Free There'll be Hell to Pay (Hellcat Series Book 6) by Sharon Hannaford Page B

“I’m sorry about what has
happened. I’ll help in any way I can. Please know that the Magi of
the City aren’t keeping their distance because we no longer care.
Quite the contrary, actually. Athena wanted me to reiterate that
she will always render any assistance she can, and asked that I
convey to you not to hesitate to call on us in the future.” Trinity
paused for a moment, looking down at her hands, but it was obvious
she had more to say. “Athena walks a fine line with the High
Council. She is so much younger than the rest of them, and they
hold it against her, but she is on your side and she does care, I
swear it. More than you have any idea.” She looked up and pierced
Gabi with her gaze.
    Gabi nodded and
sat back in her seat with a sigh, any tinge of animosity towards
Athena dispelled by the obvious sincerity of the message that had
been sent.
    “ Please explain to us how your gift works,” Gabi said as the
Magus took a seat in the chair brought over by Alexander for her.
“Athena only said that you can track objects, not how or what
objects.”
    “ Well, usually I ask the person seeking the object to join
minds with me while thinking of the object,” Trinity explained,
with no hint of impatience or condescension. “If they can capture
the true essence of the object in their mind, I can usually sense
where it is to within a few hundred metres. Generally speaking, the
seeker needs to have touched or seen the object in reality, not
simply through a photo or video, for example. I can be fairly
precise, but I can’t track over vast distances. About a hundred
kilometres is my outer limit. The most reliable way to track is
also the least common, in my experience. If you have an actual
piece of what you are seeking, I can get the bearings of the rest
of it just by holding it, and usually I can lead you to within a
few metres of it.” She paused to see if the rest of them were
following her; when Gabi nodded, she continued. “Most importantly,
the closer to unique the object is, the better the chances I can
track it.”
    Gabi’s
confusion must have shown on her face.
    “ I probably couldn’t track your lost black iPhone, because
there are so many of them in the world, but if it was a
blinged-out, pink iPhone, I could probably work with that. A white
Toyota hatchback would be almost impossible, but a licence plate I
could track.”
    Gabi nodded her
understanding.
    “ My mom’s engagement ring?” Gabi asked after a quick mental
catalogue of the objects her mother might have with her.
    “ Yes, that would be a good piece to start with,” Trinity
agreed. “It’s individual and will have meaning to you; that helps
as well.”
    “ Do you need anything special before you get started?” Julius
asked in a calm voice. He’d stayed quiet up to now, aware of how
overwhelming most people found his presence.
    Trinity’s eyes
flew to him, and her cheeks flooded with colour before she just as
quickly dropped her gaze. “No, no, nothing special,” she said,
hiding her fluster by dipping her head and allowing her long, dark
blonde hair to fall over her face. “Just quiet, no disturbances,
please. Gabi, would you come and sit in front of me?” Her
professionalism took over and she turned her chair so that Gabi
could place another chair in front of her.
    “ We’ll leave you; call if you need anything. I’ll make sure a
car is ready for us,” Julius told Gabi, placing a hand on her
shoulder and flooding her mind with warm reassurance.
    She nodded,
reaching to squeeze his hand for just a moment, and then sat down
in the chair to face Trinity. A second later the door closed and
the two of them were alone.
    “ I know this is hard, Gabrielle.” Trinity spoke with quiet
firmness. “But I need you to utterly clear your mind of all
worries, concerns and fears. Close your eyes and concentrate on my
voice instead.”
    Gabi pulled a
long, slow breath into her lungs. Everything she’d thrown into the
back of her