pool still felt full enough to dish out several full-strength blasts from it. I might be fairly sure I could trust Belinda and Astrid, but I still didn’t know what I was walking into here.

The doors opened of their own accord with a loud creak. Beyond the threshold, it was too dark to see what lay inside.

Then, suddenly, my rational faculties came at me like a suckerpunch to the skull.

What the hell was I doing? Was this even a good idea?

Chapter 6

I paused at the entrance and filtered through my thoughts of the day so far.