by T J Kelly
More humiliating than usual.
I cleared the notification, ignoring the email I had just received. I could read it later. I was too upset to pay proper attention, anyway.
What bothered me the most was Chas had his chance. He could have encouraged Clarissa to go for her stupid walk with Peter, and then we could have been alone. But he didn’t do it.
The overabundance of Light I felt earlier finally disappeared, and once again I had as much darkness inside of me as I ever did. So, thanks to Chas, I was back to my struggles with the Dark. What a guy.
Suddenly, I was furious. I thought he cared about me. He said he loved me. He said he didn’t want to make the oath and leave me, but there he was, all manly and protective of Clarissa. Months of worry turned to anger and pain. What a coward for not looking at me.
Peter noticed the change in my mood. The room may have dimmed a little, or maybe he recognized the look on my face. He backed up a step where Chas wouldn’t be able to catch the movement out of the corner of his eyes and shook his head at me.
No, Lia, don’t do it.
Whatever. I raised my hand, but before I could do or say anything, Oberon walked back into the room.
“I’ve seen everything I needed to see,” he told me.
I lowered my hand. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was about to do, anyway. All I knew was I could feel shadows leaking out of my eyes. Like tears, only more painful.
“I bet you have,” I said. I didn’t extend my hand for the usual handshake among nobles. I hated that stupid courtesy, and I couldn’t handle touching his nasty, Taine-tainted hand. A glance at the monitor in the corner showed me his sons and Iuvo were in the lobby.
“I will send a report to the Council with my concerns.” Oberon's lip curled. “You don't have a father, young lady, so let me give you a word of advice. Watch your back. Especially when you can no longer hide on your uncle’s land. Come along, Chas. Time to go.”
Oberon turned his back on me and walked off. He was taunting me. Chas was so firmly in his father’s control that he didn’t even try for one moment alone with me even when Oberon wasn’t in the room.
As Chas leaped to follow his orders, my fury boiled over. I latched onto the first thought that popped into my head. Oberon turned his back to disrespect me, to show me he believed I was too weak to harm him. The corner of my mouth lifted as an idea came to mind.
I snapped my fingers.
It was like a spell went off, even though I didn't use any magic. Oberon spun around with his hands in the air, clutching a shield-crystal, and yes, he actually activated it.
“Something wrong, Oberon? Do you need anything else?” I nonchalantly leaned against the edge of my desk. He was afraid of me. I beat him in the competition for Rector Enterprises and even though his emotional warfare was admittedly getting to me, he was still scared of my magic.
Good.
I gave him a big, fat, smug smile. He dropped the shield-crystal back into his pocket and acted like he hadn’t activated it. “No. We’re done.”
“Oh, well. In that case, please have a nice afternoon.” I extended my hand to shake his after all. Touching his slimy aura was worth what I did next.
There was no way to deactivate the shield-crystal he set off. Not that quickly. He couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there when it stopped our hands from touching, either.
But even though it was the best shield on the market, it also happened to be one of mine. Rector Enterprises always made the best.
I grasped Oberon’s hand and shook. By rights, I shouldn’t have been able to reach through the shield like it didn’t exist, but I did it anyway. I broke his spell without hesitation, without a ripple of magic to indicate it took any effort at all. And gave him a little zap.
Check and mate, buddy.
Oberon walked out without another word. Chas followed as if he didn’t have a care in the world. As if I wasn't even in the room. That would have gotten to me except I saw how tight his lips were. The anger drained out of me.
Chas sacrificed everything to save me. I tried to remember our separation was painful for him, too, even if he wasn’t acting like it. His dad probably pre-planned the entire meeting. Knowing Oberon, he had controlled Chas by threatening to harm to somebody Chas cared about.
I watched as Chas ushered Clarissa out the door. I felt sorry for him. He had to be hurting, too. He had to.
But did he really need to rest his hand on the small of her back like that?
CHAPTER TWELVE
I Want to Know Why
“What did he do?” I asked Seth and Harris. It didn’t matter who answered me once we climbed back into the limo as long as I got the scoop.
I sat between my aunt and Peter again. I felt sorry for them. They were getting the brunt of the magic I couldn’t stop from leaking. It was like they were sitting next to a live wire that randomly buzzed them.
Zap. The two of them winced. I struggled to reign myself in.
“He didn’t go very far,” Seth said. “He seemed really interested in the confidential areas, but Iuvo kept him out. She called the employees to us for questioning. He even tried to peek through where the door cracked open. What a busy-body.” He shook his head in disgust.
“I wonder why he cares? He can’t do that type of magic.” I looked at Peony. She had relaxed once I finally stopped my leaks.
Zap.
Well, I was trying. At least I was maintaining control for longer periods.
“I want to know why he came. Why now? What’s he up to?” Peony patted my arm, and I smiled weakly in response. I don’t think it fooled anyone, though.
“This is the first time Lia’s been off castle grounds since the trials,” Peter pointed out. “Oberon has probably been waiting for her to leave the boundaries so he could follow her trace. His tour was just an excuse to get at her. And be annoying.”
“And show off his control over Chas,” Peony added. “I’m sorry, honey, I know that was difficult. It was hard for me, too.” My aunt sighed. She and my uncle had taken Chas in when he was fourteen, and they cared about him like he was their own son. Armageddon had saved him from the nightmare of the Taine household, but Chas returned on my behalf.
Supposedly on my behalf.
Even though I sensed sadness in his aura, I also saw a connection between Chas and Clarissa that existed outside the Promise spell for their future marriage. The kind of link that was only forged if he was fine with being promised to her, not fighting it. A bolt of pain wracked through me, but I kept it from zapping my aunt or Peter. I leaned into my aunt’s side for comfort and to comfort her. She had to be missing her foster son.
“I wish Oberon would stop being so useful to the Council. Then he could go away,” I said. The Council really had no business working with assassins. It was sick. And the Taines were a blight on the planet, even outside those services.
If the Council ever decided to quit using the Taines, they would dispose of them. The whole clan, from Oberon down. I should have felt at least a little guilty about my desire for their destruction, but the darkness inside me only gave a satisfied lurch.
“So what’s up with you and Chas?” Harris asked flat out. “There was some serious tension in that room. And a faded trace between you two.”
I groaned. I really hated talking about it. “He’s an ex. I swear, haven’t either of you done a search on me yet? It’s all over the Internet.” I shifted in my seat, annoyed that I had to explain. How out of touch did a person have to be to miss all the press generated by the competition? It wasn’t like people battled to the death to control a magical corporation every day.
“Ah. Well, we’ve been on the other side of the world for a while. News doesn’t travel out into the desert.”
“Ha,” I said, disgruntled. “Maybe. We used to date. Sort of. But then he got stupid and made an oath with his father. In blood.”
Harris let out a low whistle. “That sounds serious. What did he sign?”
I
stared up at the roof of the limo and said nothing. I really couldn’t deal with it.
“He reinstated the Promised marriage to Clarissa and swore to remain in his father’s service for life,” Peter explained, coming to my rescue. I closed my eyes and tried not to zap him again by accident. Or on purpose.
There was a brief silence.
“It was to save Lia’s life,” Peony said. I could tell she didn't want anyone to think ill of Chas. At that moment, I didn’t care if they did or not. It was too hard to feel at all.
“Well, that sucks,” Seth said. Something about his voice struck me as funny, and I laughed. I looked at him and Harris, grinning like a fool. They really were a lot of fun to be around.
“Totally.” I dropped my gaze, smoothing a wrinkle in my skirt. “But I’m trying to get over it,” I added.
Peony and Peter looked surprised. I didn’t blame them, since I continually ranted about Chas over the last several months, insisting I was on a lifelong quest to free him.
But how he looked, how he acted, the trace between them made me realize Chas didn’t want to be saved. At least, not from Clarissa. Sure, he felt terrible about having to leave at the time he did it, and he still hated his father. But after months of separation, Chas was finally near me and he kept putting his hands all over Clarissa.
He didn’t look at me because it made him sad. And under his sadness was guilt. And under the guilt was…
Relief.
What a jerk.
◆◆◆
Drizzle had blanketed the castle grounds with shiny drops of water, shining like miniature rainbows. Glowing orbs of light coated everything. What a beautiful welcome home. We had transported right outside the gates. After a thorough check, the guards allowed us back onto the grounds. I loved how Castle Laurus looked in the distance. Grand beams of sunlight burst through the dissipating clouds, highlighting the set of windows on the west side where my bedroom and workshop were located. It filled me with a sense of belonging.
“Do you want some tea?” Peony asked.
Exhaustion sapped my will, but I wanted to spend time with somebody who always, always made me feel confident about myself. And loved. “I would adore some tea. I’m going to change out of these clothes, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen,” I said.
“How about my private study? It can be just the two of us.”
“Perfect,” I agreed.
We slid out of the limo while one of the outriders, a woman named Aureum Videte, or Golden Spy, held the door open. She did side jobs for my uncle as well as a standard security rotation. I really admired her. She gave me a smile and a wink. It was nice that so many people at Castle Laurus supported me. I was feeling needy.
Peter gave my arm a squeeze and then took off with Harris and Seth. Knowing them, they were headed to the pool for an evening swim. On a typical day, I would have joined them, but I needed some cozy time.
I ran upstairs to change. I forgot I had the mechanicals in my pockets, so I tossed them into a tray I had set out on the hutch near my bed. I tugged on my ratty pair of teal plaid pajama bottoms and a gray t-shirt with the name of one of my old schools emblazoned across the front. I zipped my hoodie as I hustled back down the stairs. I left my hair alone, not wanting to deal with brushing it out. The bun was a little tight, but I ignored the discomfort.
My aunt had a beautiful, welcoming study. She had furnished her office with meticulous care, creating a place of beauty that I copied at Rector Enterprises. Her desk was a delicate antique from the 1700s. She also had groupings of chairs for visitors, but none of them were uncomfortable or rickety like the ones I created especially for the Taines.
Her meeting area had a table and chairs that glowed with magic and furniture polish, an embroidery hoop to the side near the bookshelves, and tea cart. I was happy I had matched the right wood tones at my Rector office. My magic was only as good as my imagination. Turns out it was a bonus that I spent years of my life bored out of my mind, whiling away countless hours daydreaming as my parents dragged me from place to place. A required skill when the only way to perform magic was to visualize it first.
“This has been quite a day, hasn’t it?” Peony asked. “I’m surprised at how tired I am. All I did was shop while that disgusting man and his sons poked around in another part of the building.”
I flopped down on the sage colored upholstered settee near the door to her workshop. “I’m glad it’s over.” I considered talking to her about Chas and what happened, but I was afraid I would get too emotional. And I wasn’t sure how I felt about it yet. I pushed those thoughts away for later. “And I’m glad Seth and Harris were there.”
“Oh, me too. I wanted to ask,” Peony said, but then hesitated. I looked up from where I was studying my feet, which I had slipped into hot pink fuzzy slippers before coming downstairs. “What do you think about them?”
“The Irresistible Andersson Brothers?” I grinned, picturing Seth’s smoldering looks and Harris’s straightforward smiles. “What’s not to like? Dark, mysterious Seth and bright, charming Harris. Once they stopped acting like I was a little kid, they became downright bearable. Why?”
“Just wondering,” she said with a small smile on her lips. She looked away and poured our tea.
Oh. That. My aunt was matchmaking a mere couple of hours after I declared that I was trying to get over Chas.
“They’re cute, Aunt Peony, but I’m not interested. Besides, they’re troublemakers. They would be a bad influence on me,” I added primly.
Peony laughed. I was glad I amused her but also a little annoyed because I meant it. Ever since Reg and Tian began taking bets on which brother I would fall for, it was frustrating to talk to any of the adults. And irritating how right they all thought they were.
“Where’s Mort?” I asked. I regretted using his absence as a distraction because the veil in her eyes dropped and I could see that she was sad again. Still sad, I guess, except out in the open thanks to my careless change of subject.
“He went to speak with the Council, then he'll search for a trace leading to Ged.”
“Why don’t you let me go, too? I bet I could find one. Peter and I have been practicing, and I’m getting pretty good at following traces. Plus, we’re family. You know I should be able to find him better than almost anyone else.”
“No, absolutely not. Armageddon would have a fit if you left the castle boundaries again. He'll probably be upset we went on your tour today, but it couldn’t be helped.”
“Finding him is more important than my company,” I said. “If I left to visit Rector Enterprises, I should be able to leave for him.”
Peony’s eyes softened. She set her teacup down and moved over to sit beside me so she could give me a hug. She gave the very best hugs.
“It isn’t that dire,” she said.
“That you know of,” I replied. I didn’t want to hurt her by saying it out loud, but my uncle’s disappearance could be really, really bad. He may be the strongest magician in centuries, but that didn’t mean he was invincible.
“I haven’t dreamed about him,” she said. “If he were in desperate trouble, he would reach out to me. And he hasn’t. There’s probably something happening that requires a delicate hand and extra precautions that are keeping him from us.”
I had to trust that Peony knew what she was talking about. She had been an Irregular for almost as long as Armageddon. But her statement sounded like a lie to my ears, and I suspected there was more going on than we realized.
“I can do a Blood-of-my-blood spell,” I said. “I’ve read up on that. I don’t think it will leave a trace and I don’t need to leave the castle to do it.”
“Absolutely not,” Peony said. She stood up and took our teacups over to the cart. “Those haven’t been used in decades. They can connect you to him and then what happens if he’s trying to keep his presence a secret? An experienced magic user would see the connection. Even if they weren’t sure what it was, they would grow suspicious.
”
That’s when I realized my aunt thought he was in real danger. The kind of danger that meant my spell could get him killed. She knew her statement about it being a delicate matter was a lie once she said it. It happened that way sometimes, with seers. I was starting to wonder if I had some premonition magic myself. Seers can usually tell when somebody is lying, even when that person believed they were telling the truth, which fooled other magical methods for detecting lies. But I could hear a lie, too.
“Okay, I won’t,” I said truthfully. For the moment. “But I really want to help. I’m not a magic neuter anymore.”
Peony’s shoulders relaxed. She stopped fiddling with the teacups and turned back. “I know, sweetheart. I just don’t think now is the time for that.”
I nodded my agreement. If she thought Armageddon was in mortal danger, she would move heaven and earth to find him. All I wanted was to make sure I wasn’t left out when that happened.
“Well, then. I'll look in my books and see if there is anything else that might work,” I suggested.
“Sounds good. Will you do me a favor? Can you keep this to yourself for now?”
I nodded. She meant that she didn’t want me to speculate and rope the guys into helping me figure out how to help without her permission. She knew me too well. That was exactly what I was going to do.
Later.
I headed for the door. There wasn’t much time left until supper, so I figured I could swing by the pool and get the guys to wrap it up so they wouldn’t be late. Despite everything, I was hungry.
“Lia?” my aunt called. I turned and looked at her. “Sweetheart, I need to hear it.”
I sighed. Yes, she definitely knew me too well. “I’ll keep it to myself for now,” I promised. I didn’t put a time limit on it, and she didn’t ask. Neither one of us wanted to box me in. Just in case.
Darkness embraced me as I walked down the hall.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Breach