When we hit the landing, the parlor was empty. Not a single one of the queens sat there. I spun around. “Where are they?”
Tuck pointed down the hall back toward the kitchen and the infirmary room where Astrid lay. I quickened my steps toward her. I clenched and unclenched my fist at my sides. Tuck muttered, “Deep breath, man.”
I sucked one in and blew it out hard as I came to the sliding glass doors. I froze mid-step. Astrid lay motionless with Zinnia, Serrina, Tabi, and Nova surrounding her. Niche stood close to her head while Professor Davis stood by her feet. The crystals on the ground glowed a rainbow of colors. They all held their hands out to their sides, their palms nearly touching with only an inch between them.
Niche closed her eyes. “Repeat after me. Sky above, earth below. Let our healing magic flow.”
Each of them closed their eyes and repeated her words over and over again. Magic flowed from their palms. It mixed together in an array of Zin’s silver, Tabi’s yellow, Serrina’s red, and Nova’s purple. It rose in a cloud over the bed and swirled together, gently melding and twining.
The cotton ball cloud above Astrid held and array of colors that reflected down onto the white cotton bed. The colors covered her from head to toe, then all at once the cloud burst and an array of sparkling magic rained down on her, covering her from head to toe. It settled over her like a blanket and her cheeks pinkened. She sucked in a breath and her eyes fluttered for a moment.
I forced the door open and was at her side in an instant. “Astrid, are you okay?”
“Hmm.” Her eyes shut and she curled onto her side.
“Astrid?”
Niche placed her hand on my shoulder. “She’s just sleeping now. She’ll be okay.”
“Yeah, Beck.” Tabi caught my eye. “They had to do the same thing for me. I nearly caused a dormant volcano to erupt, so this was all good.”
I gave them a single nod. I knew she’d be okay, but I’d feel better once she was wide awake and giving me all hell.
Niche placed the mortar and pestle back on the shelf along with the empty vials. “In any case, we have to be going back. There are . . . things that need dealing with.”
“I understand.” I summoned my magic to my hand and tossed an orb at the wall across from Astrid’s bed. “That’ll drop you right into the library at Evermore Academy.”
“I think I’ll stay.” Zinnia sighed and looked around the room. “Beckett, could you move one of those couches in here from the living room?”
“I mean, sure. But you don’t have to st—”
“I’m staying.” Zinnia crossed her arms over her chest.
“All righty then.”
Serrina grabbed my shoulder and gave it a little squeeze, then walked past me right into the portal. Tabi gave me a little wave then followed quickly behind her.
Professor Davis pulled her cap down tighter over her fuzzy hair. She adjusted her robes, tightening them around her waist. She jabbed her finger at me. “Right, okay. I’m ready. Mr. Dustwick, honestly, perhaps you should take a class on portals. I feel like I’m about to go on a roller coaster ride. You are aware that I am not as young as you all. This is not fun.”
“I’ll work on it, Professor.”
As she stepped through, I tossed a puff of my magic in after her. It would catch her and carry her through the portal smoothly at least for a while.
Niche dusted her hands off and rubbed them down her lab coat, leaving a trail of green smudge down the front. She tossed her mane of long flaming red hair over her shoulder. “All will be well, Beckett. She will make a full recovery by tomorrow. This kind of ascension can kill a warlock, but she is strong and I know she will be fine.”
“Niche, I can’t thank you enough.”
“No need for thanks. I know she will figure her way out. You’re the calmest, most level-headed of all the knights I’ve known. You will help her. I know it.” With that she too walked into the portal.
No pressure or anything . . . My head felt like it was going to explode. My body ached and at any moment I was going to crash with exhaustion. We’d just gotten back from a quest to open that damn book, then everything happened with Astrid and now she was my soul mate.
Nova sauntered up to me and placed her glove covered hand on my chest. “She’s going to be okay.”
“I know.”
“Do you, because from where I’m standing you look like you’re about to fall apart.” Her eyes were a deep all-seeing onyx I couldn’t deny. In another life, another time I might’ve dated Nova. We might’ve even been a good couple, yet now I couldn’t picture myself with anyone else but Astrid.
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “It’s been a long few days.”
She rubbed her hand over my chest for only a second then dropped it. “Sometimes as the Queen of death I see things others can’t. You’ll figure it out.”
Without another word she left my side and disappeared through the portal. When I looked up at Zinnia, she stood there studying me. I squared my shoulders. “What?”
She chuckled. “Nothing.” She turned and leaned against the wall. “I think the couch would be good here.” Then she pointed to the other side of the room. “And one over there.”
“Fine.” With the wave of my hand, I closed the portal and sucked the energy back into the palm of my hand. Blue smoke drifted up my arms and seeped into my skin, melding back in. I rolled my shoulders and cracked my neck while I let that darkness settle into the pit of my stomach. I headed out the door toward the sitting rooms.
Maze was perched on the couch with a box of cheese flavored crackers in his hand. Crumbs and powder covered his chest and the cushions around him. Odin, that one-eyed cat, sat perfectly still next to him, watching YouTube videos of more cats.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Why do you keep showing him cat videos?”
Shrug. “Because he likes them.” He shoved a handful of crackers in his mouth then patted Odin on the shoulder as if he were talking to a friend. “Oh, man, watch this one, it’s hilarious.”
“How do you know he likes it?” What cat likes to watch TV?
“He meows at me until I put it on. So I just do and he stops. We sit, we chill.” He tossed a cracker at Odin. That damn cat caught it and ate it, creating his own pile of crumbs on the couch.
I shifted from one foot to the other. “Okay, both of you up now.”
“What? Why?” Maze slouched farther into the couch and I swear that cat did as well. He leaned back on his hips and let his belly stick out. He kicked his legs out and leaned his shoulder against Maze as if he were human. That long tail of his whipped back and forth and I swear when he looked up at me with his one eye, he was challenging me to make him move.
“Because Queen Zinnia is staying in Astrid’s room tonight and so am I. We need the couches.” I felt my magic rising to my palm.
“That’s what chairs are for, bruh.” Half of a fist full of crackers made it into his mouth and the other half landed on the couch.
“Okay, enough.” I opened up my hand and let my blue smoke seep onto the ground. “You can either move or I’m going to move you.”
Odin meowed at me, but I wasn’t about to stop. My smoke drifted under the couch and with the flick of my hand, it lifted up off the ground.
Maze grabbed Odin and hopped down before it got to high. “Such a buzz kill.”
“Yeah, okay.” I turned toward the other parlor where Logan sat on the couch next to the fire with a book in hand. “Do I have to convince you to move as well?”
He held his hand up in surrender and rose to his feet. “No, I’m sure I’ll be quite comfortable in my room.”
“Good.” With my other hand I shot my magic under the couch and lifted that one as well. I guided it toward the hall. With one couch floating in front of me and one behind, I walked back toward the infirmary room.
The door slid open and I placed a couch on one side of the room and one on the other side with Astrid’s bed in the
middle. Tucker had made his way back to Zinnia and the two stood facing each other with their hands intertwined.
Tuck pressed his forehead to hers. “You sure you don’t want me to stay? This will be the first time we haven’t been in the same bed in a while.”
“Whoa, guys, I don’t want to hear this.” I dropped down onto the couch.
“Don’t worry, Beckett is here to keep an eye on me.” Zinnia smiled up at him. They looked at each other like I wasn’t in the room.
Tucker narrowed his eyes at me. “Yes, he will.”
“She’s safe with me.” I sighed and glanced toward Astrid as she lay sleeping curled on her side.
“Oh, I’m not worried, because if anything happens to her, I’ll kill you.” He gave me a deadpan look and I knew he meant it. “You’re one of my best friends, so I’m trusting you.”
Zinnia gave him a little shove. “Hello, I’m a queen! I think I can handle myself.”
Tuck smiled down at her. “I pity the fool who challenges you. Sure you don’t want me to stay?”
“I want you to stay, but I need you to go to Evermore and deal with . . . well, all the things going on. Okay?” She went up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Tiny flames danced up and down his arms.
I rolled my eyes. “It’s only a couple of hours.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked the time. “It’s already three in the morning. And what things?”
Zinnia stepped away from Tuck and faced me. “There are those who aren’t pleased Alataris is dead and they’re rising up against me, challenging my right to rule.”
I leaned over and placed my elbows on my knees. “Are they warlocks or witches?”
Tuck and Zinnia shared a look, but neither of them answered. I rose to my feet and gritted my teeth. “Are they warlocks or witches? Tell me!”
Zinnia sighed. “They’re warlocks.”
I curled my fist at my side. “This is my fault. If I could just get the council in line, then the rest of the warlocks would follow.”
Tuck shook his head. “Nah, man. We can’t expect miracles. And we think Dario is behind most of it. You know he was Alataris’ right-hand man.”
I started pacing. I was letting my friends down. They were being attacked because I couldn’t get this shit together. “I’m so sorry. You sent me here to do a job and I’m failing.”
“Beck, no you are not.” Zinnia shook her head. “Things like this take time. And will take a lot more than a couple rogue warlocks to unseat us. I have all the queens behind me. Until you are ready, we can handle this. Just focus on getting Astrid better and teach her to learn control.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and sucked in a deep breath. “I swear to you, I will do this. There has to be a way to get us to take over the council faster. Some kind of warlock loophole in the law.”
“I mean, as far as we know, the only rule is a council full of founding members can take over. These other hoops they make you jump through might just be excuses to keep them in control. But, Beck, if we could get to them sooner, that would be better.” Zinnia shrugged. “If not, then we continue on the planned route.”
“From what I remember our laws are much different than Witch Law. I have to check into it.” I crossed my arms. “And soon.”
“Well, no pressure. Just do what you gotta do.” Tuck let his wings pop from his back. Flames flickered, filling the room with warm light. “I’m going to head out.”
I wanted to be fighting at his side, to help them the way they helped me. “I’ll be here if you need me. Want me to portal you?”
He shook his head. “Nah, I like to stretch my wings, see what kind of trouble I can get in on my way back to the school.” He leaned in and gave Zinnia one more kiss then walked out the door.
It was silent with just the two of us watching over Astrid. “Thank you for staying.”
She kicked her boots off then fell back on the couch. She hadn’t tried to tame those wild locks after dealing with Astrid’s tornado ascension. Instead, she lay back on the couch and tossed them over the arm. “Better get some rest. You’re gonna need it.”
I dropped back down onto my couch. “If you say so.” As exhausted as I was, I couldn’t even think about closing my eyes. “Yeah, okay.”
As her eyes drifted closed and her breath grew deep and even, I sat with my back ramrod straight, staring at Astrid. I needed to find that book about warlock law that my father used to keep. Maybe it could help Zinnia or even Astrid . . . Astrid. What the hell am I going to tell her? How will she take it? How am I going to get the council together to help them? How will I teach Astrid all she needs to know?
But most importantly . . . Astrid is my soul mate . . .
Chapter 8
Beckett
My eyes felt dry and bloodshot. I rubbed at them with the palm of my hands. Early morning sun streamed into the windows in the kitchen. I hadn’t slept a wink and I was fatigued down to my bones. I couldn’t really remember the last time I’d actually slept. The heavy book sitting on my lap only reminded me of all the things I’d read and all the things we were going to have to overcome to become the council. I didn’t know how Zinnia could sleep there so peacefully, with warlocks going after her to challenge her. But my head was splitting and to say I was on the verge of cracking was an understatement. The warlock codex ran through my mind.
No witch shall ever rule.
The council shall be comprised of the five founding lines.
Should the lines falter, an interim council shall be appointed.
All members of the council shall complete their education at Warwick Academy.
Only pure lines shall rule.
No two lines may cross or intertwine in any way.
No alliances will be made between the lines.
A crossing of lines will result in an interim council being appointed.
Translation to all of that: I am so screwed. The warlock world would not accept a tainted council. The only way we would be accepted as the leaders of this world would be to follow the codex. It was bad enough that we were trying to take over, but now we had even more hoops to jump through. I shoved my hands into my hair and tugged at it. We couldn’t add one more thing to this, not a single one.
Astrid needed to learn to control her powers. There were opposing warlocks rising to attack us. We were going to have to challenge the interim council and, assuming we won that challenge, we would still have to bring the warlock world together under Zinnia. Something others were sure to resist. No, we couldn’t add one more thing to that list, not even a fated pairing. As I gazed over at Astrid, there was only one thing I could do to make this all easier . . . lie.
Or at least wait to tell her we were soul mates until it was better for everyone. I didn’t want to lie to her, not even for a second. But all the world was stacked against us. I would have to wait until the right time, which wasn’t now.
“You look like shit.” Zinnia sighed and stretched her arms over her head.
“I feel like shit.” I slid back onto the couch and let my head hit the wall behind it.
Zinnia rose to her feet and shoved her hair out of her face. At some point during the night she took that crown off and tossed it back onto the couch. She turned her gaze to Astrid. “She looks much better than she did yesterday. You need to go get some sleep.”
I shook my head. “I want to be here when she wakes up.”
“Last I checked, you two were fighting before this whole thing happened. And I need some alone time with her.” Zinnia held her hand out and shot a ball of magic into the corner of the room. It swirled with glowing silver and golden power. It reminded me of one of those crystal balls that fortune-tellers liked to use when they lured in humans looking for a thrill.
“What is that?” I rose to my feet and took a step toward it.
Zinnia blocked my path. “That is a gift for Astrid. She and I will need to discuss it and it’ll be better if it’s just her and me. It’s about time we became f
riends.”
Chapter 9
Astrid
Did I just die? Pretty sure I’m dead. I had no idea. But Beckett wouldn’t let me. He fought for me when I didn’t want to fight for myself. Fresh tears fell from the corners of my eyes and rolled back. This had to be what getting hit by a truck felt like. Every fiber of my body ached, and all my muscles were one big cramp. I stretched out in a . . . bed? When did I get in a bed? The sheets were cool and crisp against my sensitive skin. The pillow cushioned my head and I wanted to snuggle in and not get up.
An unfamiliar face loomed over me. Her hair was wild and tangled in all different directions. Glittering magic lingered over her skin and in those midnight locks. A sharply pointed gothic crown sat perched on top of her head and a dark olive-green scarf hung from her neck like it’d nearly been blown off. She held her hand up to me with a swirling ball of magic sitting in her palm. “It’s yours, you can take it. If you want.”
The muscles in my stomach protested as I sat up. My entire body quaked from head to toe with the effort. “What is it?” I glanced around the room, taking in my unfamiliar surroundings. “Where am I?”
“This”—she tossed the ball up and caught it—“is some of your magic. And you’re still in Beckett’s house. We just expanded it a little.”
She pointed toward the sliding glass door. “See, there’s the kitchen. Well, what’s left of it. Anyhow, this is yours.” Again she wiggled that glowing orb at me.
I’d never met Queen Zinnia before, but as she stood in front of me with my magic in the palm of her hand, she was nothing short of terrifying. All my life I’d thought witches were fake, but with her next to me with her wild hair, sparking blue eyes, and insane magic she was very real. They all were. I wanted to reach out and grab that ball of magic, but I hesitated.
Wicked Wish (The Royals: Warlock Court Book 2) Page 3