She didn’t stop him from doing just that. His kisses were sensuous and downright alluring. And when his tongue parted her lips and entered her mouth, she felt a stirring below her belt that she’d never had before. A part of her seemed to be coming to life and she liked the way it felt.
“Let me look now,” she said, her lips up against his as she spoke, her eyes still closed. The warm breeze kissed her skin and the sweet smell of wildflowers filled the air.
“Not yet,” he whispered, his hands slipping around her waist, and then trailing lower until he cupped her buttocks in his palms. And when he pulled her tightly up against his groin, a buzzing sensation from the orb scared her and she dropped the crystal.
“Oh, my,” she said, pushing away from him.
“I’m sorry. Did I go too far? I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Nay, I loved it, Stone.” She looked to the ground. “I was startled when the gazing orb started to vibrate in my hand.” She hunkered down to pick it up. When she brushed the sand off of it, she actually saw a vision emerging in the orb. “Stone, look! Can you see it? I see something in the orb.”
“Where?” he asked, leaning over the orb, holding her hand in his. “Nay, I don’t see a thing.”
“Mayhap, I’m the only one who can see it, since I’m a witch.”
“What is it? What do you see?”
“It looks like…oh, no! It’s Fang. He’s in terrible trouble!” Her head snapped up and she looked out in the water for the dog. “There, I see him.” She pointed far out in the waves. “The current must be too strong and he can’t get back to shore. It’s my fault. I threw the stick and now he’s going to drown.”
“Stay here,” Stone told her, removing his tunic, exposing his broad, bare chest. “I’ll get him.” He kicked off his shoes and ran, diving into the waves, making his way toward the dog.
Persimmon watched nervously, hoping that Stone was a strong swimmer. She prayed that he could save the poor dog. If his hound drowned, she would never forgive herself for being so careless.
“Show me what happens,” she said to the orb, shaking it and trying to get another vision in it. It remained dark. Her asking it to give her a vision did not work at all. Anything she’d seen before was now gone. She quickly slipped the orb back into her pouch and kicked off her wet shoes, holding up her gown and running down the beach, making her way to Stone and Fang.
“Do you have him? Stone, are you all right?” she yelled into the wind. She wanted to jump in and swim after them, but she wasn’t a good swimmer. Being in the convent for most of her life, she was never allowed to experience things that most girls her age could do. She’d only been able to practice swimming the few times she snuck out of the abbey to bathe in the lake. “Stone, do you have him?” she called again, barely able to see his head out on the water. Tears filled her eyes. This couldn’t be happening. Everything had been going so well, and now it was about to end in tragedy. She prayed that it would not.
Falling to her knees, she squeezed her eyes closed and prayed once again the way the nuns had taught her. She asked that Stone and Fang would return unharmed.
“Persimmon, what are you doing?” she heard after a short while. Her eyes popped open. Stone emerged from the water, half-naked and wet, carrying the drenched dog. He looked like a water god emerging from the sea.
“You saved him! You’re both all right.” She jumped up and ran to Stone, throwing her arms around him and the dog as soon as they got to shallow water. “Thank goodness you are both alive.” She kissed the dog. Fang licked her face before squirming out of Stone’s hold. He shook, getting them all wet, but Persimmon didn’t mind.
“Fang gets a kiss but not me?” Stone asked playfully. “I’m the one who risked my life to save the mutt.”
“I’ll gladly give you a kiss, too,” she answered, throwing her arms around him and kissing him over and over again.
He laughed. “Keep that up, and the gazing orb is going to explode.”
“Let it,” she said with a devilish grin, wondering in her mind what she’d be able to see in the globe if they actually had made love.
Thirteen
Stone knocked on the door to Persimmon’s room the next morning, hearing her voice call out from within.
“Come in.”
“Persimmon? Are you up?” He cracked the door and peeked inside, but didn’t see her. “Sweetheart?” He entered the room fully, getting the air knocked out of him as Persimmon barreled into him, throwing her arms around him, kissing him hard on the mouth.
“Oomph!” He chuckled, taking her in his arms. “What was that for?”
“Come in and close the door. Quickly,” she told him.
“What? Why? I was just going to leave to track down the thieves.” He pointed out into the corridor.
“This is more important. And if it works, you won’t need to look for the thieves because I will be able to tell you anything you want to know.”
“What does that mean?” She was acting odd this morning and he wasn’t sure what she had in mind.
“Close the door. Please.”
“All right.” With one arm still around her, he reached out for the door with his other hand and slammed it closed.
“I was thinking about it all night and I finally figured out the answer.”
“You did? What answer? What was the question?” he asked, still very confused.
“Quickly, undress.” Her hands went to his weapon belt to help him.
“Wait. What? Why?”
“Each time we were together, and especially when you kissed me, I was closer and closer to actually being able to scry.”
“So?”
She stopped unbuckling his belt and looked up at him. “So, that means coupling is what will activate the orb and also my ability to scry.” She pulled off the belt and weapons and laid them on a table.
