I shook my head at him. He wasn’t supposed to know about her or her magic. Imani stared at her feet. I wondered if she had voluntarily told him or he’d confronted her about it after what he’d witnessed.
Elric went on, nonplused. “I can’t use my magic, but Miss Lawrence can dip into her electrical magic, breaking nearly any hex created by Fae or Witchkin, even if she doesn’t know the counter spell.”
I watched him warily. He spoke as calmly as any teacher instructing a pupil.
He approached me, smiling kindly. He palpated the area around my throat. “The minor hex is located here. All Miss Lawrence needs to do is focus her energy into that spot to overpower this weaker magic.”
Vega tapped her foot impatiently. “You haven’t got all day for a magic lesson. We need to leave.”
I wanted to ask her where she was going, but there was no point. She would have feigned ignorance to avoid answering.
Elric smiled reassuringly. “Go on. Dissolve the magic. I know you can do it.”
I glanced at Imani who was still staring at her ballet slippers. Having no other choice, I did as Elric said. I focused on my affinity, trying to get enough of a spark to dissolve Thatch’s spell. I still wasn’t very good at jumpstarting my energy like this.
Elric brushed his fingers against my throat again. “Focus here.”
I was plenty focused. It still wasn’t happening.
“I think you need assistance.” He leaned in closer, circling his arm around my waist. Before I had time to object, he kissed my neck. Immediately, my body reacted. I sank against him and relaxed. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the sensation of his mouth on my skin. My affinity roared to life, burning like a bonfire.
Elric released me, a satisfied smile on his face. I ignored him. I wasn’t going to reward the intimacy of that moment—which I had not asked for—with a smile or any hint of encouragement. Instead, I funneled the magic through my veins and into my throat. My ears popped, and my throat felt raw.
Elric clapped. “Very good! Did you see that, Imani? You can do the same if another student hexes you. Your electrical magic might not work on Fae curses, poison, venom, or—”
Vega stood. “We need to go now.”
“No, wait!” I said. “Where are you going? Why did you bring Imani here?”
“Patience. There will be time to tell you after the show.” Elric motioned for Imani to rise. He started toward the door.
Vega nudged her. “Hurry up.”
I stepped in front of Elric’s path. “I won’t let you take her home with you.”
“What?” Imani’s fearful rabbit eyes flickered to Elric.
“Indeed. It’s much too soon for that. Imani needs to see to her education. Some day she can decide if she wishes to meet the rest of the family. But not quite yet.”
“The rest of the family?” I asked.
“Don’t be such a fucktard. I realized it ages ago,” Vega said. “I would think you’d have figured things out after seeing that book on Fae peerage. And if not then, when you saw the portrait of Elric’s late wife.”
“He showed me my genealogy,” Imani said, her eyes wide with excitement. “I knew almost everyone he talked about. Except for my grandmother, Deborah, but I knew her name.”
“Are you saying… ? No!” I stared at them, uncertain if what they were hinting at could be true. “It’s impossible. Dox died before he married.”
“No,” Vega said firmly. “He married in secret. It was the public ceremony that was crashed by enemies. Dox used his magic to save the life of his intended bride and their unborn child—with his affinity. It drained him because he didn’t have Alouette Loraline’s spell. He hadn’t learned how to resurrect the dead or use his affinity that way, but he gave her his life and killed himself in the process.” She spoke with authority, like someone who had been there.
Perhaps she had. She claimed she had loved Dox in a past life.
Imani took my hand. “Prince Elric has been telling me how he hid my grandmother so none of his family or the other Fae would know about her.”
I stared openmouthed.
Elric hugged Imani around the shoulder. “I’m a great-grandfather. Imani is my heir.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Heir of Slytherin
My thoughts were in a jumble. I kept hearing the words, “Heir of Slytherin,” probably because the Red affinity was treated like the wicked and ambitious house of the Harry Potter series.
Was Imani’s heritage why Elric had been trying to talk to Imani so much? It hadn’t been that he’d wanted to marry her or kidnap her for her Red affinity? It was because she was his kin?
My eyes widened as I remembered what he’d said in his speech. He’d made a remark about protecting his kin and loved ones. He’d said no one was allowed to touch them. Right after Imani had probably outed herself—and I’d done so as well—Elric had masterfully and elegantly laid claim to us and made sure all other Fae kept their grubby hands off us.
“You were trying to help her?” I asked, still not quite believing it.
“Of course. What else would I be doing?” His brows knitted together. He actually looked sad. “Did you expect I would hurt her?”
I bit my lip. I had. I’d assumed the worst.
Elric smiled at Imani fondly. “I had suspected she might be a Red affinity when I fixed her nose after that clay golem tried to attack you. It’s hard to work on someone’s energy without having some impressions, but I thought I might have been mistaken. Then there was the time in the forest that she followed us, and I talked to her more. I determined my initial suspicions that she was a Red were most likely correct. Then there were the rumors about how she had reacted twice while dancing at school events.”
I wanted to ask how he’d heard.
He winked, as if reading my mind. “Just because you work at a campus closed to Fae, doesn’t mean news doesn’t trickle out. Fae are privy to inside knowledge.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “I put it together that Imani might be my great-granddaughter.”
“If you don’t mind, I’m taking Imani downstairs so she can participate in the finale. She’s on in less than five minutes,” Vega said. “I need you two to get out of the way.”
Without waiting for an answer, Vega elbowed me in the shoulder. I stumbled into the seats.
Imani grimaced. “Sorry, Miss Lawrence. I wasn’t trying to worry you. I’ll talk to you after the show.”
Elric sat down on the armrest of one of the chairs. He waved to Vega and Imani as they departed. Imani glanced back over her shoulder, her smile tentative and shy.
I waited until the door closed behind her before I spoke. “Now that you’ve figured out Imani is related to you, what’s next?”
“She needs to finish school, of course. And now that she knows she has family to pay for her education, she might be able to afford to play in after-school sports or participate on the actual dance team if she wishes. She can learn to hone her skills with guidance so that it doesn’t explode on her.”
“And then what?”
He held up his hands. “I’m not a Celestor obsessed with star magic and prophecy. I can’t tell what the future holds.”
“What’s your agenda with Imani? You say you’re going to pay for her schooling, but then what? You’ll expect her to be indebted to you and pay it off by strengthening your magic? Are you going to use her to bear the heirs of your allies?”
“I don’t need a Red affinity to give me or anyone else an heir. Miss Bloodmire has demonstrated your secrets. You are able to create a Red affinity out of any Witchkin. Imani will never need to be forced into marriage against her will or feel enslaved by any Fae. She will be free.” His lips pressed into a flat line for a moment before he went on. “Just as you will be free.”
That grimness in his face reminded me of my own problems. I wasn’t free. “I realize I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have tried to save Imani, and you’ll proba
bly lecture me like everyone else and tell me how stupid I was to admit I was Red, but I had to do something. And now I’m tied to you. I will never have sovereignty. Your family owns me.”
“Who told you caring was stupid? Mr. Thatch?” He stood up. “I understand what you did was to save your student. And you accomplished that. I’m not going to tell you that you were wrong. Just as I hope you won’t tell me Vega was wrong for using magic to change your words on stage or that I was wrong to come to your aid and diffuse the situation.”
Vega was the one who had made me say “ready” instead of “red,” not him? How could I condemn Elric for what I had done myself? I also had wanted to help someone in need. Elric had stepped forward and saved the day. Only now there would be a price for both our actions.
He held out his hand. I didn’t want to touch him. Earlier when he’d “helped” me use my magic, I hadn’t asked for him to touch me. I hadn’t wanted his assistance. If he had asked, I would have refused. But if I had refused, I wouldn’t have been able to speak or find out the truth about Imani.
Now it seemed he was offering me a choice. He didn’t take my hand. This was the olive branch. I stared at his open palm for a long moment before I took it. His hand was warm, reassuring. This didn’t feel like seduction or using my magic against me. So far, the gesture was amiable and platonic.
There was kindness in his eyes. “I care about you, Clarissa, whether you choose to believe me or not. When I first asked you if I could court you, you told me what you wanted, what you needed. You asked for friendship, and I promised I would be your friend forever. A Fae doesn’t give his word lightly, and he doesn’t go back on it either. I assure you, my intentions are to honor that and continue to be your friend, even if you no longer want more than that.”
I exhaled, my anger deflating as the fight went out of me. I squeezed his hand and let go. I still didn’t feel like fighting.
“As your friend, I need you to learn to trust again. I need you to trust me.”
“Okay,” I said, but I didn’t mean it. I couldn’t trust anyone anymore. I understood I couldn’t tell the difference between reality and fantasy, my own desires and someone else’s. My magic made me want to become an old unmarried spinster.
He laughed. “You wouldn’t convince a deaf man with those words.”
I nodded. I didn’t doubt it. “You say you’re my friend and you want me to trust you. If that’s the case, why would you lie to me?”
He started to answer, but I put up my hand. I wasn’t done. “Not about your wives or knowing what I was. Why would you lie about Thatch kissing me and molesting me during our lesson?”
His shoulders sagged. “You still don’t believe me?”
Now less than ever.
Elric frowned. “This world is changing you. Gone is the naive and trusting young lady you once were. In her place I find a cynical skeptic trained by the Unseen Realm into thinking everyone is your enemy.”
“I don’t think you’re my enemy.”
“No, just not your friend. Not someone you can trust. Don’t forget about the old you who looked at the world of magic with wide eyes and was filled with wonder when you saw a unicorn for the first time. Save a little bit of that innocence and joy for your future.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek.
Had he tried to kiss me on the mouth, I would have pulled away, but he wasn’t being pushy or demanding. The gesture felt more affectionate and kind than passionate.
It was as he squeezed my shoulders in what felt like a farewell that the door to the booth burst open. The silhouette of a figure in a tall conical hat stood in the doorway.
“Get your hands off Clarissa,” Josie said.
I put up my hands in a placating gesture. “No, it’s fine.”
I was too late to stop her. Spiders flooded the balcony.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Spider Ex-Machina
Elric jerked away from me, taking in the sight of two thousand spiders flooding into the box from behind Josie. One dangled from her hat on a filament.
“Stop!” I said.
Josie pointed a finger at Elric. “Stay away from Clarissa.”
“It’s fine. He wasn’t doing anything.” I edged away from the gap between me and the swarm of spiders.
“Vega said you were up here molesting her.” Josie looked from me to Elric uncertainly.
“Why would you believe anything that comes out of her mouth?” I groaned.
Elric held his hands up in a placating gesture. “I’m not touching your friend. Think about what you’re doing, Miss Kimura. Do you intend to cover Miss Lawrence with spiders in order to get to me?”
I backed into Elric. He caught my elbow. I accidentally stepped on his foot, trying to get away from the spiders, which he tolerated without comment. The arachnids continued to inch closer. There had to be a million of them now, covering every space of the booth. Soon they would be crawling over me.
Still trying to find a place to get away from them, I climbed onto the armrest of one of the seats, holding on to Elric’s shoulder so I didn’t fall. They flooded forth in a thick mass, obscuring the seats like a black wave of darkness. Horror stole over me as I imagined them eating me alive.
Any moment now they were going to touch me. Either I was going to be stepping on them—which would send Josie into a rage—or they were going to crawl onto me and bite me to death.
Spiders crawled across Elric’s polished black boots, but he didn’t act as though he noticed.
Elric remained calm. “I’m certain Miss Lawrence appreciates what a loyal friend you are, but you need to call off the spiders . . . before they get hurt.”
Josie’s face scrunched up in anguish. “I don’t know how to call them off.”
I thought about all the time Josie and I had spent together holding hands and sitting close together. I had a tendency to call out people’s affinities. Perhaps this was hers.
“Get out of the booth,” I said. “Walk away, and they’ll follow.”
She backed away. The spiders followed their master. Slowly they ebbed away. Only a few lingered.
I realized I was clinging to Elric. I gently loosened the arm I’d circled around his neck that was probably strangling him.
“Sorry about that,” I said.
“You’re fortunate you have such loyal and devoted friends.” He offered me a hand as I climbed down from the arm of the seat. “What were we talking about?”
“Um. . . .” All I could see were visions of spiders at the moment. I would be having nightmares for weeks.
“Oh, yes. I remember,” he winked at me. “We were talking about my concern that you might not trust anyone, whether they’ve earned that mistrust or not.” He started toward the door. “The world doesn’t need another Vega Bloodmire. We need Clarissa Lawrence.”
I walked around in a daze, Elric’s words haunting me.
The concert and art show afterward was deemed a success. The students I was supposed to be chaperoning in the lobby kept running up to me, telling me how much rich patrons were bidding on their art in the auction. Imani whispered to me she counted close to two million dollars. That was more than enough to cover my salary and several future teachers’ salaries for years to come. I should have been elated.
Even so, the events of the evening had left me feeling low and alone. I wasn’t sure who I was anymore. Was I an untrusting cynic? Is that what it would take to survive in this realm, or was that only what I thought would help me?
Jeb approached me during the art show as I stood against a wall, trying my best to be a wallflower. “Can’t thank you enough. We got more money rollin’ in than ever. We’d never have managed this if you hadn’t pulled the right set of strings.” He gazed across the room at Elric schmoozing with a group of Fae.
I felt dead inside. It had to be the shock of so much unexpected information all at once: Imani being Elric’s great-granddaughter; the suddenness of being p
ledged to Elric, probably as his bride; almost being eaten by spiders; and the idea that I had been compared to Thatch and Vega on the scale of cynics.
Numbness settled over my brain like a fog, as though someone else was living inside me, only, I’d just realized I was the observer, not the person in charge. I could see why my mother wouldn’t have wanted to trust others. If Vega was right, and she had made me with magic, not through sexual intercourse, I suspected I understood why. She hadn’t wanted anyone to touch her or to use her magic against her. Perhaps this aching loneliness was what my mother had felt before she’d turned.
I turned to Jeb, dissecting his words for weakness. “If you thank me, doesn’t that mean you owe me a favor?”
Jeb chortled. “You got a funny sense of humor, Miss Lawrence.”
“That’s the way it works in this world, isn’t it?” It was what Vega would have done, strike a bargain. I considered all the things I wanted that were within his power to grant. For once I wished for something for me. I wanted the rest of the year to go smoothly—to be free of a spying, vindictive roommate. “If you really want to thank me, you’ll give me a room without Vega.”
“Um, err, the tower is taken.” He shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. “I suppose there’s that room above it. We could repair it and fix it up.”
“No.” I didn’t want a spider den. “Vega can take the tower. Josie Kimura and I will share my current room.” Three feet between beds seemed like enough room for Josie to keep her spider powers at bay. If it wasn’t, I would be learning a spider-repellent charm.
“Oh? Is that all?” Jeb sighed in relief and smiled.
Vega was intelligent and wise, even if she was a bitch. She hadn’t been fooled by any Fae. If anything, she was the one calling the shots and making the bargains that worked to her benefit. Is that who my mother had been? Powerful but wicked? Wise and cunning and untrusting?
Was that who I was? The old me wouldn’t have asked for something in return. Did that make me evil? Or did that simply make me savvy?
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