Broken Bonds (Valerian's Cove Book 2)

by H. C. de Cossy

  “Understood, Sir. Thank you.”

  Tony hung up and looked at the Caseys and Theo.

  “I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, man, but this keeps getting weirder and weirder.” Tony said to Theo. Tony repeated what Chief Kenny had told him.

  “I guess we have to expect that she will come looking for Theo, since she put so much time and effort into controlling him for so long,” Marissa said. “I just wish I could understand what her goal is.”

  “I would be wary of unfamiliar people in town with an interest in Theo, or any of us as we are his family now.” Tony said.

  “I got a call from a strange new client this morning,” Marissa said. “She said a friend of mine recommended me to her. I checked with my friend, and she confirmed it. But she says that she doesn’t know much about this woman. And the woman told me her name was Clara. That’s too close to Clarice. Boy, am I dumb.”

  “You are not!” Lia stated hotly. “Did she make an appointment?”

  “Yes, in three weeks.”

  “It might be a good idea to cancel that appointment, Sweetheart,” Brendan told his daughter.

  “Maybe not yet,” Tony said. “Let’s wait and see if we can dig up a bit more information first. If this woman is Clarice Thorndike, we know she is coming to town. We can be ready for her. We can turn her setup around on her and get this taken care of once and for all.”

  “I don’t want her getting close to Marissa,” Theo said.

  “Listen, if she’s been blocking the Bond from both ends, she has been around Marissa before somehow. She hasn’t physically hurt her yet. We will make sure that Marissa has protection. You never know, maybe we will get this figured out before the appointment date. Maybe this Clara person is someone completely different. I’m just saying, let’s see if we can get a bit more information before Marissa cancels the appointment. Don’t worry. I’ve been taking care of Malia and Marissa practically our whole lives. I’m not going to let anything happen to either of them now.”

  8

  The Caseys threw a town-wide party on Labor Day. The town had a parade that started down by the harbor and ended up on the Casey property. Extra grills were carried in and everyone arrived with something to share. A wash station for plates and cutlery was set up at the side of the patio. All Valerian’s Cove events were zero waste.

  A stage had been set up near the gardens and various bands were taking it in turn to play a couple of sets each. Many people in town were musically inclined. The Caseys would be playing a few sets of Irish music themselves as the day wore on.

  Around three o’clock, a vehicle turned down the drive towards the Casey’s place. It was a small gold colored Japanese car, older. Nothing remarkable about it. The driver parked at the side of the drive and got out. She stood for a moment, listening to the sounds of music and laughter coming from behind the house. Slowly, she made her way towards the party.

  As she turned the corner of the house, Rachel, Declan and Mollie Murphy all looked up. The newcomer’s eyes met Rachel’s through the crowd. The Murphys headed towards the small woman, who stood her ground patiently amidst the festivities around her.

  “Who are ye?” Rachel demanded. Brownies knew their own kind-they could feel the magic of their people. It was considered polite for newcomers to introduce themselves to others already in residence in an area, much like Shifters did.

  “My name is Rose Brown,” the newcomer said in a low voice. It was difficult to hear her over the noise of the surrounding celebration. “I’m not here to stay. I-I’m looking for someone, and I believe he’s here.”

  “There are no other families here at present,” Declan told her.

  “He’s not one of us. He was my charge, many years ago. I’ve kept an eye on him over the years, and I need to speak with him.”

  “Does he know you’re here?” Mollie asked.

  “No, he never knew I was watching,” Rose replied. “It was safer that way.”

  The Murphys looked at each other.

  “Who is this person?” Rachel asked.

  “His name now is Theodore Leonard.”

  Rachel looked sharply at Declan.

  “Mollie, go get Brendan and Tony, please,” Declan said. Mollie ran off.

  “Theo is Bonded to one of our family,” Rachel told Rose. “He is ours.”

  “I know,” Rose replied. She waited patiently.

  Mollie came back, leading Brendan, Tony and Theo.

  Rose looked up at Theo. “Oh, my boy. You have grown so much. I am so sorry I couldn’t have done more for you.”

  “Who are you?” Theo asked.

  “My name is Rose Brown. I was your nanny when you were a tiny child. And I am the one that took you away from your home and your family and left you on the steps of that church. I am so sorry, Teddy. It was the safest thing to do for you.”

  “Why would you do that?” Tony asked, as Theo stared at Rose in surprise.

  “Theo’s parents were very wealthy. Or at least, his father was. Theo’s mother married for the money. I was working for Theo’s grandparents when Hugh brought that viper home. There was something about her that I just didn’t trust. I told Mrs. Thorndike Senior that I didn’t trust Hugh’s bride. Mr. and Mrs. Senior didn’t like her, either. They were very strong Earth Mages. Mr. Senior worked in the steel industry, doing his best to heal the Earth after the metals were harvested from her. He owned quarries too. Mr. Senior did his best to manage them in a healthy way. He always fed energy back into the Earth when anything was taken away.”

  “Anyhow, I watched Clarice, Hugh’s wife. Sometimes she would go away on trips, and would be gone for a week or so. I noticed that while she was away, Mr. Hugh was more like his old self, fun and full of laughter. When she would come back, he became listless and bored easily. He let her have her way in everything. I told Mr. and Mrs. Senior what I saw. They were very concerned.” Rose paused and took a breath.

  “Hugh began losing weight, and staying in his office or the library more and more. That’s when we found out the Clarice was pregnant. During the pregnancy, Clarice became even more particular and demanding. Hugh let her have whatever she wanted. He was happy when you were born, almost more like his old self. Then, he took a turn for the worse when you were about nine months old. Mrs. Senior had asked me to be your nanny when you were born, and goodness knows that Clarice wasn’t the motherly type. She only spent time with you when she had to. One day, I was on my way to the library to tell Mr. Hugh that you had pulled yourself up to standing by yourself-he liked to hear about you, even if he didn’t have the energy to play with you much himself. When I got to the door of the library, I heard Clarice’s voice inside. She was telling him to take some sort of medicine, and her voice was strange. Then she began almost ranting, telling Hugh that he should just die already, he was making things difficult for her. There was a mirror on the wall of the library, and I could see through the door. Clarice had her hands on his head. He was staring at her. It was as if he wasn’t really there at all, nobody home.” There were tears in Rose’s eyes.

  “I pretended I had just arrived and knocked on the door. I opened it and found Clarice sitting next to Hugh as if they had been sitting reading together. As if she would ever read a book. I told Mr. Hugh about you standing, Teddy, and then said goodnight. Then I went straight to my room and called Mrs. Senior. We made plans that night to take you away. It wasn’t safe, you see, for you to stay there. That Clarice was obviously a Mind Mage with a firm hold over your father. And it looked like she was responsible for him being sick, too.

  Mr. and Mrs. Senior had changed their Wills, so that there was no way that Clarice would get anything. They hadn’t told Hugh. As long as you were there, Clarice could stay in the house if anything happened to Hugh, but she wouldn’t get any money except for basic care. But we knew that it wouldn’t be safe for you if she was really a Mind Mage. So, when Hugh died several months later, Mrs. Senior had me take you away. Mr. and Mrs. Senior kic
ked Clarice out and made very sure that you were never found. They didn’t want her to find you, you see. They were afraid of what she would do to you. But I watched you. I made sure you found a suitable home. I let them know how you were. They love you, your grandparents do. They were so afraid of what Clarice would do.”

  “Why didn’t they just have her arrested?” Tony asked.

  “The old Council was still in charge then. And Clarice’s uncle was on the Council. They knew that would never work. And strange things had been happening at the house. Things going missing, and other things. They just wanted to keep you safe.”

  “But why didn’t they come forward when Theo was grown up?” Brendan asked.

  “The old Council was still in operation, and Clarice was still around. Believe me, they want to meet you. They wanted to come forward as soon as the Council fell, but Clarice wasn’t caught with the rest of the Council members. They didn’t know what to do.”

  “If you were watching me, why didn’t you stop her from finding me, and suppressing my Bond with Marissa?” Theo demanded.

  “I am so sorry, Teddy,” Rose replied. “I couldn’t be watching you all the time, and I didn’t know you had truly Bonded. Then, you were gone so much on your undercover work. I didn’t realize that Clarice had found you until much later. There was a period of time when I couldn’t find you at all. That’s when I started looking for Clarice. I was afraid that she had somehow found you and done something to you. And one day I saw her, just before the Council fell. I saw her meet with you and put her hands on your head like she had done with Hugh. I followed her here to Valerian’s Cove and saw her approach Marissa at the Clinic. She had booked herself in as a client. Then the Council fell, and I thought everything would be ok. But she wasn’t caught with the rest of them. And I couldn’t find her.”

  “Why are you here now?” Tony asked.

  “Because Clarice is in San Francisco, and I am afraid she will come after Theo again. I don’t want her to hurt him anymore.”

  “What could she possibly want with him now?” Brendan asked.

  “Teddy’s still the heir to Mr. Senior’s money. They never changed their Wills, since they knew that he was still alive. They’re only in their late eighties now. But imagine, if Clarice could compel Hugh so much he died, what she could do if she got a hold of Teddy? She could have him following her around like a puppy. Once she was back in their lives, do you think she would waste any time finding a way to get to Mr. and Mrs. Senior? Then she would control all that money.”

  “But why would she bother to suppress Theo and Marissa’s Bond?” Tony wondered.

  “Probably didn’t want anyone else in the way of her controlling him. Everyone knows that the Caseys are from a lengthy line of powerful Witches.”

  “She probably was able to suppress Marissa’s end of the Bond because Marissa was so devastated when Theo left that she wasn’t fully aware of what was going on around her. Plus finding out that she was pregnant, and pregnancy hormones.” Rachel said. Rose nodded.

  “I think that Clarice had been playing the long game these last eleven years. Theo was under obligation to the Council, so she couldn’t just walk off with him. But she made sure that she had her hooks into him and was able to control him. Now that the Council isn’t around anymore, and Theo’s debt to them is paid anyway so he is free to do as he chooses, Clarice will most likely come around looking to re-establish control,” Declan said.

  Everyone frowned. “We have to make sure that Clarice is not able to suppress the Bond or control Theo again,” Brendan stated. “I will not allow Marissa to be hurt that way again. It almost killed her before. If he is taken away from her again, I don’t know what will happen. And if anyone hurts my daughter like that again, I will not be responsible for my actions.”

  Tony agreed. “As an officer of the Valerian’s Cove police department, I swear that we will do everything that we can to find Clarice and make sure she never gets near Theo and Marissa again. As Alpha of the local Pack, I pledge that my Wolves will protect Theo and Marissa and the children. Clarice will have to go through all of Valerian’s Cove to get to Theo, and we take great pride in taking care of our own.”

  “I think we should still consider having a non-Witch Mind Mage come look at Theo and Marissa. Make sure that Clarice didn’t leave any hooks in them that would make it easier for her to compel them again. And if the Mage is able, to make sure that the Bond can never be suppressed again.” Rachel declared.

  “Yes, please,” Theo said. “I would very much like to have another powerful Mind Mage check me over. I do not want to ever go through anything like this again. I think Marissa will agree too.”

  “I want to protect Marissa as well,” Brendan said. “I can start asking around about Mind Mages.”

  “Let us do it, Brendan,” Declan said. “We have more options of the non-Witch variety. We will find the best Mage to help us with this.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Do you have a place to stay nearby?” Rachel asked Rose. Rose shook her head.

  “I was going to head back to the City, and let Mrs. Senior know that I had spoken to Teddy, and to you all.”

  “Please, stay with us. If I were you, I would want to stick around and see how this all plays out. Plus, you can give the Thorndikes a much better picture of what’s happening of you are here.”

  “And I would think you would also want to be able to have a say in what happens to Clarice when we catch her,” Declan said. “This is your family she’s been messing with.”

  Rose nodded. “I would, thank you. This has been going on for long enough. It’s time to end it.” She turned to Theo.

  “Teddy, when you are ready, your grandparents would very much like a chance to get to know you, and your family as well. Please consider it. They may not have handled everything the best way, but they do love you, and they would enjoy being a part of your lives.”

  I’ll think about it. Thank you.”

  9

  After the party, Declan and Rachel returned home with Rose to their cottage overlooking the harbor. They were two doors down from Betsy Gianetti on McGuire. Setting down the platters they had brought to the party, now empty of baked goods, in the kitchen, Declan turned to Rachel.

  “This has been quite an evening, hey, love?”

  Rachel nodded. “We need to find a Mind Mage quickly. What do you think about asking your Aunt Deirdre at Danu University? I’d say she’ll know someone.”

  “I will. I’ll get in touch with her right now.”

  Declan’s Aunt Deirdre was the head housekeeper for the Fae University. She ran the University campus support staff with an iron hand. There wasn’t anything she didn’t know about the Fae in this realm. She had taken on the University as her family at its founding a thousand years before and remembered every Fae student and teacher to have ever passed through its halls. Deirdre’s husband, Michael, and their five children all worked for the University as well.

  Declan stepped into the small library on the first floor. There was a mirror on the right-hand wall there that functioned as a two-way communication device for the Fae. Touching the frame, Declan thought of his Aunt Deirdre. If she was in her office at the University, or at home, a chime would sound in the communication mirrors she had there, letting her know her attention was wanted. A silver mist filled the mirror in Declan’s library, then cleared, showing Deirdre in her library at home.

  “Well, Declan! To what do I owe the pleasure of your call this evening?” Deirdre demanded.

  “Good evening, Auntie. We are having a bit of a problem here with one of our girls and need a bit of your excellent advice.”

  “What is it?”

  Declan proceeded to fill her in.

  “Hmm. I see the problem. Yes, you are right to find a superior Mind Mage to step in and ensure that this goes no further. This young man is Bonded to one of the young ladies you consider family, you said?”

  “Yes, Auntie.”

&n
bsp; “Then I will help. Let me think. I know of several Mages that may be able to help. I will decide which one would be the best for this situation and let you know by tomorrow morning.”

  “Now, when are you sending Mollie to me for a visit again? It’s been at least five years. That is much too long. It’s been too long since we’ve seen you and Rachel, as well. Let’s plan a visit in a month or two. It’s rather busy just now with the start of the semester. By Samhain we should have things fairly well sorted out. Come for Samhain. We can celebrate in the Grove here on campus.”

  Declan agreed, saying he would discuss it with Rachel and let Deirdre know when she called back in the morning. They said their goodbyes, and Deirdre closed the connection through the mirrors.

  Rachel and Rose were in the sitting room having tea and cookies when Declan joined them. Rachel poured him a cup as he sat.

  “Deirdre is going to let us know who she thinks should help us the most by tomorrow morning. She also wants us to join her for Samhain. Mollie, too.”

  “That would be lovely. We will all be glad of a bit of time off by then,” Rachel agreed. “Well, I guess we’ll see who she comes up with. It’s bound to be someone strong, knowing Deirdre. And exactly the right person for the job at hand.”

  “She doesn’t mess around, Deirdre,” Declan agreed.

  Sure enough, there was a knock on the bakery door just before opening the next morning. Opening it, Rachel was surprised to find herself face-to-face with a tall, silver-haired figure, oozing casual elegance.

  “Can I help ye?” Rachel asked him. The Fae gentleman bowed.

  “Mrs. Murphy, I am Ciaran MacNamara, Mind Mage. Deirdre O’Brien sent me to you. I believe you are in the need of some assistance that one such as I can provide?”

  “Oh, wonderful! I am so happy you were able to come, sir. Please come in. We are just opening up for the day as you can see. Can I get you anything? We have coffees and teas, and any pastry you can think of, almost. Here, have a seat,” Rachel showed him to a booth by the window.