“You are…” she replied, and I could actually hear the smile in her voice.

“I’m glad you think so, because I don’t feel like I am.”

“How is it down there?” she asked, switching the subject without acknowledging what I had just said.

On reflex I looked out the windows of the taxi at the piles of detritus as I spoke, “Not as bad as we saw on TV, but it’s still not good.”

“Are you keeping your wards up?”

“Yeah. I am.”

When she replied, her voice was still illuminated by the somewhat bright tone that had made me smile a moment ago. “ Cac capaill. You’re lying again. You haven’t been able to shield yourself for more than ten minutes in years. I know coven initiates who ground better than you.”

I allowed myself a grin at the comment, complete with the Gaelic profanity. Knowing Felicity as I did, I took the curse as yet another positive sign.

I felt the car slowing and looked up. We listed briefly as the driver swung the vehicle into the motel’s lot in a tight arc and then eased us up in front of the office.

“Hold on, honey,” I said into the phone as I fished out my wallet.

I did a quick mental calculation of the tip and stuffed some bills into his hand with a quick “keep the change,” then stepped out of the vehicle and started across the lot to my own car. The trip had put a dent in my traveling cash, but I wasn’t hurting yet. Still, I figured plastic was probably going to be my best choice to pay for my meals from this point on.

“Okay, I’m back,” I said after returning the phone to my ear.

“Have you been eating?” she asked, still bent on taking care of me by long distance.

I didn’t think she needed the worry, but it seemed to be giving her something to focus on. So, if it made her feel better, I wasn’t going to argue.

“Aspirin and coffee.”

“Rowan…”