Free Amaryllis by Jayne Castle

not,” Lucas murmured.
    “That poor prism. Won’t be able to work for at least a week, maybe longer. I understand the feeling of losing your ability to hold a focus is extremely unpleasant.”
    “It’s not painful, is it?”
    “No. Not exactly. But most people who’ve been through it describe it as a sense of something missing. As if they’ve lost a part of themselves. They say it feels very unnatural. There is no excuse for that sort of mismatch between prism and talent.”
    “Uh huh.” Lucas listened to the lecture with only a portion of his attention as he searched for Miranda in the crowd.
    “You said you knew who the talent is?”
    “What? Oh, yeah, I think so. I’m guessing that because of the sort of talent he was using and the power level he employed, it was probably—hold on a second.” Lucas broke off as Miranda Locking abruptly turned away from Merrick Beech and went down a darkened hall. “There she goes. Wonder what she’s up to now.”
    “Who? Miss Locking?” Amaryllis followed his gaze. She frowned when she caught sight of Miranda. “She looks very upset.”
    “Maybe Beech isn’t willing to pay her what she thinks Lodestar information is worth,” Lucas muttered. “This whole thing has been a waste of time and money. I shouldn’t have bothered to figure out why she was doing it. I should have just fired her and been done with it.”
    “She’s headed toward the corridor that leads to the ladies’ room.” Amaryllis set down her glass. “I’ve got an idea. I’m going to follow her.”
    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
    “Miss Locking appears to be extremely anxious about something. I’m a prism, remember? That means I’m intuitive by nature.”
    “I’ve always felt that the theory that prisms are naturally more intuitive than other people was a myth,” Lucas said dryly.
    “Well, it’s not. I’ll follow Miss Locking into the rest-room.”
    “Why?”
    “In her present condition she might want to talk to another woman.”
    “You think she’ll bare her soul to you? Forget it. That’s the dumbest idea I’ve heard in a month.”
    Amaryllis met his eyes. “You want answers, don’t you? I might be able to get them for you if I move quickly enough.”
    “Damn it, I don’t want you getting involved in this.”
    “I already am involved. And I’m the only one who can follow Miss Locking into the restroom.” Amaryllis whirled about and hurried off through the throng.
    “Just a damn minute. Come back here. I’m in charge of this fiasco.” Lucas realized that he was talking to himself. Never a good sign.
    He swore silently as he watched Amaryllis make her way along the fringes of the crowd.
    He had known it would be a mistake to work with a full-spectrum prism. Amaryllis was probably trying to prove how clever she was. Overcompensating for her lack of real talent, no doubt.
    Typical prism. Headstrong, difficult, and unpredictable.
    Unable to think of anything else to do, Lucas went after her.

Chapter
4

    Amaryllis’s hands were still trembling with reaction. She could not believe what had happened. She was a professional. True, she had only been working as a commercial prism for a few months, but she’d had years of experience in the academic world. She had a wall papered with degrees and certificates.
    But she had been totally unprepared for the effects of the link with Lucas. Nothing in her experience had led her to anticipate such a shockingly intimate sensation.
    The few seconds of disorientation and the accompanying sense of vulnerability that preceded the actual link had not disturbed her. She was accustomed to that feeling. Every prism experienced a moment of blind, groping awareness. It passed as soon as the psychic link between talent and prism took hold.
    The focus link itself was a remarkably uncomplicated, emotionally neutral matter. It was as natural as using one’s eyes or ears or taste buds. The only way it differed from any of the other