Bitter Magic

by Raven Steele

  Liam looked from me to Christian. “How do I know he won’t run to his friends and tell them everything?”

  I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Will you trust me, please?”

  Liam stepped back, his expression grim. “Whatever, but I don’t want to be around for this reunion. Why don’t you catch him up? I’ve got things to do.”

  “Um, okay,” I said, confused by his sudden change in demeanor.

  Liam didn’t look back at me when he disappeared into the forest. I waited a few seconds to see if he might return, but when he didn’t, I turned around to face Christian. He stared at me with such intensity, that I finally blurted, “What?”

  “I have to tell you something.” He swallowed. “This time we’ve been apart, only seeing each other for brief moments, has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he stopped me. “Please don’t say anything. Just give me a second.”

  He moved toward me, stopping just in front of me. “My father encouraged me to go into Guardian training at an early age. It was hard and fun at the same time, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to devote my whole life to it. But then I became your Guardian, and it was like I finally believed in myself. I was excited for the future and for the chance to be the best Guardian I could be.”

  He smiled. “I know that sounds cheesy, but I felt whole. And then we were separated. And,” he shook his head, “I don’t know, everything just fell apart. I lost those feelings, and at first I thought it was because I was faced with no longer being a Guardian. I was a freaking mess. But then I realized something. When I’m around you, Miss Llona Reese, I’m not a mess. You make my world right, not being a Guardian. It’s you I want in my life, and I’d give up everything to make that happen.”

  I lowered my head to Christian’s chest. His arms came around me. “Please tell me what’s going on. I know it goes beyond what’s happening at Lucent.”

  I looked up at him. “You being with me is dangerous. You saw what almost happened at the tower. What everyone says about Guardians and Auras being together, I get it now. And I don’t want anything to ever happen to you because of our relationship. You mean too much to me.”

  He chuckled and tucked my hair behind my ear. “Is that all that’s bugging you?”

  I almost said more, the real truth, but he continued speaking.

  “You need to know something, Llona. If I were to die tomorrow, or in ten days, or in ten years, all of this, you and me, would have been worth it. I would rather live a short life with you in it than a long one where you and I are not together.”

  It was then that I understood how my father convinced my mom to marry him. But before I could hear any more declarations of love, Christian had to know the truth.

  “You can’t make that decision yet,” I said and swallowed hard.

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because you don’t know the whole truth.”

  Chapter 23

  It took me almost an hour to tell Christian everything about what we had discovered to be going on at Lucent because he kept asking questions. When I finally finished, he was sitting on the ground looking pale. And I still hadn’t even told him the worst part.

  “Are you going to throw up?” I asked.

  He gave me a weak smile. “This is so much bigger than I thought.”

  “What did you think was going on?”

  “That maybe a Guardian had turned rogue and was selling blood to Vykens.”

  I chuckled. “You were half right.”

  Christian’s eyes were full of sadness. “I’m so sorry, Llona. It’s like you’ve gone from bad to worse.”

  I shrugged. “I’m just glad I found the diary and met Liam.”

  “Liam,” Christian said and twisted his mouth like the name was sour-tasting. “That’s one thing I don’t get. What were you doing with him out here?”

  “He’s helping me.”

  “With what?”

  I looked away, a lump growing in my throat threatening to choke me. “There’s something else, Christian. Something I didn’t know how to tell you before.”

  Christian stood up next to me. “You can tell me anything.”

  I searched his eyes. “Just promise you’ll still look at me the same.”

  “Llona—”

  “Promise me.”

  “I promise.”

  I reached up and moved my hair to the side, exposing the bite marks.

  He reached up and touched them lightly with his fingers. “What is this?”

  “You know what it is,” I whispered.

  He continued to stare at my neck. “When?”

  I hesitated. “That night on the stage. Mr. Steele bit me just before I killed him.”

  Christian stepped back. Away from me.

  “Say something,” I said.

  “He bit you?”

  “Something else, please.”

  Christian began to breathe heavily, his chest rising and falling, and his hands trembled.

  “Christian?”

  His eyes met mine. “What does this mean?”

  “Vyken poison is inside me,” I said. It hurt to say it out loud.

  He was shaking his head before I could finish. “I don’t understand.”

  “Since that night, darkness is always here.” I patted my chest. “And every second of every day it’s trying to swallow me. I don’t want to become a monster.”

  A single tear spilled over and ran down my cheek.

  Christian didn’t hesitate. He pulled me to his chest and held me fiercely. The exact way I needed to be held right now. “It will be okay. We’ll figure this out together.”

  He smiled and looked down at me, giving me no room to ever doubt his love for me. I nodded and blinked the tears away; they ran onto his shoulder for him to carry.

  For several quiet moments, he stroked my back until he pulled away and said, “I want to help. What can I do?”

  “I’m not really sure. Liam’s been helping. He’s teaching me to use Light the way it was intended, to comfort, beautify, and, well, you know the speech. I guess I’ve been using it too much the other way, and it’s been feeding the darkness. Liam says it’s a fine balance, but if he did it, then I can too, right?”

  He smiled again. “Of course you can, and I’ll be right here helping you every step of the way.”

  I squeezed his hand in appreciation. “We need to have a meeting with Tessa and May. And Kiera should probably come too. Something big and bad is coming, and we need to make sure we’re ready.”

  “Fine. When?”

  “Tomorrow,” I said. “After breakfast. Meet at the track.”

  “Don’t you guys have class?”

  “Not tomorrow. It’s career day, which means we’re supposed to take the day to research what we want to do with the rest of our lives.”

  I wanted to say more, but the words stuck in my throat. What Liam had said, about living forever. My whole life had changed, but was it really a life worth living if all I ever did was battle myself?

  “You okay?”

  I nodded and forced a smile. “Just thinking. I should get back.”

  I started walking. Christian came with me, taking my hand in his. I was about to say something when goose bumps broke on my flesh. They were followed by a cold chill crawling up my spine. I stopped and looked around.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  I didn’t see or hear anything. “Do you ever feel like you’re being watched?”

  He turned around and scanned the forest with me. “I don’t see or hear anything.”

  “I guess I’m just freaked out.” I started walking again, feeling stupid for saying anything. We reached the stone wall. “This is my stop.”

  “Liam’s right, you know,” Christian said.

  “About what?”

  “Your ability to sense Vykens. Something’s changed, and you need to figure out what. Pay attention to everything you do, or everyone and everything you’re around. Som
ething’s messing with your spidey senses.”

  “Spidey senses?”

  “You know what I mean.” He gave me a quick kiss. “Stay safe, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Sitting in the dining room, I rubbed my eyes, trying to push sleepiness and a headache away. I was hoping the motion would do just that, but no such luck.

  “You look terrible,” Tessa said in my ear as she set a plate of pancakes in front of me.

  “Thanks,” I said. “For the pancakes.”

  She grinned. “Are we still on for later today?”

  Next to me, Kiera said, “Operation Save Lucent Academy is in full force.”

  All of us shushed her.

  Kiera flinched “Right. Sorry.”

  I ate quickly, taking in as much food as I could, while Kiera whispered excitedly about all the spy tricks she thought she knew. It made me worry. She’d never faced a Vyken before and had no idea how bad things could get. I glanced over at May, who looked like she was thinking the same thing. She was silently agreeing with Kiera, but her eyes were sad as if she was remembering what Mr. Steele had done to her.

  And Tracey.

  I pushed away from the table and stood. “I have to get some things out of my room. Do you guys want to meet me at the track?”

  “Sure,” May said.

  I turned to leave, but Kiera stopped me. “Wait! You forgot your pill.” She snatched if off the table and held it out to me. “You’re going to want to feel as good as possible.”

  “Thanks,” I said, taking it from her. “See you in a bit.”

  I left the dining room and headed toward the elevator while I tossed the pill into the air and caught it again. Up ahead was a drinking fountain. I stopped in front of it and opened my palm. The “A” etched into the pill’s center stared at me. I wondered again why my father had never made me take the vitamins, like my mother and the rest of the Auras.

  I frowned. And then it hit me like a garbage truck. A super stinky, rotten one.

  I looked up and toward the dining room. Kiera! I took off running and burst through the doors of the almost empty dining room, even May was gone. Kiera was picking up the pill and moving it to her mouth.

  No! I ran faster, trying to maneuver my way through the tables and chairs. I reached Kiera just in time and smacked her hand; the pill went flying across the room.

  “Hey!” Kiera said. She whirled around. “What in the world, Llona?”

  I glanced over. The few remaining people were teachers, and they were staring. I faked a laugh. “Got you! Just wanted to give you a scare.”

  “Mission accomplished,” Kiera mumbled, “but you made me lose my pill.”

  When she stood up to find it, I whispered in her ear, “It’s the pills. They’re stopping Auras from sensing Vykens.”

  Kiera reared back. “What? How?”

  “Look, just don’t take it. We’ll talk about it when we meet, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said, still looking confused.

  I returned to my room and grabbed the backpack containing Britt’s diary. I wanted Christian to go through it to see if he could find something I might’ve missed.

  I was the first one on the track. The whole time my mind was reeling with my discovery. It had to be the pills. It was the only thing I had done differently.

  Moments later, May and Kiera showed up. Tessa was a few minutes after.

  “Christian will be here too,” I announced to the group.

  “So you guys worked things out?” May asked.

  I nodded.

  Kiera scrunched her nose. “Worked things out? What are you talking about?”

  Tessa and May both looked at me, waiting for me to answer.

  “We’re dating,” I said, and it felt good to say it.

  Kiera’s eyes grew big. “You’re joking, right?” She turned to May and Tessa. “Tell me she’s joking.”

  They both laughed.

  “This is huge! You are so crazy, Llona!” Kiera grinned with the others. “I like that about you.”

  “So tell us about the pills,” May said. “Kiera said you freaked out this morning.”

  I looked at them with a conspiring eye. “You know how I told you guys I could sense Vykens, but the other day in Cyrus’s office I couldn’t quite pinpoint it? The feeling was hazy, and the same when I saw Liam later. But then I remembered the night before that, I hadn’t sensed anything with Liam. He was just a regular guy.”

  “So what are you thinking?” May asked.

  “I’ve been trying to figure out how I could go from sensing a Vyken across the room, to not even knowing I’m touching one, and then to just sort of sensing one.” I paused. “I never took the Auran vitamins before I got here. Like a good Aura, I took them daily except for yesterday.” My eyes flashed to May’s. “I’m sure you remember. I was mad and threw my pill at Ashlyn.”

  “So you think the pills have shut off something inside you?” Tessa clarified. “And when you didn’t take the pill, your senses started to come back.”

  I nodded.

  “Where do the pills come from?” May asked.

  Tessa answered. “They come to us in boxes every Tuesday night, and then we take them to Abigail, the nurse. She’s the one who disperses them to us, and we set them out in the morning.”

  “Who brings the boxes?” I asked.

  Tessa thought for a minute. “I’m not sure. I’ve never been there when they come.”

  “Then we need to find out who’s dropping them off,” I said. “Do you know what time the deliveries are made?”

  She shook her head. “A bunch are made all night long, food and stuff.”

  “So tonight,” I said.

  Tessa nodded.

  “Okay. I’ll stay up and see who comes.”

  Tessa narrowed her eyes at me. “How do you do it?”

  “Do what?”

  “It seems like you never sleep.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw May studying me closely. I averted my gaze. “I’m just a night owl. If it gets too late, I’ll have Christian take over.”

  As if sensing his name, Christian appeared. “Sorry I’m late.”

  He sat down next to me and kissed me on the cheek. I looked at him surprised. I guess our relationship was out in the open for the whole world to see.

  “Okay, that is too weird,” Kiera said, shaking out her hands.

  “Christian, this is Kiera and Tessa,” I introduced.

  He held out his hand. “Nice to meet you both.”

  After shaking their hands, he turned to May who was sitting on his other side.

  “No way am I getting a lame-ass hand shake,” she said to him. “I want a hug.”

  He laughed and embraced her tightly.

  When he let her go, he asked, “What did I miss?”

  “I found out what changed,” I said.

  Christian’s eyebrows lifted. “What?”

  “It’s the pills.”

  “Pills?”

  I explained everything to him. When I finished, Christian said, “I’ll wait with you tonight. Should be interesting.” He took hold of my hand.

  Kiera giggled. “I can’t believe an Aura and a Guardian are dating.”

  “Technically I’m not a Guardian anymore,” he said. “They stripped me of the title this morning. That’s why I was late.”

  I squeezed his hand, my heart breaking for him. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not. This is what I want. To be with you.”

  “What can we do to help?” May asked.

  “I’ve been thinking about that,” I said, while trying not to look at Christian. I really felt terrible for what happened to him. “Kiera, I’d like you to talk to Abigail. Ask her about the pills, when in history Auras started taking them, and find out exactly when we started donating our blood.”

  “Got it,” Kiera answered.

  “And Christian,” I said, “you’ve got to get something out of Jackson. The Guardians all seem to listen to him.
Be his best friend if you have to.”

  He nodded.

  “What about me?” May asked.

  I turned to her. “You’ve got to find out why Dr. Han took your blood. And see if you can get him to talk about the past and his relationship with Cyrus. “

  “Done.”

  “I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Kiera said, grinning. “Is anyone else as excited as I am?”

  Tessa agreed, but Christian, May, and I all looked at each other, knowing there was nothing exciting about it.

  Chapter 24

  Before I met with Christian to watch for the night deliveries, I snuck out early to see if I could find Liam to get in another quick lesson. Christian’s presence had helped calm some of the darkness inside me, but it was still there just below the surface, whispering inside me, telling me to return to the forest, to seek out life and destroy it.

  I was barely into the forest when I heard scuffling noises, followed by a series of grunts and moans. I resisted the urge to race toward the obvious sounds of a fight, and instead remembered to keep my cool like Christian had shown me back in Wildemoor.

  In the distance, I saw two figures standing next to each other. Their backs were to me, and when I got close enough, I noticed they seemed to be looking down at something, or someone. Because of the distance between us, and because of my recent Vyken confusion, I couldn’t tell if I was looking at men or Vykens. Obviously I still had something from the pills inside me. By their appearance, though, I guessed Vykens. Both had black hair, one was spiked high, and the other’s was long, just past his shoulders. Spike-head also had a thing for tattoos. Blue ink covered the majority of his exposed skin.

  Needing a better look without being seen, I leapt to a branch just above me and swung my legs up until I was able to stand on the thick limb. I began to climb higher and to the other side of the tree. From this view I was able to peer down and see who was lying on the ground looking very dead.

  My heart stopped. Liam.

  I focused my hearing. In addition to voices, I could just make out Liam’s shallow breathing.

  “That’s not what we’re supposed to do,” Spike-head said.

  “But if we finish him off, the Deific will just send more men,” the other said.