Holy magic, she wasn’t going to quit. What was it with everyone today?
“I’m not scared.” I’d said that way too forcefully and much too quick. I’d shot it out at her like a cannonball.
Her head was bobbing “yes” as her forehead was scrunched up in a much more convincing “no.”
“Really, I’m not worried about seeing him.” I added a shrug to bolster the redo.
“I get not wanting to see him, but—”
“I’m not scared.”
She threw her hands up. “Okay. I’ll believe you.”
I hated when people said they believed you when their tone called you a liar. They might as well continue on and say the entire thought. I’ll believe you, but only because I think you’re too fragile to call a liar at the moment. That was where Ruck really shone. He never thought I was too fragile to hear the truth. If I was, he would tell me to toughen up.
Worse part of it all was that she was right. She shouldn’t believe me. I was full of it. The idea of seeing Ryker again made me want to shiver inside until my entire body broke into hairline cracks.
Ruck walked through the door, a becoming flush on his cheeks that hinted he’d seen his boyfriend for more than a minute or two.
He held up the piece of paper in his hands. “I have to go back to the Valley tomorrow and stay for a couple of weeks.”
My fork bounced off my plate and dropped to the floor, taking some of the red sauce with it. “Why?”
“Ryker sent me a message. He said he was short on people to work the tower and asked if I’d come and fill in for a little while.”
“Short on people?” There was no way he was “short” on people. He still had half of Dorley there. My gaze shot to Dez, who was rolling her eyes. She was big on the eye roll, but this one was warranted. “And you believed that?”
He shrugged. “The guy gave us a place to live when we had nothing. If he needs a favor, I have to do it.”
“When are you going?” I put my mystery meat on the table, the news ruining my appetite worse than the bad taste.
“Tomorrow night. Switch said he’d bring me over.” He stretched, letting out a long yawn. “I’ll see you later. I’m beat and I’ve got to pack.”
I was nodding as he walked into his room and shut the door.
Dez barely waited for the knob to click before she snorted. “He’s trying to steal Ruck. Now you’ve got to go, if only to tell him hands off the Ruck Man.”
I dropped down beside her. “You’re right. I’m going. I have to.”
“Good. What are you going to wear? You’re not going the way you usually dress, right?” She used her fingers to wave at my stained shirt.
I didn’t bother to respond. I had bigger issues. Ryker was not stealing Ruck. I’d go to war before I let that happen.
Seven
One corner of the castle courtyard didn’t have a bunch of busybodies hanging around. It was still too early for people to be in bed as I made my way to the forgotten spot along the back wall, where a line of shrubs fenced it in. It was the only place I could get some privacy when I had my own worming to do.
I knelt, missing the feel of dirt in my hand instead of scraping a bucket. I plucked up a worm and cupped my hands around it, getting ready to whisper my question. The thing wouldn’t settle down, as if I were infusing it with my tension.
“Will you relax and listen?”
It didn’t. I’d have to deal with an agitated worm.
“Is Ryker trying to steal Ruck?” I put down the wriggler and waited. Instead of moving toward an answer, it went straight down into the ground.
Hmmm. I’d never plucked a bad one before, but there was always a first. I dug into the ground for another. He was a wiggler too, but not as bad as the last.
“Should I go to the party?” I placed him in the circle, and he went straight down, as the other had. I started to sweat.
I was digging up another worm when the bushes beside me rustled.
“I knew you’d be here,” Ruck said, coming to squat beside me.
I nodded to him as I whispered to the worm, “Party. Yes or no?” There. No room for miscommunication. I placed it in the circle, and it dug straight down. The sweating spread to my palms.
“Hmmm. Never saw that happen,” Ruck said.
“Neither have I. It didn’t want to answer.”
“Do another.”
“Yeah.” I dug in a different spot for a worm, my hands shaking a hair as I plucked it out. Hopefully this one would be more cooperative. As soon as its little body wouldn’t settle down in my palm, I knew it was going to go the same as the last three times.
Still had to try. “Is Ruck going to eat tomorrow?”
“That’s a dumb question,” he said.
“I know. That was the point.” I placed the worm in the circle. It crawled directly into the ground again. What the hell was wrong with me?
Ruck pointed at where the worm disappeared. “Why aren’t they answering?”
“I don’t know.”
“Your hands are shaking.”
“It’s chilly out here.” I leaned forward and dug both hands into the dirt.
“Are you going to try and go all out?”
“Yes.” I’d give it everything I had and see if I could jump-start the answers. I asked the dumbest question I could think of and gave it as much juice as I had.
“Am I alive?”
By the time I stopped, I had to fall back and sit on my heels, completely drained.
Nothing happened. There was no line in the ground. No worms wiggling around. No answers.
“The worms looked normal.” Ruck reached down and grabbed a chunk of dirt before letting it drop. His forehead wrinkled as he shifted focus back to me, where I sat depleted on the dirt. “Holy magic. Are you broken?”
I held my arm out. “Grab me.”
“Really?”
“It’s important.”
He did and immediately yanked it back, waving his hand in the air. “Fucker.”
“Sorry, but I had to check.” I held a hand up, trying to construct a ward and feeling the magic flowing to my fingers. “Only partially broken. I think I can still do wards, too.”
He sat down next to me, his shoulder brushing mine. “Doesn’t magic mature as you age? Maybe it changes, too? You might not be broken. What if you’re evolving?”
“Maybe.” I didn’t feel different. I felt exactly the same. I lifted a hand to my forehead. Was I sick? I wasn’t cold and felt good.
“If you’re worried, I could say something to Ryker tomorrow. Or if you go to the party, you could tell him yourself.”
We’d left months ago and yet he still wanted me to go running back to Ryker for everything. “No. I don’t need him.”
“Sending a—”
“I’m not sending a message. I’m not telling him anything.” I narrowed my eyes. “And you don’t say a word when you get there. I can’t worm for one day. That isn’t a problem. It’s a fluke.”
“But—”
I was shaking my head before he could continue. “No. Last problem he fixed for me led to more problems.”
“Look, I didn’t come find you to fight. I’m leaving early tomorrow and wanted to make sure you knew that I’m definitely coming back.”
I looked down, trying to hide my smile. “I know you will.” Because I was also going to that party and telling Ryker in clear terms he couldn’t keep Ruck.
I got to my feet, feeling like I was ten hours past due for sleep. A warm breeze blew over me, bringing with it the smell of something rotten, as if to accent what else was wrong with this place.
“What is that? What are they burning now?” I lifted my arm to my nose to block the odor.
Ruck lifted his head. “I don’t smell it.”
“I don’t know how that’s possible. I have to get out of here. Unlike you, my sniffer isn’t broken.”
* * *
Ruck had gone upstairs to finish packing while I
made my way to the dungeon level and walked down the long hall. The light was still shining underneath the big wooden door.
I laid knuckles to wood. “Alba?”
“Come in.”
I opened the heavy door to the dank, dark place. I used to think she was being punished for something to get stuck down here. Turned out she was a Wyrd Blood with a very strange magic. She absorbed moisture. When she’d been in the other rooms, they had to mortar the walls every week because of crumbling cement. According to Dez, this room used to have puddles before Alba moved in. Now it was the perfect climate, unless she got upset.
“Can you rearrange the schedule tomorrow?” I asked, trying to stay by the door and not get too close. She hated rescheduling anything, and I didn’t have any moisturizer handy.
“What’s wrong? Are you ill? Do you need the healer?”
I scratched some dry skin on my arm and edged back another step, hoping she wouldn’t notice my retreat and become more agitated.
“Nothing major. Magic seems off a little. Not a big deal.” I scratched at my scalp.
Bushy brows rose. “‘Off’ how?”
“Just glitchy or something.” I leaned in slightly, wondering if she had a water pitcher around. My tongue felt like sandpaper.
“Okay. I’ll post a sign on your tent tomorrow that the day’s appointments will need to see me for rescheduling.” She grabbed a large book from her shelf, flipped it open, and tapped the pencil to page. “I’ll have to push everything until after the party. This glitch of yours, do you think it’ll be a short-term glitch? Or is this a longer-term thing?”
I could see the paper of the book start flaking, and my leg was itching like crazy. I took a few more steps back. “To be safe, let’s keep the schedule clear until after I get back from the Valley.”
“That long?”
“Yes. Thanks.” I turned to get out of there before she sucked all the moisture out of my body.
Eight
Ruck was long gone by the time I was eating my morning slop, something like oatmeal but with none of the taste and flavor. The book on my lap was my only company.
I’d just gotten to the first kiss between Eric and Iselda when the door creaked open. I wanted to slam it shut. Obviously, whoever was popping in had no idea how many pages I’d had to wait for this moment.
“Hey,” Knife said, forcing me to acknowledge him.
I shut the cover on Eric, swearing I’d come back to him soon.
“Hi.” I took another bite of oatmeal while I waited to hear what was wrong. Knife didn’t make morning visits.
He dropped onto the opposite side of the couch. I ate another spoonful of oat-something-or-other while he grinned, as if that would disarm me.
His smiled seemed fixed upon his face, and I was getting whiffs of stress from his magic.
“I heard you’re ‘glitching’?” he asked.
Another one with raised brows and curious eyes, as if I were the only one that had off days. “I’m fine. The worms weren’t cooperating, is all. Not a big deal. I’m sure it was a fluke.”
He placed a hand on the back of the couch as he leaned forward. “So it’s true, then?”
“The worm wouldn’t answer. That’s all.”
Maybe it wasn’t even me? Maybe the worms were on strike because they didn’t like working in this place either? If I didn’t want to get back to Eric and Iselda so badly, I would’ve told him this. But I did, so I wouldn’t. He really needed to go. I had places to be that weren’t of this world.
He rubbed the back of his neck, working out a kink. “This only happened once, then?”
I hated how hopeful he sounded. I was going to have to pop that hope like a needle to a bubble. Had to, even if that delayed my reunion. What if the issue persisted for a while? I wasn’t going to have these morning talks on a daily basis. “Maybe more than once. I’m off, but I’ll get back to normal.”
I will. One night doesn’t mean anything. I wasn’t sure who needed to hear that more, him or me.
“How many times did you have the problem?”
“I don’t know, maybe three.” Or four. The fifth hadn’t involved the worms, so no need to include that time for sure.
He leaned back, as if an invisible pair of hands had shoved him and sucked all the energy from him, so the only thing holding him up was the back of the couch.
Did he not hear me? It wasn’t a big deal. Why was everyone acting as if it were the worst thing ever?
I got to my feet, abandoning my half-eaten oat thing to the side. The stuff was curdling in my stomach anyway, and the smell didn’t help matters. “What? You’ve never lost some of your magic for a little while? You’ve never had a bad day?”
“No.” His answer was immediate, leaving no doubt. It was as strong as if I’d suggested he pay all the dulls the same wages as Wyrd Blood.
I tilted my head and leveled my best don’t give me that line of crap stare. “Never? Not once have you lost some of your magic?”
“Ne-ver.” He punched each syllable, making it sound like two words. “No Wyrd Blood I know has.”
I crossed my arms and continued to stare. If he thought he was going to shame me into being nervous, he was wrong. While I’d lain in bed last night, I’d decided that I wasn’t going to freak out.
“Fine. But my magic glitches. I’ll let you know when I’m back up and running again, whenever that happens.” Maybe Ruck was right and this was the perfect time to ditch this sideshow.
I walked to the corner of the room. There was a stack of books I needed to return to the swap room. I was going to do it later this afternoon, but right now seemed like a perfect time. Except maybe the book with Robert. He’d been yummy. He might need another go. I pulled that one out and grabbed up the rest of them.
Knife beat me to the door, holding it open. He should’ve made a right turn. He made a left. Great. He was going to follow me.
“Dez said you’re going to Ryker’s party. You seem cranky. Is that why?” he asked.
“Dez also said it wasn’t Ryker’s party, and can you keep your voice down? These halls echo.” I made it to the stairs. I should’ve said I was going to the bath hall or the knitting room. That would’ve lost him for sure.
Knife huffed. “It’s at the Valley. It’s his party. He’s going to be there.”
It didn’t matter if Ryker and Knife didn’t want me to go to the party, or that I didn’t want to go myself. Even if the worm had answered and told me not to go, I’d still be going. If I didn’t, Ryker would think I didn’t have the balls to show up and then think he could steal Ruck. I wasn’t taking that lying down. A play for Ruck meant war. All-out, no-holds-barred, bloody war.
Ruck might’ve said he was definitely going to be back, but I couldn’t have Ryker think he had a shot. If that was a stupid reason to go, it didn’t matter, since nobody but Dez knew.
“I know you and Dez think he’s making a play for Ruck.”
The blood exploded in my head so suddenly it was hard to hear what else he said over the ringing noise. Why did my two closest friends have the biggest mouths?
I stopped walking halfway down the stairs. “I’m going. It doesn’t matter what else you say. I have to go, but you can relax. I’m not going to fall into his arms the second I see him. I’m way past that.”
Knife stopped on the stairs right below me. “I’m glad, because even if you’re the right woman, he’ll always be the wrong man. I’m saying that as a friend.”
I wasn’t sure there was a right anyone in my future, but I didn’t bother arguing with him.
“You, me and Dez can catch a lift from Switch. We’ll walk in together. It’ll be easier this way.” Knife turned and descended the stairs at a faster clip.
He always took off after he did something nice, like he couldn’t face himself. That, right there, was why I didn’t leave the sideshow. He’d taken me in when I wanted to leave the Valley. Other than a few raised eyebrows, he didn’t give me grief when I did e
verything he didn’t want me to. Now, when he knew I was tense about the party, he was going to be a buffer, whether I said I needed one or not. It wasn’t all a long game about sex for him. Knife liked to hide it, but deep down, there was a decent guy in there.
“Thank you,” I called after him.
He didn’t respond, but I was sure he heard.
Nine
It would’ve taken days to walk, or hours to take a chugger. I juiced up Switch and we were at the Valley in seconds. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I realized the ride would’ve been preferable. A chugger would’ve been a slow reentry in stages instead of being slammed into the heart of the Valley. It was as if I’d jumped into icy water and couldn’t catch my breath. Before I could ask for a redo, Switch was gone and I was surrounded by memories.
I hadn’t had much of a dating life, but I could only imagine this was like seeing an old boyfriend again. One who had brought you flowers and candies, treated you like a princess, but you had dumped because you didn’t like his father.
My body reacted as if it had been slammed as well, spinning this way and that, searching for a sign of Ryker. The place was empty. From what I’d heard, all the Wyrd Blood would be at the party, which was held in the grove. Everyone was invited, but the dulls would be hanging close to home with all the strange magic about.
There wasn’t a Wyrd Blood alive who knew dulls as well as I did. I’d lived like one of them for years. Most were in awe of magic, secretly hoped to have Wyrd Blood offspring. They liked the safety magic could provide them. But having too many Wyrd Blood descend upon their home all at once would send any dull scurrying. Maybe they thought if too many got together, strange things would befall them. It was probably true. If I were a dull, I’d be hiding tonight.
“Come on. Why are you dragging your feet?” Dez asked from a few steps ahead of me, where she was waiting with Knife.
She dashed back and grabbed my hand, her face lit up like she had an inner fire burning brightly. Knife watched as we caught up, his eyes running over the outfit Dez had lent me. His gaze then shifted toward the direction we were heading, as if that same fire lighting up Dez was going to be used to roast him alive. That made two of us who were about to be cooked on the well-done side.
Blood Binds: Wyrd Blood Book Three Page 4