by T J Kelly
It was nice that I honestly didn't care about that anymore, either. Being in love had clarified a lot of things for me.
We walked through the fields, the summer flowers long gone. Clarissa was in the distance, near the storehouse for the candles. The sun caught one of the many facets of the center crystal in her necklace. "Did I tell you that her necklace held the memory clue for where to hold the final battle?" I asked idly.
"The clue for the location?"
"Yeah. She has it on all the time." I jogged the last few steps between us, and the topic of our conversation. My aunt had told me to remind her to check it out and there was no time like the present. "Hey, I was just telling Aunt Peony about your necklace. Is it okay if you show it to her?" I asked.
"I'd be happy to," she offered. Living at the castle had to be so strange for her. But she was doing a great job fitting in and seemed a willing participant whenever something came up.
"Oh, how lovely," Peony exclaimed. "I don't think I've seen you wear that before. I would know it anywhere. Ashe spent months designing it, and it was one of the last he ever made. Whoever he gave it to must have been very special. How fortunate you now have it." Peony knew from my memory explorations that Ashe had given a necklace to Clarissa's mother. It was nice of her to say how special she must have been for Clarissa's sake.
"Your brother?" Clarissa murmured. She looked so pale, a sudden contrast to only seconds before.
"Yes. He sent many crystals out into the world. They always find their way back in the exact right time. He was an incredible visionary, even among seers. With him around, nothing was ever truly lost."
Find the lost.
I stared at Clarissa as she walked alongside Peony. Her hair was lighter, with silvery locks blended with the gold, but the way she held her head, the tiny bow her lips made when she was lost in thought. It was the same. The same.
Crystal necklace, embroidery, beehives. And the candles. It was all right there, pointing to an answer to an unasked question.
Find the lost.
They didn't notice I stayed behind when they entered the storage building. Several small sample candles near the door lit as they passed by. Rector crystals used to do that when I was little and had no control over my magic. I had been frustrated and embarrassed until my father explained that bloodline magic responded to family when they were near. Magicians learned to suppress that response around the same time they learned to hide their strength from others.
It could also happen if a magician didn't know they were family.
Clarissa's rudeness at Rector Enterprises suddenly made more sense. She was actually nice, and maybe a little shy. Without Oberon to force her to taunt me, she kept to herself. Knowing her as I did, it was weird that she made herself at home and lit the candles in the lobby.
But what if she hadn't known it happened? What if it was just the normal response magic had to bloodline magicians?
I wracked my brain, trying to remember what she had said about her family heirloom. That her mother had given it to her for safekeeping, a gift from someone special.
Ashe? And Clarissa's mom? No wonder he had kept it a secret. Clarissa had told me a little about her family life. Just the basics, like who her parents were. Chas was the one who added more details. Like how Clarissa's mom had divorced her dad before she was born, but he eventually found her and dragged her mom back. There was a solid contract, and she agreed to remarry him to avoid the consequences. Even light magicians had contracts, but none of us forced anyone into marriage. Any contract was up for cancellation or renegotiation if the married couple was unhappy.
It was a terrible relationship and never got better. Clarissa was born early, they thought, only eight months after her parents had remarried. Then her mom passed away, and it left Clarissa without any protection at all. Chas wouldn't talk about it, but I knew something bad happened. With her father, and his. The image of Oberon rose in my mind.
Probably a lot of bad things.
They needed to know. But exhaustion filled my body as the adrenaline that came with the discovery drained away.
Yes, they should be told. But I needed to make sure first. Even though I despised the man, I would contact the examiner and arrange for proof of bloodline. He was sequestered with many of the light magicians who had been tricked into working for the dark. Held in a chamber I had no trouble accessing. I would see him tomorrow, and tell them after.
"I better go back to the castle," I blurted when I caught up with them. Yes. The eye color was different, but the shape was the same. "I can't fight it anymore. Is it okay if we finish our conversation later? I have some other things to say."
"Sure thing, sweetheart," Peony replied. She gave me a hug. I squeezed her extra tight. She would be so happy.
With a wave, I headed back to the castle.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Finish Line
"Well, I'm definitely not bored," I joked, wrapping up the debrief. "And now that we have a new family member, she can take over the crystal treasure hunt. Lighten up the load. Aunt Peony said she needed the help of family. Even if the crystals won't respond to Clarissa the way they do for me, Ashe's focus was her. Not me. She's the one for the job."
"Agreed." Armageddon leaned back in his chair, fiddling with his cheap ball-point pen the way I always did when I was thinking. "Peony will want a party. A massive, welcoming celebration introducing her niece to the world."
"It'll be nice to focus on something positive." The same little thread poked up from the arm of the chair. If I repaired it, what would I do? I would miss it too much. Sometimes it was the broken things we loved the most. "Maybe you can reintroduce Chas, too. Or do some kind of Promise reaffirmation party. Then there won't be any questions."
Vanquishing Oberon had changed a lot of things for the Taine clan. His brothers and sons were at Rector House when the astrolabe went off, so many of them weren't able to take over the position as clan leader when he was forced to vacate due to his lack of magic. The head of the household had to be accepted by a majority of the clan - and they would never agree to being ruled by a magic neuter.
"The contract is in effect, but you're right. The more people who acknowledge it, the stronger the tie will be. It's what they want."
Clarissa and Chas were twenty years old. Many magicians waited until after their apprenticeships to marry, but a hundred years ago, they would have been getting a little old. Their parents would have been freaking out that there weren't already two bloodline heirs born yet.
I couldn't even fathom it. Although, at eighteen, it was weird my guardians hadn't tried to contract somebody for me yet. "I'm surprised you haven't been engaging in negotiations and drawing up papers for me by now," I blurted. Not what I meant to say. At all.
"Have things progressed that far?" my uncle asked, his left eyebrow inching up. Heat blasted across my cheeks. He had to know I loved Peter. I even said so right in front of my aunt.
"This was not the conversation I planned on having today," I said, cringing in my seat. In so many ways, I felt all grown up. I mean, I had my magic, invented a bunch of stuff, was the CEO of Rector Enterprises, and an agent for the Irregulars. I even had an apprentice - or would, once Sera was old enough. But this?
"Sweetheart, we will move only as quickly as you can handle."
"I guess I'm just used to everyone pushing their kids to get together with somebody. You guys never once even tried." Wait. Did that bother me? No. Then why did I ask? Did he think I was mad he wasn't doing his duty or something?
My uncle leaned his chin on his hands as he propped his elbows on his desk. "Contrary to all appearances, your aunt and I have been working on your behalf ever since you came to live with us." He was amused, not angry. Of course. He wasn't a monster. I remembered with a snort how afraid I was of him before he came for me after the car wreck. It was almost impossible to see him the same way. The way most of the world still saw him. "Your parents made their wishes known, as wel
l. They wanted to make sure you never felt pressured. Everything you do is by choice, with whoever you want."
As the last Rector, it was up to me to keep the bloodline going. I had always known that, but never once did my parents make me feel like I had to do anything I didn't want. My father had felt the pressure, especially after his brothers had died without having children. He and my mother didn't want to force anything on me. Didn't want me to ever feel that way.
I still kind of did, though. I mean, there wasn't anyone else. The spells we controlled, the products we made, needed to be secured. It was freaky to think about, but something had to be done to ensure the future. And the only one who could do it was me.
"Even if I make a horrible mistake?" I asked, leaning forward, my body tense. I had dated two guys that were great. Really. But they weren't the ones for me. How blind I had been still made me cringe.
"Do you honestly think your aunt would let you?"
I cracked up, relaxing back into my chair. My mind was swirling, but since we were already on the subject, I may as well go for it. "Peter's already my partner. And you know how things stand between us," I blurted. How awkward. I knew how to handle pretty much any social situation. I had been trained since I was little on what to do and what to say. Except this one.
Was I even supposed to be in charge? And what about Peter? How did he feel about it all? Dating was one thing, but a Promise? And I was always in charge of everything. Should I even be the one bringing it up this time?
"Indeed, I do. I had a serious conversation with a certain young man about it already."
"You did? What did he say?" My heart pounded in my chest as my face radiated heat.
"It is customary for a suitor to seek permission of the family before broaching the subject with the object of their affection," Armageddon reminded me. I relaxed. There was comfort for me in falling back on formalities. "I've never seen two young people so concerned for the other's welfare as I have in you two. Your young man would never dream of pressuring you, either. But Peter loves you, my dear niece. He had to ask. He's been waiting a long time."
I wasn't sure what to do. Cry? Scream? Faint? No wonder there were so many ceremonies and guidelines for courtship. It made it so we didn't have to think when our brains were fried. "And?"
"I'd be honored to begin negotiations on your behalf, should you be interested."
"Yep," I squeaked. "I mean, sure. Yeah. Yes."
His silver eyes sparkled, but he didn't laugh. "Mort will represent Peter's interests as his secondary guardian."
When Peter had been adopted as Close Family, my aunt and uncle ensured he would be well cared for, just like with their sons. Since they would act in the place of my parents, Peter needed his own representation. Although my aunt could have handled one side of negations, and my uncle the other, this was would be cleaner. More legal.
More binding.
"Thanks, Uncle Ged. For everything."
"No problem, sweetheart. Is there any other pressing business we need to discuss before we head to lunch?"
"I guess not." My mind was skipping around, unable to hold on to any thoughts. Could I even eat? I didn't know. I had never talked about being Promised before. "Is it okay if I stay here for a while?"
"Sure. Take as long as you like. I have meetings to attend after our meal. There's still the tricky business of my status with the Council to address."
My brain stopped racing. "Oh, yeah. I can't believe I haven't even asked about that."
"Understandable." Armageddon remained seated, sensing I wanted more conversation before being left to my own thoughts. "I've been reinstated with full privileges. Once the light half of the Council was freed from their confinement at a certain formal dinner party, they had a few things to say about the arrest warrant."
"Not to mention the activities of certain dark co-Council members?"
"The laws are clear. They aren't going anywhere. But their stance has been diminished. So has their support."
"Because we vanquished a bunch of them."
Armageddon chuckled. "True. But be warned, my dear. A vanquished magician still has their family. Oberon may not be able to perform direct magic, but he can still harm you. He has status and connections. He's been tying people to him for decades longer than you have been alive, and while the blood oaths have been broken, his legal contracts are still binding. He has more reason to hate you now than he ever has before."
"Great," I moaned. "I should have pushed him into the darkness he seems so fond of."
"Something to consider for later," he replied. It was sort of a joke. But also serious. We both knew there may come a time we had to end him once and for all. But he was in prison, and that was good enough. His influence was far reaching, but it wasn't anything we couldn't handle. My allies were more than capable of answering any move he could ever try. So was I.
Oberon Taine's reign of terror was over.
The thought of my allies and enemies reminded me of another pressing question. I guess now that we settled the next step with Peter, I could think again. "What about the Vicleans? How many of them took Oberon's side?"
"We're still trying to sort them out. Not every clan member was behind the betrayal, but enough to break their contract." Not all terminations were on paper. Sometimes magic did it for us when the spells took effect. "As for the why, I have attended the interrogations. They have spoken quite openly."
Magical interrogations differed from what the mundanes did. They questioned subject for hours at the very least and sometimes did worse. Not always to great effect. But we had spells to make them talk, and an examiner to cast them. And seers to detect their lies.
"Then why?" I tried not to take it personally, but it hurt. I had always thought of our ally clans like extended family. Many of them had worked with and for my family for centuries. That was a tough thing to let go.
"It started before you were born," he said.
"Oh, I'm sure it did." I didn't mean to interrupt, but I was a little tired of my destiny and fate and things happening before I was even alive. "Sorry."
"I understand. Sometimes I think our power is eternal and we are merely the vessels of the moment. It exists and acts before we do, dragging us into its petty squabbles once we're here, then moves on to the next in line."
"Whoa. Okay, that's deep."
My uncle chuckled. "So speaks a man who still can't stop making it rain when he's angry." He gave me a wink, but then a sad look crossed his face. "The Vicleans were furious that your father married my sister instead of one of their own clan."
He hesitated, looked as if he were about to say more, but then remained silent. I studied him, trying to decide if I wanted to push past his reluctance to go on. That was the reason. Did I need to know more?
Yeah. The more I knew, the better prepared I was for the future. "And?"
"It seems they believe your clan's arrogance damaged the marriage, limiting your parents to the arrival of only one child. Apparently that was not punishment enough, merely a sign it was time to break with your clan."
"And instead of storming off in a fit of rage, they got all subversive about it? Nice."
"Oberon is excellent at cultivating assets. He used their resentment and bitterness to persuade them to his side."
"Of course he did." What a jerk. "Whatever. I may be only a clan of one, but I'm awesome. Their loss."
As I hoped, my uncle laughed. "I must agree. And depending on the negotiations, you may not be a clan of one for long."
Heat tore through me, setting my cheeks on fire again. We hadn't gotten to that point, but Peter had the option of aligning with my clan. The way my aunt had done with Armageddon. It wasn't unheard of for a male spouse to take on their partner's name. And even if they didn't, their children would.
My uncle rose, and with a short bow, headed out. I stared right through his retreating back, thinking about Peter and contracts and allies and enemies. And the future. Whatever came next, I knew one th
ing for certain. And I clung to that shining thought like a lifeline.
I was going to be happy.
◆◆◆
"I was wondering where you were," my boyfriend said as he entered my uncle's study.
"Hey," I replied, trying not to feel shy. I mean, things hadn't really changed. The only difference was I knew he had talked to my uncle, and now I had, too. I turned to glance at the clock and gasped. "Whoa. It's two?"
"Yeah. You missed lunch. I wondered what happened to you when I saw your bedroom and workshop were empty." He slipped onto the chair next to me. "Why are you in here? Waiting for Ged? He's with the Council. It may be awhile."
"No. I already talked to him this morning. I've just been thinking." I stood, stretching. "Man, I've been here for hours. I can't believe it."
"Want to go for a walk? Or are you hungry?"
"I can wait until teatime," I said. "But a walk sounds great. I've been in here so long I feel like I might turn into a statue."
"Then by all means, let's go." Peter rose and took my hand, escorting me outdoors. We veered off towards the back of the castle, walking along a small stone-lined path. The birds I had recovered hadn't yet migrated south. I watched them until we walked around the corner of the building, blocking the forest from view. It was nice to have them there.
Light flowed between us. An even exchange. As Peter said before, my uncle had saved the both of us when he took Peter in, teaching him to be good. To embrace the side of light.
"So many things have happened since I came to live here," I mused. We made our way along one of the rock walls. I skimmed my hand over the stones as we continued our walk. "It seems weird there isn't some impending doom or deadline looming on the horizon."
Peter laughed. "Yeah. It's only been a few days. Wait until the dust settles. I'm sure something else will come up."