by Eva Chase
The director blinked, and hope washed over his face. “We do need to fill that position soon,” he said. “Is the applicant here?”
“She couldn’t make it today, but if you call her in for an audition, she’ll get down here as quickly as she can,” I assured him. I hadn’t wanted to say anything to Shelby until I’d pulled this off, but this was exactly the kind of job she’d been hoping her time at Blood U would qualify her for. I couldn’t imagine her turning down an offer just because it’d come earlier than expected.
I pulled out my phone and brought up the video I’d recorded of Shelby playing last night. I’d asked her to show me one of her favorite pieces. Even through the tiny speakers, you could hear the passion she was pouring into the song, each sway of the melody tugging at my emotions.
The university staff only took the most promising talents into their programs in the first place, so that they could maintain the reputation of their scholarship programs. Even without any persuasive influence, the director could tell Shelby had impressive skills. His eyes widened as he listened.
“Her name is Shelby Hughes,” Malcolm said, and shifted back into casting. “You’ll want to call her as soon as possible, before someone else snatches her up. You’re sure she’ll be a perfect fit. It’s just a matter of seeing through the formalities, and then you’ll make her an official offer of employment.”
Even if Shelby should be a shoo-in, I wasn’t so naïve as to think she’d be the only talented musician auditioning for this role, or that internal politics might not sway the hiring decision away from her if we left it completely to chance. The persuasion was just to grease the wheels to move everything along faster and more smoothly. Once she’d gotten her spot here and proven herself on this level of professionalism, she’d never need to consider coming back to Blood U.
It didn’t feel like nearly enough considering everything that was happening to the Nary students, but it was the most important thing I could accomplish right now.
“Yes, of course,” the director said, nodding emphatically. “We have to get her in here. You can give me her contact information?”
“Here’s her phone number,” I said, handing him the paper I’d prepared. “She’s currently finishing up an advanced program at Bloodstone University, just a couple hours from here, but I’m sure she’ll jump at the chance to be a part of your fantastic organization.”
The director was already pulling out his phone. Malcolm’s spell had sunk in deep. The Nightwood scion flashed a smile at me as the director walked off with the phone at his ear, so intent on landing Shelby for the position that he didn’t even bother saying good-bye to us.
“Mission accomplished,” Malcolm said, wiping his hands together with a satisfied air. His smile faded as we headed out to his car. “I get why you wanted to do this, but it’s going to be tough for you, isn’t it? You and her were pretty close.”
And with Deborah and Imogen dead, I didn’t have anyone else I could call any kind of friend beyond the scions. My chest tightened at the thought, but I’d already pushed aside that sense of loss. “This is what a real friend would do. She won’t be that far away. I’ll still be able to visit her. I just don’t want her coming anywhere near campus after I can get her away from here.”
“Well, we can take comfort in the fact that the barons shouldn’t have any idea we were involved in removing one Nary from their grasp. It’s not totally unusual for employers to poach the students before they’re finished with the programs.”
“Thank God,” I said, trying not to think of how my mother would react if she did find out. Which became significantly more difficult with the chime of my phone.
“While we’re out here, we could take our time, grab some lunch,” Malcolm was starting to say.
I held up my hand with a lurch of my heart, staring at my phone’s screen. “My mother and Lillian are coming by the university this afternoon to look into the ‘incident.’ Soon. If she gets there and I’m not around…”
Malcolm gunned the engine. “All right. No taking our time. Let’s see how many speed records I can break without letting a single cop notice.”
I’d have liked to enjoy the trip, knowing I had set one small thing right, but it was hard to dwell on anything except the thought of seeing my mother again. Before now, she hadn’t reached out to me at all since that night in the Desensitization. How was she going to expect me to act around her? Would she get upset if I didn’t throw myself at her feet full of apologies?
No. I was pretty sure that she wouldn’t want her heir prostrating for anyone, even her. She wanted me to be strong, just… strong while I supported the same ideals. That was one minor mercy.
I still wasn’t looking forward to navigating the latest consequences of her plan. At this point, I didn’t have much hope she’d see it as a clear indication that the new policy had been a mistake.
By some miracle—and a whole lot of Malcolm’s magic—we made it back to the university in just over an hour without hearing sirens wail behind us even once. Malcolm caught my hand before we got out of the car. “Do you want me with you when you go meet her?” he asked. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but she does like my father, at least.”
My emotions tore down the middle, half of me longing to have some kind of supportive presence at my side and the other half recoiling from the idea of any of my lovers seeing how my mother might treat me. Malcolm had warned me she might be harsh if I pushed back against her plans. It wasn’t as if he’d be surprised. But still…
She was my mother. I wouldn’t always have backup when I was dealing with her. I had to find a way to work with her and around her on my own.
“Thanks,” I said, “but I’ve got this. I wouldn’t want her realizing I brought you along to side with me, anyway. We still want your father to think you’re his loyal heir, don’t we?”
“We’ll see how long it makes sense to keep that ruse up,” Malcolm muttered, but he didn’t argue. He leaned across the seat to steal a kiss that left my heart thumping for totally different reasons. “Text us as soon as you know how they’ve decided to handle the situation.”
“I will.”
I lingered by my car for a few minutes as he left so no one would notice us emerging from the garage together. It shouldn’t matter, but I wasn’t sure what my mother would make of our trip when she was so busy watching everyone around her for signs of treachery, especially if she connected it to one of the Nary students who happened to be from my dorm making an abrupt departure.
As I came out, a gold Lexus was cruising into view up the road from town, a blacksuit sedan right behind it. We’d made it back just in time.
I ambled over to the open parking lot in front of Killbrook Hall to meet the arrivals. My mother and Lillian got out at the same time and immediately converged, my mother checking something on her phone while they talked together. Maggie slipped out of the car and trailed behind them. I paused to let them cross the rest of the distance to me, my skin prickling at the sight of the blacksuit.
I had another friend I owed a debt to. Another enemy to deal with—and one my mother was in so tight with. Maybe Baron Bloodstone didn’t care about Imogen’s murder. Maybe she’d see the slaughter of an innocent student by the people who were supposed to protect us fearmancers as no worse than what she’d done to Professor Viceport’s sister. But was she also totally fine with all the lies Lillian had told me, with the way she’d helped the other barons nearly hobble my magic?
Did she even know? She’d never said anything to me to confirm it one way or the other.
My mother looked up as they reached me and gave me her usual careful smile. “I was about to let you know we’d gotten here. You didn’t need to wait for us.”
“I happened to be passing this way anyway,” I said in the most lighthearted tone I could summon.
Apparently my mother wasn’t even going to acknowledge any uneasy emotions I might be feeling after what she’d put me through, just as s
he’d never made any mention of my birthday. She walked on, expecting me to fall in stride along with her as she headed onto the green. “This death is an unfortunate event,” she said, not sounding remotely concerned. “I’m sure it’s stirred the students up. Have you heard any questionable sentiments among your classmates?”
“People are speculating about why the girl did it, but that’s all. Nothing outrageous.” Although maybe her real question was whether I was having a questionable reaction to the girl’s suicide, considering the sentiments I’d expressed before. There hadn’t really been any need for a baron to come out to campus over this, had there?
She might not be talking about her suspicions of me, but she was checking up on me all the same.
“Well, some of them are even more feeble-minded than others. It’s unsurprising that now and then one cracks under the pressures of the school.” She glanced at Lillian. “There may be some additional talk when it comes to the next phase, but I think we can quell that fairly quickly.”
“I don’t expect there’ll be much of a hitch in your plans,” Lillian confirmed. “I’ve gone over every aspect on my end thoroughly.”
“Next phase?” I asked, my stomach sinking. Did I want to know what more the barons might be planning? Not really, but I needed to.
My mother brushed the question off with a twitch of her hand. “It’ll all come together soon enough. For now, the blacksuits simply need to make certain no foul play was involved in the death.”
“Standard procedure,” Lillian said with a crooked smile of her own.
After everything she’d done to me, she was now running around helping my mother with her schemes in every way she could. How many more people were going to die before the two of them were finished?
The comment slipped out before I’d totally thought it through. “And hopefully I won’t get accused of murder all over again.”
Lillian’s expression twitched, but my mother wasn’t looking at her. She brushed her fingers over my hair, ruffling it, and said, “Let’s not dwell on the unfortunate happenstances of the past. I can’t see an awful set of circumstances coming together like that again.”
She spoke casually rather than pointedly, as if she really did think it’d all been a matter of coincidence.
“I’m sure I wouldn’t make a mistake like that,” Lillian said with a short chuckle that only solidified my impression. She hadn’t told my mother her part in that story after all.
She set off toward Nightwood Tower with Maggie at her heels. The assistant shot a quick look over her shoulder at me, but then she turned her attention back to her boss. And I was left with my mother.
“I hope you didn’t have any personal connection to the poor girl,” the baron said.
I shook my head automatically. “No. I didn’t know her at all.” Which didn’t mean I thought she deserved what’d happened to her. But my thoughts were whirling now with a shiver of agitated excitement.
My mother was wary even of Lillian, from what I’d seen. What if I could give Imogen something like the justice she deserved? What if I could strip my mother of her possibly greatest ally with the same stroke?
It might get me nowhere. Hell, for all I knew my mother would see any mention of the subject as whining. But on the other hand, there had to be a reason Lillian hadn’t filled her in.
I kept my own voice quiet but as casual as possible, even though I chose every word with care.
“It’s kind of ironic, Lillian investigating this death when she’s the one responsible for that other one.”
My mother’s gaze had been roaming over the green. At my remark, it snapped to my face. “What was that?” she said, her voice tightly even.
“You know.” I glanced around as if making sure no one was close enough to overhear. “She killed my dormmate to arrange my arrest. I realize she must have had her reasons…”
I trailed off, not entirely by design, at the tensing of my mother’s face. Her eyes had gone even darker than usual. “Where did you hear that?” she demanded. “Is that what people are saying? Absolutely ridiculous.”
I frowned. “It isn’t, though. I saw the proof—just not anything solid enough that I could use it in the trial.” I couldn’t bring Deborah into this, let her rest in peace. Hugging myself, I rubbed my arms. A little show of vulnerability might help me in this one moment. “I assumed she’d have told you. I—I’m sorry. Seeing how close you two are was part of the reason I was nervous opening up to you very much about, well, everything.”
The admission had the ring of truth because in a lot of ways it was true. My mother’s gaze shot back to Lillian, who was standing at the base of Nightwood Tower now. “She wouldn’t,” she started, but then didn’t seem sure how to go on.
“Maybe I got mixed up somehow,” I said in a doubtful tone. “I guess all it’d take is an insight spell to clear that up, anyway.”
My mother squared her shoulders. “Stay here,” she said, her voice turning firm and even cooler. “I’ll see that this is sorted out.”
She set off across the green with a fierce air that I wouldn’t have wanted to be on the receiving end of. Another shiver passed through me as I watched her, this one all nerves. What if this gambit backfired on me?
The impression rose up that I’d just moved a key piece on the board of a dangerous game, with stakes I wasn’t totally prepared to face.
My mother drew Lillian a short distance to the side. Her hand jerked through the air as she spoke, her voice too low for me to make out.
Lillian’s whole body went rigid. In the space of a second, the lioness she’d always come across as vanished in the place of a gazelle inches from a predator’s jaws. Her mouth moved quickly, and I caught a couple of snippets of her hasty explanation: “…best option at the…” “…interference with our…”
However she was trying to justify herself, my mother’s stance didn’t relax. She leaned closer, so much fury twisting her expression as she gave her response that it chilled me to the bone. Then, with a flit of her fingers, Lillian’s mouth jammed shut and her wrists smacked together in front of her as if bound by invisible handcuffs.
The baron was arresting her.
I couldn’t help staring after them as my mother marched the blacksuit back toward their cars. My gaze slid away as they passed behind Killbrook Hall—and collided with Maggie’s.
Lillian’s assistant was still standing by the tower, watching me watching them. Her hands had balled at her sides. Her mouth flattened as just for a second she outright glared at me, and then she was hurrying off after her employer without a backward glance.
I dragged in a breath. I’d done it—I’d revealed Lillian’s crimes, and to someone who was actually going to see her face retribution for them, even if my mother saw the offense as more against her than against Imogen.
Whatever this precarious game was, I’d thrown myself into it now, and I couldn’t see any way of turning back.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jude
About five minutes after I’d come down to the lounge, I started to think this was all a terrible idea. I could be blowing up the little bit of stability I still had in my life. I hadn’t even let Rory come along for moral support, as much as I missed her presence now.
This was between me and the guys I’d known since we were kids. She shouldn’t have to step in. If I deserved their respect, I’d damn well better show it.
I lingered over the liquor cabinet, the tangy scents that drifted from the bottles tempting me, but after a moment’s wavering, I just grabbed a Coke from the mini-fridge. Something to occupy my hands and my mouth but that wouldn’t potentially loosen my tongue more than was beneficial. I had too much experience with hangovers and regrets.
Malcolm sauntered in first with his usual princely aura. He poured himself a whiskey sour, which I couldn’t help eyeing with a little pang of longing. I clutched my can tighter and took a fizzy sweet gulp.
Declan showed up next, with Connar
right behind him. The Ashgrave scion went to fix himself an espresso, which maybe I’d have gone for if I’d seen any use in making myself more wired. No, thank you, I already felt about ready to leap right out of my skin.
Connar stopped by the sofa and glanced at each of us before his gaze came to rest on me. The bruise on my jaw where he’d clocked me tingled. A little of the haunted look that’d come over him after we’d snapped him out of Baron Stormhurst’s spell returned. His mouth twisted.
“If this has anything to do with anything I did while the spell was acting on me—”
I held up my hands. “Nothing to worry about. I’m all interventioned out for the next few years at least. This is—this is just a me thing.”
Once I’d said that, there really wasn’t any shifting back to regular small talk to ease into the subject. Connar sat down, and the other two guys came over to join him. I stayed standing next to the armchair they’d left empty, holding onto my pop can as if for dear life.
I was not off to a great start here.
Malcolm raised his eyebrows at me. “Didn’t you invite Rory? I’d have thought you’d want her included in any scion business from now on?” His tone was only mildly provocative.
I looked at the floor and then back at them. “Rory already knows what I’m going to tell you. I thought, considering our history— It’s been just the four of us for a long time—”
I shut up, because I had no idea where I was going with that. The guys all watched me, Declan’s forehead furrowing with concern.
Fuck, I was nervous because of them, so they had to all be able to feel it, little tremors of anxiety feeding their magic for reasons they couldn’t even have suspected. I strode farther into the center of the room and then, feeling too exposed, back to the chair, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to sit down either.
This spot wasn’t far from where I’d been standing when I’d severed the illusions that’d been gripping Connar the other day. I let myself sink into that memory for a moment, because it’d been that night that’d convinced me I should do this. We’d all worked together, every one of us vital to the plan, me no less than anyone else. We’d worked together as friends, without a word about our future responsibilities.