by Sarah Noffke
Liv’s mouth popped open and her eyes widened. “Plato, you’re a genius. Yes, that’s got to be it.” The words from her sister’s message came back to her instantly: Olivia has the key. You have the heart. Together you must finish what we started.
“I guess she could have said blood,” Plato reasoned.
Liv shook her head. “No, she couldn’t. Reese never called things what they were. She liked to use flowery language and make things cryptic. She also could have said I had the ring, but instead she called it a key.”
“But it is a key, both to the Ancient Chamber and also to decipher the forgotten language.”
Liv slid the ring into her pocket. “And who knows what else it does?”
“Well, it apparently proves you are part of a founding family.”
“Yeah, that’s a new one for me. So both Clark and I are needed to open the Ancient Chamber. The question is, where is it?”
Plato just looked at Liv. She knew that expression all too well. He’d figured something out and was simply waiting for her to catch up with him.
“The library,” Liv said too loudly, her triumph getting the best of her. “That groove in the wall. We suspected that the ring would fit there, but maybe we’ll need Clark’s blood too in order to make it open or whatever it does.”
“And the ancient language is on that wall, so who knows what it says?”
Liv patted her pocket, hope blossoming in her chest. She needed this win before going to meet with the Seven since that usually derailed her spirit. “Well, it looks like I’ll be finding out what’s on that wall and opening the Ancient Chamber soon. For now, I’m going to go look up the councilors’ noses while they sit looking down at me, silently judging my dress and messy hair.”
“Not to mention your defiant attitude and lack of decorum,” Plato added.
“Yes, not to mention that.” At the Door of Reflection, Liv paused, studying her image in the wavy surface. She had her black traveling cloak pulled up over her head, and wore leather pants and boots. There was no possible way that anyone could know that she had a lophos bite on her leg. Well, except Hester, who had treated her and Clark, who had saved her.
The soaring blackness stole her attention for a moment. Liv knew it was always there, hanging between the Chamber of the Tree and the door to the residential living, although she tried to forget it, as it were a recurring nightmare that haunted her every night.
“Well, I knew there was a good reason I was running late today,” a voice said at Liv’s back.
She spun to find Raina Ludwig coming out of the door to the residential area. Her soft black hair was sectioned into two sets of braids, which cascaded over her shoulders and rested on the turquoise gown she was wearing. The warm smile she offered Liv was full of sincerity, something she wasn’t accustomed to seeing in the Chamber.
“Hello,” Liv greeted the councilor.
“I will take the blame for you being late. Tell the Council that I detained you,” Raina stated.
“I’m late?” Liv realized she must have spent longer in the entryway than she’d thought. “And thank you. That’s very kind of you.”
“My pleasure. Adler is in an especially sour mood today. My apologies in advance.”
Liv laughed. “You don’t have to apologize for that old grump.”
The light expression on Raina’s face disappeared. “I do, though. As a councilor, I’m responsible for so much, and yet I’m only one of seven, and often outvoted.”
That didn’t sound good. What did she get outvoted on? Did Liv even want to attend the meeting that day? Maybe she could skip it, saying she was still working a case. She shrugged off her concern and pointed at the blackness. “Since we’re already late and I’m definitely not in a hurry to go in, can you tell me what the black void thing is all about?”
Raina gazed at the chasm of darkness, blinking like she hadn’t noticed it before Liv pointed it out. “Huh. Yeah, I’m not sure.”
“But you wonder about it, right?”
The councilor shook her head. “I haven’t before now. But since you mention it…” She blinked at the Door of Reflection, her expression turning neutral. “Anyway, we’d better be off. I’ll meet you in there and explain that we were together.”
Liv didn’t have a chance to thank her before she stepped through the mirrored surface and disappeared.
“Plato, did you get the impression that she was spelled somehow?”
The feline appeared beside Liv, staring curiously at the swirling blackness. “Yes. She didn’t seem to notice this, and forgot about it almost at once.”
“But how is that possible, when we pass it every single day?” Liv asked.
“And more importantly, why don’t you forget about it, and why do you fear it so much?”
“Oh, good, more unanswered questions. Go write them down,” Liv said with a laugh. “I’m going to face the scowls of the Council.”
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that writing business,” Plato said as Liv stepped through the Door of Reflection.
Her breath caught in her throat as the image of John lying sick and fragile in a hospital bed blanketed her vision. She wanted to reach out to him but realized that she had no body. As if she were in a dream, she was simply observing the desolate scene before her.
Liv reminded herself that this wasn’t real. John wasn’t sick or in the hospital. The Door of Reflection was serving up fears from her subconscious; things that weighed her down without her knowing it. She felt stronger suddenly, and less traumatized at the image of John. Of course she worried about him, and constantly harped on him to take better care of himself. That is what friends did for one another.
A nurse entered the room, talking to someone unseen. “Such a strange attack this one endured. Like something out of a movie.”
“Has he said anything?” someone asked.
The nurse glanced down at a file in her hand. “He just keeps muttering something about magic.”
Liv couldn’t breathe, and her knees gave out. She felt herself falling, doom and guilt wrapping around her as the world went black.
And then she was in the Chamber of the Tree, the councilors all looking down at her, most with disapproving glare on their faces.
Chapter Four
Taking her spot, Liv observed that there were no other Warriors present that day. They were all off working cases.
As she pushed her hood back, she tried to shake off the images and guilt from the Door of Reflection. Yes, it was bothering her that she could be putting John and the shop in danger, but he’d consented. Taken on the risks, knowing exactly what he was getting into. However, that didn’t make it any easier. If something happened to him, it would be her fault.
“Ms. Beaufont, Councilor Ludwig informs us that she’s the reason you are late, having detained you earlier,” Adler said, peering down at her, the circles under his eyes more pronounced than usual.
“Yes,” Liv answered, hiding a grin as she glanced briefly at Raina. The kind smile she’d shown her before was gone, and she wore a stony expression on her face.
Adler looked down the bench at Lorenzo, Haro, and Bianca. “I’m not sure that excuses her tardiness. What do you all think?”
Bianca leaned forward, her attention directed at Raina. “I agree. And I do wonder what you two discussed at the time we all were supposed to be meeting today.”
“I don’t believe it’s any of your business, Councilor Montovani,” Raina fired back.
“Punctuality is important—as we’ve told you before, Ms. Beaufont,” Adler said with an impatient sigh. He picked up the device in front of him, reviewing the notes Liv had provided about her last case. “You were successful at cataloging the locations of all the spring fairies?”
It was a useless job, Rory had explained to her. As soon as their locations were recorded, the information would change. He agreed that they had only given her the case to get her out of their hair.
“Yes,” Liv answered, notic
ing how crestfallen Clark appeared. He usually appeared pretty sullen during these meetings, but today his face looked distraught.
“Are you sure you got all of them?” Lorenzo asked, also reviewing the notes in front of him.
“I am,” Liv replied dully.
“Do you have a problem, Ms. Beaufont?” Alder asked, his tone disapproving.
Problem? Well, where was the couch? Liv could stretch out and really unload. “No, no. I’m dandy,” she answered.
Haro gave Liv a questioning glance. “I sense that you’re not.”
She yawned. “Just tired of traipsing through gardens, searching for fairies who are wiping ladybugs’ asses.”
A sadistic smile turned up the corners of Adler’s mouth, showing even under his white beard. “Well, then I think we have a case you’ll enjoy.”
Clark flung himself back in his chair. “I really don’t think—”
“You’ve already been heard on the matter,” Adler said, cutting him off with a stern expression. “And the Council has voted. You and the others were overruled. That’s how this works, is it not?”
Clark’s gaze shot to Liv, anger brewing in his eyes. “Yes, I get that this is how it works. It’s just that—”
“And Ms. Beaufont wants harder cases, isn’t that right?” Adler asked, shooting Liv an inquiring expression.
“Well, yes,” she answered. “But if my brother—”
“Councilor Beaufont’s concerns shouldn’t color your thinking,” Adler stated, cutting her off.
“Fine.” Liv crossed her arms over her chest, her chin held high. “What is my case?”
The white tiger strode into the middle of the chamber, his green eyes searching the ground as if he were looking for something he’d lost. This seemed to distract Adler from what he was about to say, pulling his attention away from Liv.
“Warrior Beaufont,” Haro began, “your next case is to go to the Kingdom of Fae and meet with their queen. We need you to discuss imposing regulations on the Fae for seducing mortals, since it’s becoming a more serious issue.”
“Wait, what?” Liv asked, catching the flare of anger on Clark’s face.
Adler pulled his gaze away from the tiger, who had quit searching and fixed his piercing green eyes on Liv. “We have an agreement with Queen Visa already, so all we’re asking you to do is renegotiate the terms. Update them, if you will.”
“You’re asking her to put her head on a silver platter,” Clark nearly yelled.
Adler rolled his eyes, looking down the bench at her brother. “Please don’t be so dramatic. The fae are reasonable creatures, whom Ms. Beaufont can, I’m sure, discuss this matter with reason.”
“Queen Visa will roast her for even proposing such a regulation,” Clark fired back.
“Well, that’s not the Council’s concern. It was voted upon, and the case passed, four to three,” Adler stated.
Liv knew this must have been what Raina was referring to. This was what she’d been outvoted on. Clark, too. And she was guessing Hester was the third, which meant the others wanted her to go on this bizarre case.
“It doesn’t have to be Liv who works the case,” Clark argued. “She’s brand new, and has had limited dealing with the fae. Emilio makes the most sense since he has experience with Queen Visa.”
Casually Adler peered around at the chamber before returning his gaze to Clark. “Do you see any other eligible Warriors here to take the case? All I see is Ms. Beaufont—who, by the way, has been begging for more difficult cases.”
I wouldn’t say I was begging, Liv thought dully.
“Well, this case could wait,” Hester offered, her voice low.
“The fact remains that of late, several mortals have gotten themselves into dire situations because of a fae’s seduction,” Lorenzo stated.
Bianca nodded. “Yes, I agree that something needs to be done. The fae have gone unchecked for too long.”
“That might be,” Clark began, “but I don’t think that my sister should be the one—”
“It’s fine,” Liv said, this time cutting him off. She was tired of watching the other four Council members roll their eyes at him.
He shot her a shocked look.
“It’s fine,” she repeated. “I’m happy to negotiate on behalf of the House of Seven.” For good measure, she bowed to the Council. “I thank you for giving me a case of this caliber, and promise to not disappoint you.”
“Oh, Ms. Beaufont, I have every hope that everything will work out perfectly,” Adler said, a giddy purr in his voice.
The white tiger turned to gaze at Liv directly, a warning of sorts in his eyes. Suddenly, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d just signed her own death warrant.
Chapter Five
“You can’t do it!” Spittle flew from Clark’s mouth as they walked to the library, his hair a mess from running his hands through it. “It’s a trap. I’m sure of it.”
“I’ve already consented to do the case,” Liv argued. “And how is it a trap?”
“You’re just going to have to tell them that you aren’t going to do it.”
Liv halted, slapping his arm. “No. That’s just giving the Council more reasons to dislike me.”
“I thought you didn’t care about being liked,” Clark challenged.
“I don’t care if they like my attitude or the way I dress, but I don’t want anyone thinking I’m a coward.”
“Liv, you don’t understand. The House of Seven hasn’t negotiated with the fae in over a century. The first and only agreement took a long time, and in the process, Queen Visa murdered two Warriors. She’s not a stable person.”
“What?” Liv asked, continuing toward the library. “How did she get away with that?”
Clark shrugged. “She’s powerful. The Council forgave her when she finally committed to the agreement.”
“Well, then it sounds like the path has been set for me.”
Clark shook his head. “No, you’re not getting it. The first Warrior we sent? She killed him on the spot for even suggesting an agreement. The second one didn’t get much farther.”
“But the third did?”
“Well, he offered her something right off the bat.”
“Like what?”
“His first unborn child,” Clark answered. Reading the expression on her face, his forehead wrinkled. “No. Just no. There’s no way I’m going to allow you to do that.”
“Why? I wasn’t really planning on breeding anyway so the joke will be on her.”
Clark paused outside the library, his face completely serious. “You can’t. And it only worked for this particular Warrior because his first child was stillborn. Queen Visa was livid, but the agreement had been signed by then, and you know how the fae stick to those.”
Liv nodded, thinking about how she had entered into an agreement with the fae Rudolf without even realizing it, nearly committing herself to ten years of servitude.
“So she’s not going to go for your first child, and she’s going to be pissed that we’re trying to put controls on the fae. It’s a trap. She’s going to murder you before you get out a full sentence. Then Emilio will swoop in and take over. I’m sure that’s what the Council is thinking.”
“But why?” Liv asked. “I mean, I get that Adler hates me and Bianca is a stuck-up jerk, but Haro and Lorenzo want me dead? Do you think they suspect something?”
Clark opened the library door and held it for her. “I don’t think so. Warriors are expendable.” His face softened. “I’m sorry. You should never have to hear that, but it’s a common thing the councilors say among themselves. Well, not me, but you have a difficult job, and we realize you’re not always going to return from missions.”
“So I’m being used to prime the negotiations?”
“Yes, it seems like it,” Clark said in a whisper as they strode through the massive library. “But your attitude definitely hasn’t helped, I’m thinking. They did the same thing to Stefan originally; assigned h
im demon cases. I think Adler was hoping he’d get himself killed since he didn’t like his cocky attitude. However, Stefan proved to be particularly effective at fighting demons, surprising everyone.”
Liv searched the library, looking carefully in the least expected place for Sophia. “Well, then that’s what I’ve got to do. I’ll step up my game and rise to the challenge, surprising them all.”
A loud, frustrated sigh emerged from Clark’s mouth. “As talented as you are, I don’t think there’s a way for you to be successful here. Queen Visa will flip out when you propose that the fae cut back on seducing the mortals. The only thing that will soften her up is your death, which will prime the negotiations for when Emilio takes over.”
“Can we stop talking about my death, please?” Liv asked with a morbid laugh. “So, it sounds like this is a real case, then? Not just something they are throwing out there to get rid of me.”
Clark nodded. “Yes. It’s a growing issue. Every few decades the fae get out of control. The last time was when they started the Make Love, Not War campaign, causing tons of hippies to fall in love with them. Then when they got bored with them, the result was hazardous for the mortals, resulting in brain damage and mental disorders that we blamed on drugs in the seventies. Currently, there’s a rise in suicide rates, and we believe the fae are behind it. They get into mortals’ heads, making them lust for them, and just dispose of them when they move on to something new.”
“Then this is a worthy case,” Liv stated matter-of-factly.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I want my sister’s blood spilled for it.”
“Speaking of blood,” Liv said, pausing in an aisle. “Have you heard of the Ancient Chamber?”
Clark thought for a moment and shook his head. “What’s that?”
“I think it’s where we’ll find answers, and I think it’s over here.” She tugged him around the corner and pointed to the wall covered in the founders’ language. Her hand dropped when she noticed someone sitting nearby, reading a book in a chair.
Akio looked up, studying them.