Z had figured it out and she’d doubted him, Dorothy thought morosely. She was disappointed in her aunt. Or she would be if she didn’t want to wring her neck for stealing Z away from her.
Suki munched on a plate full of what looked to be oysters as she enthralled her small audience. “For a while she was the happiest I’d ever seen her. I suppose when you’ve been responsible for saving and helping to establish an entire world, you don’t have a lot of time for fun and romance.”
“I can imagine,” the king murmured, listening intently.
“Anyhoo, when the wizard betrayed her and broke her heart, she was totally shattered. She had no real family to turn to. Two of her three sisters had been killed during the Great War, and everyone in Oz only wanted her for what she could do for them. So she went to stay with her last remaining relatives. A sister who’d fallen in love with a man from Earth and a half brother who hadn’t inherited any powers worth mentioning. I went with her for moral support, thinking it would only be temporary.”
Dorothy stood, pacing behind the king and Kansas. She didn’t want to feel any sympathy for her aunt. She was too upset, imagining what Z might be going through. What he looked like the last time she’d seen him. But it snuck in anyway. How lonely must Glin have been? How devastated to leave this behind and hide her power?
“So you’ve been away from home all these years? Disguised as a house cat?”
Suki nodded and the king sent her a look of admiration that had her preening. “That’s quite a sacrifice.”
“I wasn’t a cat the entire time. For a while she helped me look like everyone else. I was one sexy human female, let me tell you. And I started to love it. There’s something about Earth. It’s hard to describe, but it grows on you. It wasn’t until Dorothy was born that Glinda asked me to be a full-time guardian.”
She met Dorothy’s gaze. “She always said there was something different about you. Something special that had skipped a generation. She worried about you all the time. And I had already had two lifetimes’ worth of the human experience, so I thought it might be nice to be pampered for a while. And you, Mistress, spoiled me rotten. Thank you for that, by the way.”
“No problem.” Dorothy held her aching head. “Suki, when are we going to get to this plan of yours? The one to save Z.”
“Oh that.” Suki popped a sardine into her mouth. “Mmm. Well, I was thinking that you and I get cleaned up, get a little shuteye and then head over to the palace to talk your aunt into releasing your magical mancakes.”
“That’s your plan?” Kansas shook his head. “You think she’ll stop looking for the spell of unmaking, stop threatening to kill all wizards and leave the palace quietly after one little chat?”
“She already has the spell.” The king was grim. “It dwells in the mind of every wizard in our world. Our only consolation is that she’ll never be able to break our Z. And if she kills him, the information would die with him.”
“That does not console me.” There were other wizards. She could go through them one at a time. If Z didn’t give her what she wanted…
“You need sleep, Dorothy. It’s nearly morning.” Kansas embraced her, rocking her the way he used to when she’d had a horrible day and needed his shoulder to cry on. This time it didn’t soothe her. The only arms she wanted around her had been taken from her, and she wasn’t sure what she could do about it.
She wasn’t special. She didn’t have her aunt’s abilities.
But her aunt told Suki Dorothy was special. “My grandmother was just like Aunt Glin? The same abilities?”
Suki smiled, nodding. “They were a sight to behold when they were together. All with command over the elements, over the gems of the earth, over people. The family talisman, the gem that helped focus their power was of course—”
“Rubies.” All three of them responded at the same time.
Suki nodded like a proud parent. “It made their spells a thousand times stronger. Increased their magic. If Glinda didn’t have her ruby…”
“We might just have a chance.” Dorothy let Kansas herd her toward the plush blankets as the small group continued to discuss the possibilities. Her eyes began to close as she listened to their low murmuring voices, and she fell asleep with the image of Z’s golden features frozen with an expression of such tenderness that her heart ached.
There had to be a way to get through to Aunt Glin. But family or not, she would do whatever it took to save the man she loved. She only hoped they wouldn’t be too late.
Chapter Eight
She’d thought it would be harder. Dorothy had been ready to fight Gliders and Weavers and battle their way into the palace. Well, not ready, but it was what she’d expected. The surprise was how everyone stepped aside as they passed, allowing Dorothy, Suki, the king and Kansas to travel without incident.
It was a little anticlimactic, not that she’d ever say that out loud.
When they reached the throne room, Dorothy couldn’t restrain her cry of relief. Z was standing beside the throne, arm still curved, face still beautiful. Still a statue, but alive.
“Z!” She ran toward him, only to be stopped by an invisible shield. The same kind of energy field Aunt Glin had used to protect their house.
“Dee, dear, what were you thinking? Did you learn nothing from me after all these years?”
Her aunt stood there, looking the same as she always had. Long mahogany hair streaked with steel, bright green eyes so like her own. Disappointment etched into her ageless face.
Dorothy steeled her spine and glanced at Z again, wishing for some of his confidence. “Me? What were you thinking? You’ve turned a living, breathing person into a statue. You’ve displaced a king and nearly started a civil war. I thought you were somewhere in Bermuda.”
Her aunt crossed her arms. “I was in Bermuda, but I like to come back to the old stomping grounds every few years to check on things. And get your facts straight, young lady. I didn’t displace anyone. They took one look at me and left the building.” Her gaze flicked to Kansas and the king. “Rude, if you ask me.”
The king stepped forward with a flourishing bow. “GW, we have always honored you, as well as the gifts you granted during the Transformation. But now our unity is shattered. Clans have been forced to choose sides and bloodshed isn’t far behind. For the sake of my people—your people—I ask you to give up this desire for vengeance. Do not allow one betrayal to destroy the peace this land has known since the Great War.”
Aunt Glin ignored him in order to glare at Suki. “You told them?”
Suki shrugged, her expression apologetic, but firm. “I love you dearly, old friend. But you made me Dorothy’s guardian. I took a vow that her happiness and well-being would always be my first concern.”
“Exactly,” Aunt Glin hissed. “You should have kept him away from her.”
“But that wasn’t what she needed. She won’t be happy without the wizard you’ve currently turned into a giant chunk of bling. She won’t be happy if her best friend loses his husband because you’re in a bad mood. And she would be devastated to lose the only family she has because you destroy everyone else that she loves and become a monster. I just don’t think you’ve thought this whole unmaking plan through.”
Aunt Glin winced, but then her features hardened. “She doesn’t know what’s best for her. Wizards—”
“Stubborn woman.” A deep voice had them all turning around. “This is an impressive rescue party, but as you can see, once she makes up her mind about you, there’s no changing it. It doesn’t matter who you are, or if she is actually the one in the wrong. She’s the GW. And she has spoken.”
A gorgeous older man with shock-white hair and dark golden eyes came to stand beside them, his hands clenched in tight fists at his sides.
“You!”
Dorothy’s head whipped between them, her jaw dropping. “Is that him?”
“My name is Aden.” The Wizard bowed to Dorothy gallantly. “The first wizard created
for the king’s ancestor. And, according to my nephew, the reason this realm is in chaos.”
“Still with the ego,” Aunt Glin muttered, clearly shaken.
“Glinda, Zenamulous has done nothing to you. Nothing but fall in love with a witch. A crime I’ve been guilty of as well.”
Suki hissed, stepping toward the man with her claws spread threateningly. “How can you talk about love, A? You betrayed her. You slept with everything that moved, and, what’s worse, you tried to steal her powers.”
Aden sighed, shaking his head. “Suki, you are a true and loyal friend, but you only have one side of the story. And you’re both wrong.”
He snared Glinda’s gaze, his own intense. “I never shared another’s bed without you right beside me. Never made love to anyone but you once you accepted me. But you believed I had. Believed that Glider who whispered in your ear. Believed the jealous gossips who wanted your attention for themselves. You never trusted me. You brought me to life. You owned my heart. But you never trusted in my love.”
While he was speaking, Dorothy felt the forcefield drop around them and ran to Z’s frozen form. She laid her hand on his chest, directly over the now golden ruby necklace. Could he hear what was happening? Her heart ached for him, for her aunt, for all of them. What a mess. It was obvious to her that Aden was telling the truth. It was just as obvious that she and her aunt shared the same fears about their sensual, magnetic beaus. Were they enough for the wizards? Would one witch’s heart be enough for a lifetime?
Glinda crossed her arms defensively, doubt in her eyes. “How can I believe anything you say when I heard you speak of stealing my abilities and claiming them for your own? And Suki saw you looking through my spell books in my private sanctuary when you knew I wasn’t there.”
Aden took a step closer, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “Why didn’t you talk to me, Glinda? Why didn’t you ask me any of this? All these years we’ve lost for nothing.”
He looked behind him and shook his head. “We might have wasted a trip, old friend.”
“Uncle Emerson?”
Dorothy and Kansas shared a shocked gaze before turning back to the slender man who always smiled and always smelled like butterscotch. “Hello, my boy. Dee, sweetheart. Good to see you both again.”
Aunt Glin huffed, but her eyes were wary. “Emerson.”
“Sister,” he acknowledged gravely.
“Sister?” Dorothy repeated, remembering Suki mentioning a half-brother without powers. “You’re…I mean I’m your…”
Emerson laughed. “That’s right. I’m a bit of a black sheep, so they don’t like to acknowledge me, but your mother and Glinda are my sisters. And they’re as hard to live with now as they were to live up to then.”
Kansas moved closer to Dorothy and she reached out with her free hand to grasp his.
“I guess this means we’re cousins?” he said in a voice that sounded lost and confused.
And that both their families had immigrated from Oz. “Good thing I got over my fifth-grade crush on you.”
“What are you doing here, Emerson?”
The older man adjusted his sweater vest and glared at his sister. “I’m a witness. I heard the rumors back then. He had a reputation, and nobody thought he was good enough for you. So I tested him. Told him he would never be your equal, never be accepted by you as long as you were in charge. I said I knew a way to steal your power and make it my own, but I needed his help.”
“You what?”
When Dorothy and Kansas stared at him in shocked silence, he blushed. “I thought I was being a good brother. I didn’t know you were listening in. And he passed the damn thing, by the way. Told me he’d kill me before he let anyone hurt you.”
“He did?”
Aden swore. “No one, not even you, could believe I would want to be tied to a woman more powerful than I. But your heart was all I ever wanted, Glinda, and I never kept my feelings for you a secret. Hiding behind curtains and eavesdropping was your department.”
Glinda winced. “What about the book?”
“After your brother’s test, the king called me to his chambers, telling me he refused to allow me to claim you in the customary way until I discovered whether or not there were any rules against us coming together—creator and created—in your library.”
“And you wanted to find the answer so you could surprise her and propose.” Kansas nodded thoughtfully. “Might have saved us all a lot of trouble if you’d just asked her, man. No judgment or anything.”
Dorothy scowled. “Oh there’s plenty of judgment for all of them.”
She looked at her aunt. “This was why you left without a word to anyone? Why you stayed away for literally generations and gave me nightmares about evil wizards?” Her voice rose is disbelief. “You didn’t even talk to him and give him a chance to explain?”
“Dorothy, don’t anger the GW.” The king’s voice was hushed, but it echoed off the walls.
“She knows I’m right.” Dorothy leaned closer to Z. The gold warmed beneath her hands and gave her strength. “Aunt Glin, you’ve been so angry and hurt for so long that you can’t see what’s right in front of your eyes.”
Aunt Glin’s lips were trembling, but her spine was still rod straight. “I assume you’re going to tell me what I’m missing, are you? I changed your diapers, dear. I built this world and I know more than you ever will.”
“You didn’t know you had a brother who loved you enough to try and ensure your happiness. You didn’t know that your nephew Kansas has a power he hasn’t quite tapped into yet, but I can feel every time I touch him.” Kansas tensed beside her, but she kept going. “And you clearly don’t understand wizards at all. At least, not how they love. Passionately. Stubbornly. Completely.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t understand. You don’t even know what you are. How he could hurt you.”
Dorothy shook her head. “I know you, Aunt Glin. You doubted whether you were loved for yourself or your power. Maybe once or twice you even wondered if you’d created someone who could challenge and attract you, because deep inside, you didn’t believe you deserved someone so perfect.”
Her aunt flinched, and she knew she’d hit her target. “It was your insecurity, not his betrayal that brought us here. And it’s your hurt pride and vanity that could destroy everyone and everything in this world. Is it worth it? Even if you were right, even if he’d broken your heart, do you really have it in you to do so much damage?”
Aunt Glin turned away from her and met her wizard’s gaze, tears in her eyes. “Aden.”
The man stepped closer and drew her into his arms. “I should have traveled the storm to find you, but you doubted me and I was too damned proud.”
So much time wasted. So much pain.
Dorothy looked up into the golden face of her lover, all she felt in her eyes. “I would rather have a single day of a wizard’s love, than an endless lifetime without it.”
Waves of heat began to roll off the statue. It grew so hot Dorothy could barely touch it. Hope had her holding her breath and joining her power to the talisman’s, and within moments she was gazing into sensual whiskey eyes.
Warm eyes. Alive. Unfrozen.
“…love you, Dorothy.” He finished the sentence she felt she’d been waiting to hear her whole life.
“And I love you, Zenamulous.”
Uncle Emerson watched the two couples, a relieved expression in his kind eyes. “Finally. Everything is as it should be again. ‘Bout damn time.”
Z kissed her tenderly, wrapping his arms tightly around her as if she planned to escape him.
“Uncle Aden. Glad you made it in time.”
“Did you know he was coming?” Dorothy asked. How?
“I grew up on stories of the first wizard’s one true love, thinking how crazy he was for living the life of a sexless hermit all these years, when there were so many willing partners to be had.”
Dorothy saw her aunt’s lips part i
n surprise. “Sexless? Aden?”
Aden’s smile was tight. “When you bond with your heart’s mate, no one else will do, love.”
“But it’s been—”
“Yes it has,” he interrupted with a growl. “And I’ll be damned if we put this off one minute more. Your Majesty?”
“Yes, First Wizard?” The king stepped forward.
“May I present to you the good witch Glinda, creator of the Crow Warriors, friend of all and keeper of my heart. I ask my king for his blessing.”
The king smiled in relief. “I won’t be the one to deny you today. You have my blessing. I ask only that your heart keeper dwell with us in peace, so that all the clans can live in harmony once more.”
Aunt Glin disengaged herself and nodded regally to the king. “You are as intelligent and compassionate as your ancestor, sire. Thank you.” She turned to Dorothy and Z. “In light of recent events and my long absence from Aden, I’m officially resigning as GW and giving the title to the one who deserves it. Dorothy, I’ve known since you were born that this was more yours than it’s ever been mine. That’s one of the reasons I was so hard on you. It’s a big responsibility, but I know you’ll serve them well.”
She lifted a flawless ruby necklace over her head and placed it around Dorothy’s neck. “I should have done this a long time ago.”
A bright flash of light and a rumble of thunder had them all blinking in surprise as the ruby touched her skin. Dorothy sensed more power than she’d ever known coursing through her body. And knowledge. So much knowledge.
How to create. How to heal. Most importantly, how to make sure nothing like this ever happened again. Just as there was a spell for unmaking, there was a spell of protection that no one could ever undo. What the clans became would be up to them from now on, not the GW.
Surrender Dorothy (Kinky Oz Book 2) Page 8