The Blood She Betrayed - Cheryse Durrant The Heart Hunters

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pendant from behind her cuirass and passed it to him after some hesitation. The heart-shaped bow, edged by miniature dragon claws and the defiant spines of its tail, revealed a silver filigree needle nudging south-south-west. The clockface was void of numerals, yet something rippled through it.

      Raw power thrummed against his fingers as he turned it over. No map. No ancient inscriptions. Only the intricate scales of a dragon.

      `How does this help you?'

      `It is pure magic, crafted by Danu. The needle points to the Elnara.' She tugged the key from his hand, looped the cord over her neck and returned the dragon to the hidden hollow between her breasts. `I know the direction, even if I do not know the distance.'

      `But your journey could take months.'

      `No, I am close to the Elnara. It is most certainly on this continent. Your kingdom must be no more than two days' travel in breadth if we take a car?'

      `My kingdom? This continent? Shah, you have no idea.' He escorted her back into the library and asked her to wait near a lamplit table while he went in search of an atlas. He returned with a mammoth leather-bound edition which he laid on the table in front of her.

      `This is a book of maps, and this is a map of Australia.'

      Shahkara peered at the page.

      `We are here,' Max pointed to Brisbane, then trailed his finger south. `This is Coffs Harbour, six hours away in a car. This is Melbourne, twenty-one hours away.'

      `Then I have not a minute to lose. I must depart immediately.'

      `Uh-uh! We, not you. I know how to help you get there faster, by triangulating the Elnara's position.'

      He reached for a pencil and drew a large X over Brisbane. `The compass says the Elnara is somewhere in this direction,' he drew a line south-south-west from Brisbane to Australia's south coast.

      `So, if we drive south-west,' he sketched another line from Brisbane, `the compass needle should slowly change direction until we can pin-point the Elnara along this third line heading south-east.' He completed a sample triangle and circled the southern intersection point. `See?'

      `But that means we have to travel twice as far.'

      `Not if our westward journey is shorter than our southern route. Besides, we can fly south once we have the coordinates.'

      `Fly? How?'

      `In an aeroplane, flying machine, that goes faster than a car.'

      `Why not just fly south straight away?'

      `Aeroplanes can only take off and land at certain places, so we'd need to know where we're going or we could run out of fuel and crash out of the sky.'

      `Your strategy has merit. Are you willing to accompany me? Can we leave immediately?'

      `We've got a couple of hours to kill until midnight. We could drive west now to see if triangulation is our best bet. If the compass needle turns during that time, we won't need a plane and can do it all by road. I'll be back in a sec. I'll just put the atlas away.'

      Max bit his lip as he strode back down the aisle to the reference section. Leaving Shahkara's side for even a few minutes seemed like an eternity.

      What was happening to him? In less than a day, she'd given his empty life purpose and he wanted to help her more than anything. Ever.

      As he rounded the softly-lit row of books and slid the atlas back in its nook, he froze at the sound of another voice in the library.

      `All alone are you, Miss Towers? That's so typical of Hugh.'

      Great. What was his father up to now?

      Chapter Six

      There was something evil about Liam McCalden. Not a rough, ugly evil, but the smooth, shiny kind that made her insides crawl even as she forced a smile. `Your son was showing me your home.'

      `The architecture is impressive, I do boast. It was built by my great-grandfather, William McCalden. Four generations have added to it and one day it will belong to Hugh.'

      `I am sure Max will grow into his destiny.'

      His icy gaze gripped her like pincers until her temples stung. `You and Hugh are unsuitable friends. You know this and you want nothing more to do with him.'

      `I disagree. Your son is helpful.'

      `You won't change his mind, Shahkara.' Max joined them. `My father thinks he's always right.'

      McCalden's eyes narrowed. `I just tried contacting your bodyguards. Ike was at home, watching TV. But Jack is not answering his phone.'

      `Quit hassling me, and them, Dad. I gave them the night off.'

      `I am disappointed in you.'

      `Is this something new?'

      `If you'll excuse us, Miss Towers.' McCalden tucked an arm around his son and walked him to the far side of the library. It made no difference of course. Shahkara could still hear every hushed syllable.

      `What are you doing, bringing this girl here?'

      `We're just hanging.'

      `The library is off-limits. She could be spying for Findrex. Do you have any idea what would happen if they stole our research?'

      `She's not a spy, Dad. She's my friend.'

      `And you're not swayed at all by her pretty face and pert breasts? I don't trust her.'

      `You don't know her. And nothing you say will stop me seeing her.'

      `Hugh, show some sense and discretion!'

      `It's my life, Dad.'

      `You mean the one you're throwing away?'

      The air almost crackled with venom as Liam McCalden strode from the library. Seconds later, Max returned to her side. `Sorry. For some reason, he doesn't like you.'

      `The sentiment is mutual. Will you drive me west now, to gauge the Elnara's southerly direction?'

      `I'd love to, except—' His breath reminded her he had downed champagne.

      `Except you drank alcohol.'

      `Just two glasses, but that makes me illegal to drive on my Ps. On my provisional licence.'

       He did not even hold a real licence?

      `I told you I would not heal you again and I asked you not to drink. Why did you not think?'

      `I'm sorry. Dad has that effect on me.'

      Tension rippled through her, not because she did not wish to heal him, but because she feared the intimacy. Was that why they were linked, because she had shared her Ainefire, and used her healing energies on him before?

       No, she had healed others without evoking desire. Max was different. That was why he should not join her quest.

      But with only three days it was unlikely she could retrieve the Elnara in this bizarre world without his help.

      Doubt gnawed at her. She must not trust him, especially when desire, not sense, sparked her impulses.

      `This is the last time,' she warned. `Healing robs me of energy.'

      `I'm sorry. I didn't know.'

      Her temples still ached from the caustic exchange with Liam McCalden. `If you accompany me on this quest, you will not drink alcohol and you will do as I instruct.'

      `I promise.'

      `Indeed. A man's word is his honour.' A little voice inside her whispered, Trust no one. Find the Elnara.

      She feared healing Max would deepen their connection, but she needed him sober. Quashing her misgivings, she fanned her fingers across his neck and let her Ainefire creep from her vessels until it sparked

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