Free Desire Me by Robyn DeHart Page A

possession.”
    “What did you tell him?” Agnes asked.
    Sabine took a deep breath. “I lied. I told him I was a collector.”
    “He doesn’t believe you,” Calliope said with a shake of her head.
    “That I realize,” Sabine said.
    “And we still need that map,” Lydia said. “Desperately,” she added.
    “I’ll think of something.” Sabine eyed her aunts. She had to. And she wanted to accomplish the task without too much of their
     assistance. They needed to be able to rely on her.
    “And what of the other men?” Agnes asked. “What did they want?”
    Sabine ran a brush through her hair. “I don’t know.”
    “They had to be after the elixir,” Agnes said.
    Lydia shook her head. “It is too soon for the Chosen One to have found us. We are too well hidden. Madigan even agreed. And
     he took extra precautions to make certain he wasn’t followed here.”
    Madigan
. He had risked his life to warn them about the prophecy, to tell Sabine where to find the map, and thus far, she had failed
     in retrieving it. Sabine set the brush down.
    “Perhaps it was nothing more than a robbery,” Calliope offered. “Yes, I’m certain that’s what this was. Stores get robbed
     all the time.”
    “Still, they could have been after the elixir,” Lydia said.
    “Something doesn’t fit. Why were there three of them? It’s the Chosen One, not the chosen three.” Sabine shook her head. “I
     heard them, and they weren’t looking for anything in particular. They were common thugs,nothing more. I cannot believe the
     Chosen One would send bumblers to do such an important job.”
    Atlanteans were warned of the Chosen One, since he was the most powerful enemy of her people—cunning and clever, with ways
     to detect the presence of elixir. Would a person like that make such a mistake? She didn’t think so.
    They were quiet for a moment as if considering her words, then Lydia took a few steps forward. “Was the use of the elixir
     necessary tonight?”
    “I did what I had to do. You saw his wound. It was deep, the bullet was lodged, and I worried about infection,” Sabine said.
    “Yes, but he is an Englishman,” Lydia said.
    Sabine stood from her bed to create distance between her and her eldest aunt. She opened her mouth to answer, but before she
     could, Agnes spoke. “I am the Healer. It was my choice.”
    Lydia took a deep breath and nodded, but said nothing more.
    Sabine had to get her hands on the prophecy, sooner rather than later. Tomorrow she would pay Maxwell Barrett a visit.

Chapter Five

    T onight’s kill would be simple. His plan was so clever he still couldn’t believe how easy it had been to set up. Spencer waited
     in dense woods, just outside London, perched on a black horse. Luring his prey had taken some creativity. He had to be careful.
    No one investigating these murders could link them to him. Not yet. So he hadn’t been able to send notes or invitations. No,
     he’d made his requests in person. But in the end, his hard work would pay off. Because of his brilliance, he would get two
     with one clean swipe.
    The
Times
had not printed his last two letters, warning the guardians the time had come and their end was near. Perhaps this would
     get their attention. Though somehow he doubted it. The English were ridiculously arrogant, foolishly believing nothing and
     no one could cause their country significant harm. Hell, he could send a letter detailing his entire plan, and they would
     never believe anyone could be capable of such a feat.
    He didn’t plan on giving these two gentlemen thechoice of joining him. Two generals killed at once would guarantee the authorities
     took notice. After he took care of the men tonight, he would be leaving for Cornwall. It had taken him a while, but he had
     finally located the next guardian.
    For the completion of the prophecy, he required all three amphoras of elixir. As legend had it, the person who had all three
     amphoras of elixir became