Part 43 (2/2)

She wondered where Roux and Garin might be at this moment. They were the only two people in the world who understood what Annja's life had become since she gained possession of the sword. They had as much at stake with the sword as she did since they'd been searching for it and piecing it together for five hundred years. Garin had a way of showing up in strange places that happened to coincide with Annja being there. Part of her wondered if the sword enabled both men to know where she was to some extent.

But she also knew they both had untold sums of money that could buy them any information in the world that they desired. More than likely that was how they kept tabs on her.

As strange as it sounded, Annja would have welcomed their advice on this situation. Knowing them both, they would probably advocate taking the bull by the proverbial horns and beating the truth out of everyone involved.

Of course, they would also expect that Annja would use her sword, regardless of the consequences.

And she didn't agree with that approach.

Annja took another deep breath and tried to still her mind. She needed sleep in the worst way.

Her inner eye drew her back inside of herself, melting her thoughts into a spiraling swirl that sucked her back toward the blackness. She let herself get pulled under into the unseen riptide of her subconscious.

Annja felt sleep finally coming for her, and with the hornet's nest of questions buzzing around her head, she mercifully gave herself over to unconsciousness.

Chapter 23.

By the time Annja woke, she felt as if she'd started to recover the level of energy she normally had. Shadows drew long across the room and the rapidly fading sunlight told her that she'd slept more than she'd intended to. But at the same time, she felt rested and that would be important given what she had to deal with.

She almost slid her legs out of bed when something stopped her. A sudden warning from her subconscious, and there in the corner she saw why.

”Hey.”

Annja shook her head. ”Do you always show up so unexpectedly like that?”

Joey smiled. ”Not my fault you didn't sense me until it was almost too late.”

”Yeah, well, you didn't happen to see my clothes anywhere nearby, did you? Sheila promised she'd bring them up when they were done.”

”I didn't happen to pa.s.s by Sheila,” Joey said.

Annja frowned. ”Then how the h.e.l.l did you get into my room?”

Joey shrugged. ”The window was unlocked.”

Annja glanced at the window. It would have been about thirty feet to the ground. ”We're three stories up.”

”There's a fire escape on the back of the building that leads all the way up.”

”I didn't hear you.”

Joey grinned again. ”Of course you didn't.”

”I also didn't sense you.”

Joey got up from the small chair and walked to the window. ”My grandfather taught me how to disguise my presence, not just physically but on other levels, as well. It helps from time to time to be able to come and go as I please with no one noticing me being around.”

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