CHAPTER 3
SAIRA NEVER KNEW exactly what attracted her to the essence of another. First came the tug from some unknown source, and then she felt herself drawn toward someone with unique traits. Whether they were near, halfway around the world, or worlds apart made no difference. If the calling was strong, it was compelling.
Today she was observing a young Quebecoise in a small French-Canadian community called Outrement near Montreal. The woman's energies were high. It would be interesting to see where they took her, but for Saira that journey would have to wait.
A stronger force was pulling at her from the city of Baltimore in the United States. Because of her ability to travel through time and space, the journey was instantaneous. She arrived at her new destination at the very moment she left the old one.
The blackness could not conceal the woman's beauty or the darkness of the beast dwelling within her. For now it was caged in its lair, a prisoner to the will of its captor. She could feel it seething with a burning anger from frustration and knew it was only biding its time, waiting to break free of the barriers holding it captive. Its essence felt vaguely familiar, but Saira couldn't locate any tangible threads that would lead her to its source. That in itself was unusual.
So, this is part of the attraction, she thought, reaching deep into the woman's mind to touch the darkness. Sensing the intruder, the beast backed away, growled angrily, and called to its mistress. The human shifted restlessly in the concrete tomb, her concentration broken by an uncomfortable feeling that she wasn't alone.
"You sense my presence, don't you?" Saira asked, more to herself than the human.
"I feel it." The person gave an unexpected reply. "Who are you?"
"All in good time, Illusionist. At the moment, though, I think you have more pressing matters. I've broken your concentration, and you have only moments to escape from this place. Are you able to do it now?"
"I have no choice," Yemaya gasped. Already her breathing was labored from the small amount of air left in the chamber.
Saira watched in silence as the woman took a few deep breaths before settling into a state of deep meditation. Her breathing and heartbeat gradually slowed. Saira felt Yemaya's consciousness slipping away. Time was no longer on her side. She was losing the battle.
"A valiant try, Illusionist, but I'm afraid you've lost this one and I can't let that happen. We'll meet another day."
* * *
She slowly withdrew from Yemaya's mind and waited a little longer, hoping against reason the mortal would save herself. Only after the lungs and heart stopped functioning did she intervene. Allowing Yemaya to die was unacceptable. Her death would forever alter the future, and the ramifications could be disastrous.
After quickly making the necessary correction, Saira abruptly departed. She would seek what she required later. An unexpected pull was drawing her to a new entity emerging from the nothingness. It would be her first contact with someone from the Netherworld.
* * *
Yemaya couldn't remember how she escaped from the sarcophagus. One moment, the lid was being lowered on the concrete coffin and the next she was standing offstage in her apparition costume, slightly disoriented. Her assistants appeared slightly panicky but quickly recovered their composure when she walked onstage. She could sense their relief when they realized she was okay. Now it was up to her to make sure the finale went as planned, even if the escape hadn't.