by Ivy Asher
I see different versions of shock staring back at me from behind the long desk-like table they’re perched behind. Slowly, loaded looks are exchanged, and it becomes clear that some kind of silent conversation is taking place amongst them. The extra paladin who poured into the room at the onset of the shouting match position themselves in front of the elders. Their protective movements making it clear that they now identify me as a threat.
Well, shit.
Snapping himself out of his shocked stupor, the Polynesian-looking elder releases his choke hold on Lachlan and the others. He slowly resumes his seat and clears his throat, his eyes flicking from the stolen magic on my arm to my face.
“Sorry,” I offer sheepishly. “Do you… um… want it back?”
I hope he’s cool with me just keeping it because I’m not sure how the hell to give it back if he answers yes. The weird ass shit that I do is mostly instinctual. It surprises the hell out of me most of the time, and I couldn’t tell you why something works the way that it does. It just does. It’s an in-the-moment-thing. Later, when I try to replicate the things I’ve witnessed my magic do, I can’t. Fickle fucking magic.
Even though I’m just as in the dark about my abilities as everyone else, I feel compelled to offer this armband of magic back to its owner. Maybe it has something to do with the look he keeps giving the magic clinging to my arm, like it’s betrayed him somehow. But before he can respond, the runes on my arm light up and begin to absorb the constricting magical cord.
Well, this is awkward.
In the past, when offensive magic has been thrown my way a shield or two pops up to deal with it, so I’m not quite sure what to think of my rune’s new desire to eat the magic instead. I try to act super nonchalant and unfazed about whatever the fuck just happened.
The fact that the elders have front-row seats in witnessing some of my unique abilities is not ideal. I don’t want to be categorized as more of a threat, and I don’t want them more curious about me than they already are.
Really magic? I scold, and then I give it a little pat. It did keep the guys from getting choked out, so I can’t be too mad.
Elder Balfour breaks the weighted silence and begins to call everyone back to order, chastising Lachlan’s coven and the guys for their unappreciated disruption. A sudden flash of pain keeps me from tracking what he and the other elders are saying. I try to pant through the burning onslaught discreetly, and thankfully it ends after about ten seconds, which is the fastest it’s ever taken for me to get new runes.
Relieved that no one seems to be noticing my sudden pain-induced distraction, I casually look down and find a single new rune on the sides of my hands. Please don’t tell me I’ve somehow unknowingly connected myself to this fucking elder? I silently plead with my magic.
I scan the mystery elder’s hands, but I don’t spot any marks on him. The fact that he didn’t start shouting from a sudden attack of pain supports my hope that the new rune is only for me. The weight of someone’s stare pulls me from my introspection, and I find Elder Cleary watching me shrewdly.
Nothing to see here, I repeatedly chant in my head, before I try to ignore him and check back into what’s going on around me.
“Thank you, Conscript Fierro, for your candor. We will accept your petition for a Bond Claim and review its merits.”
I turn excitedly to Valen, but the look on his face tells me that I’ve missed something. My smile falters, and the use of my name pulls my attention back to the elders.
“Paladin Aylin, your claim on Vinna Aylin is hereby severed. Until this council makes a decision in regards to the Bond Claim submitted by Conscript Fierro on behalf of his coven, a temporary claim will be assigned. Brothers, please speak your recommendations now.”
I wait anxiously for the elders to start discussing what they’re going to do with me, but it doesn’t take long to realize that the conversation is once again taking place in their heads. I shoot a panicked look at Valen as the room fills with a heavy silence. He runs his finger discreetly over the runes behind his ear.
“Don’t worry, Vinna. This will probably only be for a couple of weeks. They don’t take long to decide on Bond Claims. You’ll be back with us soon.”
His words do nothing to lessen the panic rising inside of me. An orange crackle of magic moves over my palms, and I ball my hands into fists to hide it. Two weeks of living with who the fuck knows, and that’s if the elders accept the Bond Claim. They could reject it. Then what the hell am I supposed to do? Before I can mentally shout any of this at Valen, Elder Nypan’s voice slices through the quiet.
“It is agreed; temporary claim will be given to Elder Cleary until a decision is made on the Bond Claim petition.”
“What the fuck?” I exclaim loudly.
My outrage is drowned out by a flurry of activity as the elders hurry from their thrones and quickly rush out through a door behind them. Better run you fucking cowards. As the last elder scrambles out of the room, I turn to go to my Chosen. A large group of strange paladin are surrounding me, blocking my access. What the hell? I spot Ryker between the shoulders of the two paladin directly in front of me, and I see that a separate group of paladin are herding him and the others away.
Panic floods me, and my magic answers its call. Orange, pink, and purple flashes skate over my skin, and I quickly track my options for escape like a cornered dog.
“Stop!” Ryker shouts, but he’s ignored and pushed away. “She’s going to lose it, you moon-cursed assholes, just let me talk to her, and then I’ll leave.”
I reach for the magic in the runes for my short swords. The guy to my left is about my size and looks like the weakest link. I formulate a plan to take him out first.
“Squeaks, stop!”
Ryker’s voice is closer than it was before, and I pull my eyes from my first intended target. I was already moving toward him, and I hadn’t even realized it. I stop the advance and find Ryker. The paladin around him won’t let him get any closer, but they’re no longer trying to force him out of the room. “It’s okay. Don’t fight. It’ll just make things worse if you start killing people.”
Someone gives an incredulous snort, but I don’t pull my eyes from Ryker’s fixed sky-blue stare to glare at whoever it is.
“Just go with them, Squeaks. Call us when you get settled.”
He nods at me reassuringly, and I mirror the movement, even though I am anything but reassured at the moment. If he’s telling me not to fight, I’ll listen, for now.
“It’s going to be okay.”
Ryker gives me a sad smile and taps his chest with two fingers, right over the runes that sit between his pecs. Then he turns and walks out of the room, surrounded by paladin as they escort him away.
3
I stand staring at the door that Ryker left through. Images of my Chosen being forced away from me begin to mix with the memories and helpless feelings of losing Talon and Laiken too. It takes me a couple of minutes to get a hold of myself and rein in the loss that’s slamming into me like a tsunami. One of the paladin surrounding me gets impatient with my lack of movement, and a hand settles on my back as if the owner thinks he can herd me away with a simple guiding touch.
I whip around to punch whoever the fuck is touching me, but he jumps to the side avoiding the full force of my hit. I still manage to clip him, and he stumbles into the paladin on his right, causing a domino effect of faltering bodies.
“High five for having quick reflexes, but if you touch me again, I will fuck you up.”
I glare at the blond male, who doesn’t look much older than me. He tilts his head to the side and then with exaggerated slowness, clasps his hands behind his back. He hikes his eyebrows up and gives me a look that asks, happy now before a smartass smile takes over his face.
“Watch yourself Paladin Rock; you’ve heard what Aydin’s been saying about her.” A stocky paladin to my left warns.
“That’s doesn’t even include what we all just saw happen with Elder Kowk
a,” another paladin warns the cocky blond asshole, who responds with an amused chuckle.
Well, I guess that clears up the mystery. Elder Kowka is the elder I just magicjacked. I fix my stare on the cocky blond idiot.
“Better listen to your buddy, Pebble, he seems to have more sense than you do.”
A chuckling paladin in front of me starts to move toward an exit, and I follow like the good girl I’m not. The group of warriors around me fall into step with one another, and I’m led through several sets of hallways to an underground garage. This one is different than the one the guys and I parked in earlier this morning, and I can’t get my bearings or figure out exactly where I am. I climb into a black Range Rover and try not to shudder at the brief flashback that surfaces.
I’ve about had my fill of black SUVs. The paladin that’s driving maneuvers us out of the parking garage and pulls out onto the roads of the town. He then begins to drive like we’re being chased by something. I take a couple peeks back behind my shoulder just to check that we’re not, in fact, being tailed, but there’s nothing there. I look to the faces of the others in the car, but they don’t seem alarmed by the Grand Theft Auto reenactment.
After thirty minutes, and more turns and winding roads than I can keep track of, the SUV pulls through a set of gates and comes to a stop in front of a house that’s sleeker and more modern than anything I’ve ever seen before. A giant wooden door that’s double the size of any door I’ve ever seen opens, and out steps Elder Cleary, Enoch, Nash, Kallan, and another young caster I’ve never seen before.
I blow out a frustrated sigh and quietly mumble a string of colorful swear words. Well, let’s get this shit show started. I let myself out of the back seat, slamming the car door behind me, which silences the growing laughter filling the car in my wake. I guess I wasn’t as quiet as I thought in expressing my displeasure about this situation.
My eyes automatically narrow at Elder Cleary’s calculating smile, and my angry look makes its way down the line of casters waiting for me by the front door. Gravel crunches under my feet, and I begrudgingly trudge towards my new hosts. The paladin escorting me catch up and match my steps. I hadn’t even noticed any of them get out of the car.
“Vinna, we’re delighted that you’re here.”
Elder Cleary’s blue eyes sparkle, and his overly welcoming voice booms out at me. I stop a couple of feet away from him. I don’t say anything. I just stare at him emotionlessly until he squirms from the uncomfortable lack of response. I’m not sure what’s really going on, but I don’t believe for one second that all of this stems from a genuine concern about my safety.
“Well, let’s give you a tour and get you settled in. I’ve already arranged to have your things moved over here. I expect boxes will start arriving by this afternoon,” Elder Cleary announces, as he turns to make his way through the oversized door.
I absently follow everyone into the house, tuning them out as I’m guided around. It’s very different from Lachlan’s mega-mansion, or any other place I’ve ever been, and I’m not sure what to think about it. The floors are polished concrete, and the space is open and encased by huge windows everywhere. Warm wood tones and textured carpets help break up the cold concrete and white walls, but there’s a definite masculine feel to everything.
It’s not a huge house, which surprises me. I don’t know Elder Cleary that well, but I assumed his home would be more ostentatious and showy. The tour takes me into a room that I’m told is now mine. A large bed sits against the wall in the middle of the room. A gray, tufted fabric headboard at its crown, a sofa in the same color set against the foot. The bedding and other décor in the room have been done in shades of purple and sage, and there’s a huge TV mounted on the wall across from the bed.
It’s clean and comfortable looking, and I’ve definitely stayed in worse places. Alarm bells go off as I take in the feminine decor. Either this is some other female’s room, or they’ve been preparing for me for longer than the thirty-minute drive it took to get here.
“I’ll leave you to get settled in, Vinna. Please let Enoch know if you need anything.”
I ignore Elder Cleary as I continue to look around, but my lack of communication or acknowledgment doesn’t seem to bother him as much anymore, and he turns away.
“Enoch, I’ll see you on Sunday for dinner. Be sure to let Straten know of any dietary restrictions she may have.”
“Dad, she’s right there, just ask her yourself,” Enoch grumbles from where he’s leaning against the doorway of my new—hopefully temporary—room.
Elder Cleary swings back toward me. “Vinna, we do a family dinner every Sunday at my house. Is there anything you don’t like to eat?”
I stare at him confused. “Wait, you don’t live here?”
Elder Cleary looks around and laughs. “Of course not, this is Enoch’s home that he shares with his coven. I thought you’d be more comfortable here,” he declares this innocently, like my comfort was simply his biggest concern, but the pieces fall into place for me.
“Delicate flower broodmares,” I mumble quietly, shaking my head in disgust.
The guys told me about the elders and how they like to facilitate matches that they think are appropriate. These fuckers are trying to match me up with Enoch and his coven.
I glare at Enoch. “Did you know that this was what they were up to?”
Enoch looks at me puzzled. “What who was up to?”
I jerk my chin towards his dad. “Daddy dearest. The other elders.” I give an incredulous snort. “Are you in on this set up too?”
I don’t give Enoch time to respond before I round on Elder Cleary. “Do other caster females let you get away with this shit? Never mind, I don’t really care. You can’t just point me in the direction of the males you want me to choose and think I will just fall on my back.”
“Vinna that’s not what—” Enoch starts to say.
Elder Cleary cuts him off. “Whatever I, or my fellow elders chose to do, it will always be what’s in your best interest. You have a lot to learn about being a caster and all that it entails. This is the best possible fit for your strong magic.”
“I don’t exist to pop out magic-filled babies at your fucking behest,” I growl.
“That statement alone shows just how much you don’t know about being a caster, or who we are.”
Elder Cleary’s reaction and response is cryptic, and it leaves me confused. I can’t tell if he’s saying that I’m wrong in thinking that they only want me as a broodmare. That my incorrect assumption shows just how much I don’t know about being a caster. Or that I am only worth the children I can give them, and I’m wrong in thinking I have some other choice.
Before I can glean any clarification, or find my way out of the maze of his words and my thoughts, Elder Cleary is gone. I stare at the now empty doorway, not sure what the hell to do about any of this.
All these people making decisions for me is getting real fucking old. They just move me around, arranging me however they see fit, like a pawn in a game of chess. Well, I’m done questioning my next move. I’ll sit tight until I know the endgame. Then, I’ll flip the chessboard and fuck up all the pieces. Pawn is not a label I’m good with.
4
I pull my phone out of my back pocket and try and call the guys. After several attempts of holding it at every possible angle — in every square inch of the room — I concede that the no signal indicator is, in fact, not lying to me.
I plop onto the foreign bed and run my finger across the runes behind my ear. Here’s hoping the magic in my runes has a better signal than my phone.
“Sentinel to Chosen, come back, over, cuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,”
“Killer, you ok?”
“Bruiser, this is not a CB radio, handles are not necessary, and neither is the static noise you are making.”
“Bastien, why do you want to spoil my fun? Didn’t you hear, I had a shit day… over.”
I sigh, and some of my tension sloughs awa
y, as their voices sink into me.
“Killer, Knox? Really?”
He laughs, and it does more to wash away the trauma of today than I would have ever thought possible. “What? I like it. Tough but also adorable, and it’s technically accurate which I thought you would appreciate.”
“I guess it beats Squeaks,” I grumble, and Ryker chuckles.
“Come on, you know you secretly love it, Squeaks.”
I give a playfully annoyed moan, and marvel at just how quickly they can pull me from a horrible mood, moment, or memory, simply by being themselves.
“What the hell happened today?” I ask. “I thought I was going to be answering lamia and Sentinel questions, not being subjected to a fucked up child custody hearing and forcibly relocated to Enoch’s house.”
“What the fuck, they moved you into Enoch’s house?” Sabin shouts into my head, and I wince.
The guys must have said something to him because he quickly apologizes for the volume. I hate that they’re all together, and I’m not allowed to be there.
“This whole thing is fucking ridiculous! Why the hell do they treat casters like children until their awakening?” I ask.
“Before an awakening, a caster is not in complete control of their magic. It’s not safe for them to be on their own before they can fully control their abilities. After an awakening, there are way less magical accidents. That’s why casters are free to be independent and make their own choices once they have full access to their magic and the control that comes with it. We hate this as much as you do, but like I said earlier, it should only be for a couple of weeks,” Valen reassures me.
I wish I could argue that I can control my magic and deserve to be on my own. But magicjacking an elder probably wasn’t the best example of that. Maybe if I hadn’t looked just as shocked as the elders had when it happened, I could have played it off as intentional. I focus on Valen’s reassurances that this will only be temporary. One way or another I’ll make sure of that.