Ian finished shaving, got in the shower and stood there for some time, just trying to picture what had gone on in his study earlier that evening. Realistically speaking, there was no way he would be able to convince Betty to go and stay somewhere else. The idea of this powerful ancient relic broadcasting a beacon that cut across magical ley lines like butter attracting every powerful magic user in the world, and possibly on others as well, wasn't frightening except where it intersected with Betty Jo being far too near to it.

But she wasn't leaving without Dia, and possibly, no probably, not without him either.  He sighed.  He soaped up, then rinsed off and turned off the water. He walked into the bedroom his hair still damp, the towel draped around his shoulders, and wearing nothing else. He smiled to see Betty Jo sitting in bed, her knees up to her chin, her eyes scrunched up, concentrating on something.

"A tuppence," he said.

Her eyes popped open.  "They're worth significantly less than that," she said.  "I was being nosy.  Making sure Dia's asleep."

"Ah. Is she all right?  Above and beyond being asleep?  She went through quite a bit today," he said as he pushed the feather bed aside to crawl in beside her.

"She seems to be.  She's a lot different than me and Billie or Bobbie.  A lot more self-contained, more of a loner."

He wrapped an arm around her as she snuggled down next to him. "Yes, indeed she is. How much do you know of her life?"

"Not a lot really.  Daddy didn't even know about her until she showed up at the house one day with, of all things, a letter of introduction from her mother.  She didn't know who he was, just that that's where her mother had told her to go for the summer.  After that she came every summer for a few years and then all of a sudden stopped.  I suppose that's when her mother sent her to Elihu.  I didn't see her again until I was in college and she wrote and asked if she could come to see us again.  But she never talks about her mother or any of that.  It's all either stuff we shared or stuff after we saw her again."

Ian frowned, thinking. "She's certainly an adept. She's well trained. But it bothers me that she wasn't prepared for the receipt of this burden. I'd like to help her but I'm not sure she'd accept it. Although I confess I'm rather surprised she decided to stay here. I'd have expected her, the moment she was in receipt of the book, to wish to leave and be on her own with it, to study its secrets."

"Is that what you'd want?"

"What, do I want her to leave? No, darling. If I'd wanted that I'd have said so."

"I appreciate that, but what I meant was if the book had come to you, would you have wanted to leave and be on your own with it to study it?"

"Yes. It's very powerful. It might hurt someone.  It must have powerful protective spells on it. Should someone attempt to take it from Dia... I've no idea what it might do."

"Is it powerful in and of itself or is it the the spells that are on it?" she asked.  "And what really happened today with her and it?"

"I'd think it is powerful in and of itself. But it is something that a great many people have been searching for for centuries. Millennia, really. So whoever had control of it had to come up with ways to protect it, to keep it from others.  I wonder how it chose Dia.. That was what happened. It must have been spelled so that when this Elihu died, it would then reach out to Dia for its new owner/protector. But what she's supposed to do with it now, I've no idea. Perhaps she is just supposed to keep its secrets. Or... Or try to understand them."

"She was always the cautious one, when we were children," Betty said.  "I mean she was as good at getting into trouble as we were, but she was always careful that what ever it was either we didn't get caught or if we did, we didn't get into trouble, you know?  She'd plan things out, have alternatives.  And the bigger the risk, the more careful she was going into it.  When it was her plan we never got into trouble, even when we got caught.  Not once."

"Good to know. Let's hope she plans to be as cautious now."

"Well, I was thinking maybe that's what she's doing now.  Why she hasn't done anything with it yet.  Plus maybe she's waiting for something else, though god knows what."  She grinned.  "In spite of daddy, who's going to be green when he hears about all this, I'm not all that up on life with practicing magicians.  Is it always like this?"

"Always like what?" he asked, twirling a curl on his finger.

"All this stuff.  Magical things showing up, windows blowing out."  She wriggled against him.  "You know, now that I think about it maybe you're being unfair to Hermione, maybe failing in your responsibilities to her not letting her in on all this.  Things to be learned, spells to be seen...and like that."

"Good point," he responded. "More sex magic to teach her..."

"Not until you teach me," she said.

He met her eyes a smile playing on his lips. "I had no idea you were interested in such esoteric things. I thought you the practical magic sort."

"Well, you never know when these things might come in handy, darling.  After my first experience with it, you might say I have a distinct fondness for it and an abiding interest in its possibilities....a burgeoning desire to know all there is to know about it."

"Ah, well, true. As an untutored adept you did seem to take right to it the moment I suggested we give it a try."

"Deep seated instinct," she said.

"Is that what they're calling it these days," he said with a grin.

She sniffed.  "Calling what?"

He laughed and kissed her. "Odd about the cats though," he said thoughtfully much later.

"Odd?" she echoed, boneless next to him.

"Firstly that there are two. Secondly that the one seems to have attached itself to Lev, despite his obvious disinterest in it."

"Well one's hers and the other was accompanying his companion's...power?  On the other hand cats are notorious for picking the one person in a roomful of cat lovers that dislikes them the most and gluing themselves to their lap.  It's almost a point of pride for them."

"Ah. I hadn't known that. Perhaps that's all it is then."

"Hmmm, you know now that I have the ability to think again...maybe I should study sex magic, and perhaps tantric sex as well to improve the yoga."

"You could practice with Lev," he suggested.

"Nope.  Unless I'm practicing with you, I'm sticking to the theoretical.  Too confusing otherwise, trying to remember in the throes whose name I should use.  You might not like it if I called you Lev and toss me out into the snow.  And he might beat me up or something."

"Excellent point. I suppose I'll just have to take you on as a student then. Are you ready for your first lesson?"

"Absolutely.  But you should know I was only half flirting.  The other half is serious."

"I'm very glad to hear it. Let's see if we can set this part of the house on fire."

"Oh yeah.  I'm a closet pyromaniac too, you know.  I love playing with fire."

"Why am I not surprised," he muttered as he attacked her with kisses.

Later after they'd put the fire out that they'd built she stirred against him.   "How unhappy are you that I won't leave?"

"Devastated.  Why?"

"Be serious," she said.  "I want to know."

He thought for a moment then said, "I'm of two minds. I'd prefer you out of it, in case it does get out of hand. But at the same time, I'm egotistical enough to believe I can protect you better than anyone else can."

"Then perhaps instead of sending me away you might consider teaching me the things that would make it less probable you're being egotistical and more probable you're right."

"Yes, well, I have every intention of teaching you everything you want to learn. Only it will take time. You've grown up with no basis upon which we can build, so we've got to start basically with a clean slate. I can hardly blame Jonah since so far as he knew you had no real ability - nor your sisters.  Well  except Dia. So we have to begin with things that are far more basic, and that is not a bad thing, but it means it will take longer."

"Ah, so you'll also stop worrying about sending me away to keep me safe?"

"I can't promise not to worry, Betty Jo. I love you far too much not to worry about your safety."

"That's not what I asked," she said, brushing her lips across his chest. "I know you'll worry, just like I worry about you.  Just stop thinking sending me away is the answer."

"Is it?"  he asked.

"No."

"And I can't even think about it?"

"I am happy to say I am not powerful enough to control your thoughts.  But it's pretty futile wouldn't you say?" she asked.  "Particularly since I'm unlikely to agree."

"Women," he muttered unhappily.

"Well, just remember," she said, her hand drifting downward, "that, in spite of making you miserable, we do have our uses."

"Yes, but it's the other 20 hours of the day I worry about."

She laughed.  "I'm happy to do my all to reduce that number.  All you have to do is say the word."

"I love you."

"You've no idea how happy that makes me," she said.  "I love you."

"Good. You still owe me two hours."

"Take them, they're yours," she said, before she kissed him.  "As am I."