Ruby Morgan Box Set: Books 6-10

by LJ Rivers

  “I know, Red. But not like this. Go home.”

  “What about you?”

  “I have to find Erica. Like you said, she needs my protection. It’s my duty.”

  “O—OK. But stay safe.”

  A few strands of white fur sprouted on the back of her hands. “I’ll manage. See you back home tonight.”

  She ran into an alley. Seconds later, a bundle of clothes came sliding across the ground.

  “Let’s go,” Charlie said and picked it up.

  Chapter Eleven

  I dumped down on the sofa with a sigh, along with Jen and Charlie, who joined me with similar gestures.

  Jen sniffed her armpit. “Merde! I need a shower.” Even though we had left her behind in The Forge, she had caught up with us as we entered White Willow campus.

  “We all do.” Charlie slung her feet on the table. “In a bit.”

  I groaned and leaned back as far as I could. “My head is spinning.”

  The three of us sprawled on the sofa, and I considered the fact that we were spreading soot and grime all over the fabric.

  “Are the covers washable?” I mumbled.

  Charlie wiggled deeper into the pillows. “Mhm. I’ve only washed it like every month since we moved in.”

  Jen let out a small laugh. “You have not.”

  “Have too.”

  I couldn’t even bother to shake my head. “Either way, at least we know we can wash it.” I glanced at the remote. Every joint and muscle in my body felt like they weighed a ton. Gently, I lifted my index finger and made a small gesture. The remote slid across the table and bounced into my hand.

  “Show off,” Charlie muttered, but couldn’t stifle a quick laugh.

  A door opened and shut in the hallway, before Duncan came into the living room. I kept the remote on hold as he dumped down in the recliner and massaged his temples.

  “You all right there, Dunc?” Jen asked. “Did Nick get home OK? Thanks for getting him from the hospital.”

  “Dropped him off about half an hour ago. He said he’ll need today to rest up, but he’ll be by tomorrow. He’s healed, just knackered.”

  “And how are you holding up?” Charlie asked.

  “Who, me? Oh, just dandy. My girlfriend seems to have gone completely bonkers. It’s like I don’t even know who she is anymore.” He raked a hand through his hair, his foot shaking. “Perhaps I never did. That stunt she pulled on the news, I dunno if I can deal with that kind of drama. I’ve tried phoning her a million times already, but she’s not picking up.”

  “It’s a lot.” Jen stretched, bones cracking. “She’s a lot.”

  Usually, one of us would protest Jen’s remarks about Gemma, but no one said a word this time. We were likely all thinking the same thing. Gemma was a lot, and after today I would be inclined to think she was in fact a little nuts.

  “I think there’s a rerun marathon of EastEnders on. Anyone fancy some mind-numbing entertainment?” I asked, my finger feeling for the on-button.

  “Mind numbing sounds perfect,” Charlie said.

  There was a knock on the door. We glanced at each other, but no one moved. It knocked again, gently but decisively.

  “Might want to get that, Red.” Jen yawned demonstratively.

  “Why me?”

  “Because you’re the only one who could handle whatever is on the other side of that door. I mean, what if it’s Colburn?”

  “It’s not.” I frowned.

  “But it could be, and you handled him brilliantly at the hospital yesterday.”

  “Fine. It’s not him, though. But since the rest of you are down like sacks of potatoes, I guess I’ll go.” I stood warily as another knock sounded. “Coming.” I shuffled to the door and opened it. My jaw would have dropped if I wasn’t so tired.

  “Hello, Princess.”

  I drew the door towards me, and it banged against Auberon’s cane. Slowly, I pushed it outward again and glared at my father. “Didn’t I tell you to leave me alone?”

  He smiled. “You did, but a father has to make sure his child is not suffering. They say there were several explosions in The Forge, and I saw Gemma on the news, so you had to be around there somewhere. Your nose for trouble keeps getting you into the most horrendous situations.” He regarded me with deep-set brows. “You do look a little the worse for wear.”

  “I’m fine. Not a scratch. I’m just exhausted.”

  “Glad to hear it, and to see that you’re your usual self, aside from the dirt and smudges.” He folded both hands on his cane. “Would you mind terribly if I came inside? Only for a minute or two.”

  “I’ll step out.” I slipped my feet into my sandals and went outside, closing the door behind me. “Now, how have you planned to manipulate me this time?”

  He jerked his head back. “Manip—honestly, Princess. You think so little of me?”

  “It’s what you do, isn’t it? You twist the truth and play mind games. And I’m not playing anymore.”

  “My sweet child. I only mean to prepare you for what’s to come, and to be here for you whenever you might need me. I have made grave mistakes, but that’s what they were. Mistakes. If I could undo them, believe me I would. Don’t we all deserve a second chance?”

  I had made mistakes, too, but what Auberon had done, hiring a man—The Blacksmith—to kill my dad, wasn’t something I could just sweep under the rug. Not even if his intention had only been to have Blackie scare Dad, if that was to be believed. “Well, you can’t. What’s done is done.”

  Auberon dipped his chin, his eyes catching mine. “You know, I believe you get your tenacity from me. There is no denying that I am your father, and as such I’ll always do what I believe is best for my child. I would never intentionally cause you harm.”

  I blew out a breath. “You wouldn’t, I know that, not intentionally, but you have caused me so much grief. The best thing you can do for me right now is to keep your distance.”

  “It’s just that I worry about the current state of things. These vicious attacks, targeting Magicals. It breaks my heart. And you might not like it, but I know you well enough to know that you’re not able to stay away from the heat. If only there was some sort of haven, a place where Magicals could go and thrive, not to be pestered by such cruelty as they find here on Earth.”

  “Avalon, you mean.”

  “Well, I tend to think of the entire realm of Gwyn Fanon, but yes, that is where we all belong. If able, I would take us all back.”

  I rolled my eyes. “That door is closed, Auberon. We’re on Earth now, so you’d better get with the program.”

  He shrugged. “At least try to be careful, would you? Who knows what these so-called Lionhearts will do next?” He snorted, a sound very much unlike him. “Lionhearts. What a joke. If old King Richard had known what—”

  “Will you please leave now?”

  “Very well. I resign, but I won’t be too far.” He motioned to turn, but stopped, holding a finger up like that 70s TV detective. “Oh, that’s right. I was wondering if I might have back that trinket you, shall we say, borrowed from me.”

  “Trinket?”

  “The chalice.”

  I shrugged, mimicking him, and reached for the door handle. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” I hurried inside, the door clicking shut behind me. My heart was in my throat. There was no point denying I had the chalice, since I had already told him I did. But I didn’t want to discuss it with him in case I slipped up and said something to reveal its whereabouts.

  “Who was it?” Charlie asked.

  “Auberon,” Jen hissed, answering for me.

  “What?” Charlie managed to tear herself from the backrest of the sofa. “Why? You’re not about to fall for his tricks again, are you?”

  “Don’t worry,” I said. “Fool me once, and all that. I won’t sink into that pitfall ever again. However, we do share blood, and call me naive, but I genuinely believe he cares for me.”

  “In a twisted, poss
essive sort of way,” Charlie retorted.

  “I agree, and I wish we didn’t have this link between us, but it’s something I’ll have to live with.”

  “Well.” Duncan slapped his thighs. “Seems there are plenty of daddy issues in this flat to go around. Yours a loser, too, Jen?”

  Jen turned her palms up. “He’s a bit of a goofball, and follows my mother’s every whim, padding after her like some lost pup. Other than that, though, he’s great.” She stood. “I think I’ll have that shower now.”

  “Good call.” Charlie got up as well.

  We all went down the hallway and into our respective rooms. I wrung my clothes out down to my underwear and tossed them in the laundry basket. Looking for a fresh towel, I stopped and tilted my head at what was usually a neat stack of books on my desk. One book was missing. No, not missing. It was on the other side of my desk, instead of on top of the pile where I’d left it. The bottom drawer underneath my desk was almost shut, but a piece of paper stuck out, and it hadn’t closed properly. That was odd. I usually made sure everything was organised in there.

  Around me, the small shadows in my room shifted, changing slightly as if the sun had moved from one side of my window to the other in a split second. They whispered to me, begging me to merge with them, something I hadn’t done for over two weeks. I didn’t trust myself in the darkness, and though I wasn’t scared of them anymore, the shadows were a constant reminder of the darker parts of myself. I closed my eyes and listened. A faint signature of energy emanated from the shadows.

  Auberon had been here.

  “But why?” I said aloud, at the same time knowing exactly why. He hadn’t come here simply to check on his precious daughter. He had also come here asking for something, a certain trinket in my possession.

  For whatever reason, he was after the chalice.

  After a long shower, I slipped into a Pink T-shirt and sweatpants, then curled up underneath my duvet with my laptop ready on my nightstand for whatever show I decided to binge. First, though, I had to phone Mum.

  She picked up after the first ring.

  “Hello, sweetheart. I was just about to phone you.”

  The mere sound of her voice made my body relax. Only a short while back, I dreaded every conversation with her. Now that I had finally come to my senses, it felt like the two of us were back to where we were before I’d moved to London. A place where she was my rock and my sanctuary from all those things that go bump in the night.

  I inhaled deeply, sinking back on my pillow. “I gather you’ve caught the news.”

  “I’ve been at work, but I just saw it now. Are you unharmed? I heard Gemma’s insane speech, so I gathered you must have been nearby.”

  She had a point. Insane was an appropriate description of what Gemma had done. “I was in Hammersmith after visiting Nick at the hospital with Jen, Charlie, and Gemma when the bombs went off.” I hesitated, but couldn’t bring myself to paint a pretty picture. She deserved the raw truth. “We all ran into The Forge.”

  “Well, of course you did.” Her tone was understanding, instead of upset, which was more what I had expected.

  “It was horrible, Mum.” My voice broke. “There were fires and smoke, blood everywhere. I tried to help as best I could, but there were so many hurt and dead, I—”

  “Oh, my love, we might have magic, but no one expects us to save the world. I’m sure you did everything you could.”

  “I could have done more,” I said. “But there were Harvesters there.”

  On the other end, Mum sucked in an audible breath. “They have no business in Berlysh Cae.”

  “Huh? Berl—what?”

  “It wasn’t always called The Forge, you know. When you were born it was still a Goblin village.”

  “Wait. That’s the Goblin village I was born in?”

  “It was. Before they forced the Goblins from their homes. I wish I could have taken you to Tabitha and Hugo’s old house, but I’m afraid it’s only ruins now.”

  “Along with many others after today,” I said.

  “The Harvesters should have never set foot in that place. It’s bad enough it’s become such a tourist trap.”

  “I guess with the Lionhearts and these attacks, they decided it was fair game. Either way, we all tried to help as much as possible without crossing hairs with them, though I did sort of disrupt an attempt at one trying to take blood from a girl. That was just before the emergency units arrived and we were told to clear out. Before Gemma’s speech.”

  “This is getting worse by the day,” Mum muttered. “What have we ever done to deserve such blinding hate?”

  I thought back to William’s words from when we sat on the swing outside my home. ‘Fear is in all. Humans fear what they do not know, that which is different to themselves’.

  “Fear,” I stated. “We are not the same, and they don’t understand us or what we can do.”

  “Have you grown wiser in the past few days?” Mum snickered.

  “William’s words,” I admitted.

  “He always did have a knack with words, didn’t he?”

  I held my breath, then let it out slowly. “Uhm, Mum, there’s one other thing.”

  “What in Morgana’s name is it now?” She said it with a smile in her voice, but that was only because she didn’t know what was coming.

  “Auberon came by here earlier.”

  “To your flat?” Her voice dropped an octave, the previous smiling note vanished.

  “Yeah, he said he came to check up on me, but then he asked about the chalice, and I’m pretty sure he’s been rummaging around in my room. He really wants that old cup.”

  “That’s it. I’m not about to sit in my corner for one more second.”

  “Mum?”

  “You better make room, because I’m coming to London.”

  Chapter Twelve

  My phone rang, interrupting Whitney Houston in the middle of “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”. I clicked the small button on the cord. “Hey, B,” I said in an exhale.

  “You sound a little out of breath,” Brendan remarked.

  “Just finished my morning run. How are you, how’s France?”

  “Hot.” His voice changed to a purr. “But not as hot as you.”

  “Cheeseball.”

  “You love it. All’s good, though, babe. I’m settled in and it’s almost perfect. Gee, I wish you could be here with me.” He paused. “So, I saw Gemma on the news. I’ve been a little off the grid. How is she?”

  “No idea. We haven’t heard from her since she foxed out down in The Forge. But she’s definitely not OK.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, what’s up with that?”

  “Beats me.”

  Someone shouted his name in the background, and some boys were chatting nearby. “I’m supposed to head into the gym. Don’t really want to hang up, though.”

  “That’s OK. I’m just happy to hear your voice. I’m headed for the shower, anyway, so we can talk later. Have fun in the gym.”

  “So much for enjoying Southern France,” he said with a smile in his voice.

  “Poor Zorro,” I teased.

  “Talk soon, Elena de la Vega.”

  We hung up, and I jogged up the stairs. I was about to step inside when the door almost knocked into me as Charlie swung it open.

  “Whoops,” Charlie said. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

  I tilted my head as far to the side as it would go. “Who is this person? She looks like Charlie, but the birds are still singing the morning in.”

  She straightened her navy blue blazer. Her hair was pulled back in a straight ponytail, and she was wearing a light shirt that looked far too expensive for her purse. “Have to get to the office early. Mag-Ops doesn’t run itself, you know.”

  “I do know. Travers runs Mag-Ops.” I grinned.

  “And he’d be lost without me. In fact, he was totally off the beaten path when I came knocking. Now, I’m a valued member of the team.”


  “I thought it was an internship.”

  “For the time being.” She glanced at her phone. “Gotta run, babes.”

  “I never thought I’d see the day.” I laughed as she hurried down the stairs.

  An hour later, I sat by the kitchen table, finishing my bowl of cereal. Duncan came in and started rummaging through the cupboards, eventually settling for a cup of black coffee.

  “Any word yet?” I asked.

  He grunted. “Zip, zilch, nada. You’d think the least she would do was phone her boyfriend to let him know she’s fine.”

  “I’m sure she’ll turn up. Maybe she’s—” I furrowed my forehead. “Nope. Sorry, I got nothing.”

  “Me neither.” He dropped into the chair opposite me. “I should have stuck to the blasted program.”

  “What?”

  “From rehab. You know, the point that says you’re not supposed to date while you’re on your way back to the straight and narrow.”

  “Ah, that.”

  He blew into his cup. “This thing with Gemma, it’s not like I planned it, but she was just there one day. She’d been to some political event across the hall, and we met by the snack machine.”

  “You mean you met her at one of your MagX Mystery meetings? That’s random, right?”

  He shrugged and put the cup to his lips, but lowered it without a single sip. “People meet in all sorts of ways. We went for the same pack of Oreos. It was as if she already knew me, like she could see exactly who I was. It doesn’t make sense, I know, but we started chatting, and we realised we had a lot in common.”

  “Oreos?” I forced my lips shut so as not to giggle.

  “Well, there was more to it than that. She told me about her interests in journalism, which got us talking about you. She thought your course sounded so interesting. Looking back at it, we talked about that quite a bit for some reason.”

  Frowning, I stirred my spoon in the remaining yoghurt at the bottom of my cereal bowl. “I’m sorry, Dunc, but you two are as different as they come. I always thought of it more like an ‘opposites attract’ kind of thing.”