The Second Heart

  * * *

  As Nate turned the car onto Eleanor’s street, Meredith could feel the protégé's presence. It was like moving toward a loud party; the closer they got to Eleanor’s house, the more Meredith could feel the malicious power.

  “Damn it,” Meredith said quietly.

  “What?” Vi demanded, instantly on the alert.

  “The protégé is at Eleanor’s house.” She glanced at Nate and commanded, “Pull over. We need a plan.”

  Nate did as he was told, stopping the car a few houses down from Eleanor’s. He shifted into park and faced Meredith, leaving the engine running. “What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know,” Meredith said, clasping a hand around her thaelis nervously. “The protégé won’t know I’m here. We gotta work that to our advantage somehow.”

  “Why don’t we just keep driving? For all you know, the protégé has already killed everyone in the house,” Nate said earnestly.

  Meredith shook her head. “No, I can feel Eleanor, too.” She opened the door and stepped out of the car, looking critically at Eleanor’s house.

  Vi came and stood beside her. “That’s Dr. Sparling’s car,” she said quietly, pointing to the shiny sports car parked on the street.

  “Come on,” Meredith said, acting on instinct. She jogged toward the house in a low crouch, sneaking up to the front window and peeking inside. Meredith could see Dr. Sparling and Eleanor sitting on the sofas in the living room. The negative energy emanated from Dr. Sparling like a foul stench. “Dr. Sparling is the protégé,” she said to Vi in a low whisper.

  The color drained from Vi’s face. “Oh my God, she gave us a ride.”

  “Shh.” Meredith strained to hear their conversation.

  Dr. Sparling was speaking. “Eleanor, let me help you. I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into here, but I’m on your side. Tell me everything, and we’ll work it out together.”

  Eleanor shifted in her seat, remaining silent for a moment. Then she said, “Fine. I did help the girls leave the hospital, but I haven’t seen them since.”

  Meredith’s eyebrows knit together thoughtfully. Eleanor didn’t know that Dr. Sparling was the protégé. And if she didn’t know… that meant that she wouldn’t be prepared if Dr. Sparling attacked.

  “You know, Eleanor,” Dr. Sparling said with a small chuckle. “I just don’t believe you.”

  Meredith continued thinking furiously to herself. Eleanor had said that being able to sense other magicians was virtually unheard of, so chances were good that the protégé didn’t know that Eleanor was a magician. Eleanor, who had waited thousands of years to take Aleric down, was now in harm’s way because she was trying to protect Meredith.

  Meredith turned to Vi. “I have to protect Eleanor, Vi. Not the other way around.”

  “What?” Vi asked, not following her line of thinking.

  “My parents are still inside. Please get them out and run like hell, okay?”

  “No way, Mere. I’m not leaving you here to do… whatever it is you think you need to do.” Vi set her mouth into a thin line and shook her head. Behind her, Nate’s face expressed similar sentiments.

  If Meredith could convince Dr. Sparling to leave without learning the truth about Eleanor, she had to do it. Meredith reached up and pulled the thaelis over her head. “It’s too late.”

  Inside, a broad grin spread out onto Dr. Sparling’s face. “Well, well,” she murmured contentedly.

  Meredith pressed the thaelis into Vi’s hand. “Use this to hide. I don’t want the protégé to hurt you guys because of me. Go.”

  Tears sprang into Vi’s eyes as she and Nate scrambled off the porch and ran around the side of the house. Once they were out of sight, Meredith rang the doorbell.