“See, Astrid, sometimes you just gotta breathe.” Zinnia handed the book back to me. “You’ll get it. I know you will.”
I accepted it back and sighed . . . no pressure.
Chapter 15
Beckett
Astrid sat on the couch in the parlor with her grimoire lying across her lap. After last night’s sleepover, her stress level dropped and she smiled while reading. Odin lay beside her flat on his back. She absently ran her fingers over his stomach as little puffs of magic drifted up from her hands. It felt right, that she was healthy and happy. And here with me. I loved seeing the color in her cheeks and the life in her eyes. Her magic made her strong, stronger than she knew. Just three days after her ascension and she was back to being healthy. I knew her power had something to do with it. I’d seen others take weeks to recover. But here she was looking all cute in her black leggings and off the shoulder black sweater.
Her hair spilled in long, thick waves over her shoulder and fell down to her elbow. She was beautiful and she was mine. She just didn’t know it yet. The corner of my lip pulled up of its own accord and I couldn’t stop it if I wanted to. “Feeling better?”
She tore her eyes away from her book for barely a second. “Yeah, the queens really did help.”
“They’re not so bad, are they?” After being with the queens for months and fighting against Alataris, I knew each of them had something to bring to the table for Astrid.
“No, I really liked them.” She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “And I’m not so scared of this.”
She held her hand up and that orb appeared, floating just above her palm. The power swirled within it and even from where I sat across from her I could feel it. “You think you’re ready for more?”
She shook her head. “No, but I’m not so terrified of it.”
“Good.” I leaned back on the couch and crossed my arms over my chest.
“Try not to look so satisfied with yourself,” she teased then turned back to her book.
The sound of a ruffling bag came from the hall along with hurried footsteps. Maze rounded the corner like his ass was on fire. He crumpled the bag of chips in his hand and they exploded. His feet slid as he came to stop in front of us. “Incoming! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
Then he took off right up the stairs just as fast as he came in the room. I jumped to my feet. “What does that mean?”
The hinges on the front door creaked as it swung open and banged against the wall. Headmaster Ridge stood in the doorway, looking like he’d not only pressed his own clothing but pressed himself. He wore a three-piece suit made for a butler, complete with pinstripe pants, a gray vest, and a suit coat with tails that ran down to the back of his knees. His wingtip shoes were polished to a shine that matched the oil slicked on his head. He looked down his hooked nose at me and his lips wrinkled in distain, giving me a view of his crooked teeth.
“Professor Ridge, I would say it’s nice to see you . . .” I shrugged. “Well, that’s it.”
“Watch your tone, boy.” He stepped over the threshold into the foyer.
Behind him stood a woman who had her hair pulled into a tight bun on top of her head and wore a thick black velvet robe that covered her from neck to toe. Streaks of gray streamed back from her temples and wound in with the rest of her hair. Her face was wrinkled like a prune. Even her lipstick was prune purple. She reminded me of a bullfrog, with the way her eyes bugged out of her head and her bottom lip pushed out farther than her top lip. Even her skin held a greenish tint. Ridge turned and extended his hand out toward her. “May I present Cora Ferguson of the warlock council and Jiovanni Archer.”
Jiovanni walked through the door next. He was a slight man with worm-like features. He was barely five and half feet tall, with a bald head, big nose, and small beady eyes. He too had wrinkles from head to toe. Though he was a smaller man, his power was world-renowned, as was his evil. His specialty was punishing those who went against the warlock law, by any means necessary.
I extending my hand out toward him. “Jiovanni, a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
He sneered at my outstretched hand. “Yes, young Dustwick I am sure you have. Though I hope the things I’ve been hearing about you are a scandalous falsehood.”
He brushed past me and walked around the foyer, examining both parlors. His eyes landed on Astrid and he sucked in a breath. “Is this the Lockwood?”
Astrid rose to her feet and walked over to the foyer. “Hello, I’m Astrid.”
Cora groaned in disapproval and moved to Jiovanni’s side. “The one who caused all the commotion only days ago.” She looked her up and down. “I hardly believe you are the Lockwood.”
“No, I’m the Astrid and, yes, the last of the Lockwood line.” She held her chin up and met the woman’s narrowed gaze with one of her own.
That a girl! I crossed my arms over my chest. “What can I help you with, Headmaster Ridge?”
“Well, there have been rumors going around that things have gotten out of control in this house. Naturally since it’s on school property, I felt inclined to”—he tilted his head, looking up the stairs and then down the hall—“check in.”
I held my hands out to my sides and motioned to the house. “Well, there this nothing going on. As you can tell everything is calm, the house in clean, and we are all healthy. No need to intrude.”
Logan walked in from the hall. “Hey, Beck, Maze was supposed to get me a hammer, but he . . .” His words trailed off once he spotted the council. “Mrs. Ferguson, Mr. Archer, nice to see you.”
Jiovanni folded his hands behind his back. “Logan Whitmore, you are the image of your father. Hopefully with the same loyalties. Which is more than I can say for Mr. Dustwick here. Your father would—”
“My father would say nothing. Because he isn’t here.” I ground my teeth together. Of all the times for him to walk in for construction help. “There’s one in the shed out back, Logan.”
Logan gave me a tight-lipped nod then headed back into the house. “I’ll find it.”
“You are quite disrespectful.” Cora huffed at me.
I shrugged. “Respect is earned. Not a single one of you has earned mine.”
Beside me, Astrid sniggered and pressed her fingers over her mouth to hide her smile. Cora straightened her already pristine robes and huffed at me. The distinct sound of a tapping came from the wooden planks on the front porch. Tap, step, step. Tap, step, step. A large figure filled the door and my heart sped up. Though I didn’t show it on the outside, the presence of this man made rage boil in my veins. The last time I saw him was the night my father disappeared and this was the man responsible for it.
“Beckett Dustwick.” My name was a growl on his lips and I stiffened.
“Damiel Edwards.” I ground my teeth so hard I bit my cheek. The taste of blood filled my mouth.
He stood eye to eye with me. His thick black hair was pulled back from his face and bound together by an old-fashioned black cord. His beard matched the thickness of his hair. The most alarming thing about him were his stark yellow eyes. He tapped his cane on the ground and walked farther into the room. Tap, step, step. I remembered that noise like it was yesterday. I was that young boy again hearing that noise on that horrific night. With every fiber of my being I HATED him. It took everything I had in me not to use that stupid silk cravat he wore to strangle him.
He gazed up at the chandelier in the foyer then into the parlor where Astrid had been sitting. His eyes locked on her orb. “It’s come to our attention that a dangerous amount of power exploded here only three days ago. Is that true?”
I curled my hand into a fist at my side. “What would you know about truths?”
A snide smile crossed his face and he gave a humorless chuckle. “Tread carefully with me, boy. I’ve known you since you were this big.” He held his hand at his hip.
I took a step forward and came nose to nose with him. “I’m not so little anymore, am
I?”
My magic rose to my hand. I felt it like a second skin, ready to use if I need it. A small hand slipped into mine and I felt her tug me back.
Damiel titled his head to the side and looked her up and down. “What have we here?”
I pulled Astrid behind me. “She’s none of your concern.”
“On the contrary. That explosion of power is the council’s concern. You endangered the rest of Warwick Academy. The students here are under our jurisdiction, our protection.” He took a step to the side and once again his eyes locked on Astrid. “You, my dear, are a danger.”
She held her chin up and gave him a level look. “Am I the only warlock to ever ascend?”
He looked from me back to her. “Have you taught her nothing?” He shook his head. “No, you are not.”
“Right, so if every student who ascends is a danger to the school, seems to me you’d be lacking in students. No matter how powerful they are. Unless there’s some school rule I’m missing about not accepting students who ascend, then I think I’m well within my rights to be here.” She tapped her finger on her cheek, making an exaggerated thinking motion. “As a matter of fact, I am the last of the Lockwood line, an original founding family. I do believe I have a house here and a place in this school according to your laws, isn’t that right, Beck?”
I nodded. “It is indeed.”
“So the way I see it, I belong here more than, well, you.” She gave him a blank, pleasant smile.
“You might, but that doesn’t.” He pointed toward the orb.
“It’s mine.” The smile dropped from her face and I felt her palms begin to warm. I squeezed her fingers silently, willing her to calm the hell down before she blew him up. Though I would love to see that.
Damiel turned toward the other members of the council. “Whether or not it’s yours, power like this can’t be left lying around. It needs to be safeguarded, protected. Something you’re not capable—”
The sound of clanking metal filled the room. A cage dropped around the orb and slammed into the floor. Thick metal poles wound up from the ground through the bars like thorn covered vines. They jutted out with razor-sharp glinting points. A thick metal chain wrapped around the cage then a padlock snapped closed around it.
Damiel chuckled. “Isn’t that cute.”
He held his hand out and dark navy smoke shot from it at the cage. It wrapped around the bars. The sound of groaning metal filled the room, but a moment later the smoke exploded away from the cage and the orb.
I wanted to scream with triumph, but instead I kept my cool. “Problem solved. The power is protected.
Astrid took a step to stand in front of her orb. “Aww, wasn’t that a cute attempt. Now back off.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Cross came in from the kitchen. He leaned up against the wall and crossed his legs at his ankles. “Back off.”
Damiel straightened his stance and whirled around. “Cross Malback.”
Cross held his hands out to his sides. “The one and only.”
“I recently had the pleasure of speaking to your father. Such an example of what a true warlock should be.” He glanced at Ridge. “Isn’t that right, Ridge?”
The headmaster nodded like a bobble head on a dashboard. “Indeed.”
Cross took a menacing step forward. “Where is he?”
Damiel shrugged. “Why would I tell you that?”
“I plan on having some . . . words with him.”
“Well, I’m sure if he wanted to speak to you, he’d find you.” Damiel sighed and took a step toward the orb, his eyes flickered with want.
Enough was enough. “It’s time for you to go.”
All four of them stood there looking at me like I’d sprouted eight heads. Ridge cleared his throat. “You overestimate your importance, Beckett Dustwick.”
“This is my house, isn’t it? We have all five lines united together, don’t we? So I think it’s you who overestimates your importance.” I walked past them to the door they hadn’t bothered to close. I waved for them to leave.
Damiel stopped just in front of me then glanced over his shoulder at Astrid. “For you to have any claim, you all need to be in control of your powers . . . your full powers. Good luck with that.”
Cora tittered and huffed as she followed. “Well, I never in all my years.”
“Bu-bye now.”
Jiovanni chuckled and shook his head. “You poke the lion.”
“He poked me first.” I pulled the door open farther so he would get the hint to leave.
He strolled out with his hand behind his back.
Ridge stayed in the foyer for a moment. “I will be watching your every move and if she takes one step out of line, I will be there.”
I glanced at Astrid. “She’s ready.”
But was she really? It didn’t matter how much bravado I showed them. Shit just got real. The council knew the lines were uniting, they knew I was heading it up, and above all they knew we had a weak link. Without another word, he walked out the door and I slammed it shut behind him. It’s time to play . . .
Chapter 16
Astrid
Maze came halfway down the stairs with that damn bag of chips in his hands. He reached in and pulled one out. “I warned you.”
“Barely, next time details would help, you ass.” Beckett ran his hand through his hair and began to pace. He looked more stressed than I’d ever seen him.
“I felt my warning was sufficient.” He shoved the chips in his mouth.
Logan strolled in from the hallway with the hammer in hand. “Okay, what the hell did I miss?”
“The council has just drawn war lines.” Beckett moved to stand in front of me. When I looked up at him, I knew the easy lightness he’d shown me for the past few days was over. This was a warning shot from the council, and we all heard it loud and clear. They weren’t just going to hand over their place to us. They were going to fight. By any means necessary. And Damiel alone was terrifying. I didn’t know what the connection was between him and Beckett, all I knew was I could see the hate in Beckett’s face. But why was it there?
Beckett curled his hand into a fist. “We need to be ready and soon.”
I blew out a breath. “Yeah, no pressure there, bossman.”
“I mean it. It’s time to study. You need to learn control to be ready before we get more than just a visit from Damiel Edwards.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What is the thing between you two?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He walked past me toward the hallway.
I turned and followed closely behind him. “Oh really? You both looked like you were going to kill each other on sight.”
“The guy is an ass, Astrid. He will act like your friend one second then stab you in the back the next. For his own greed.” He stepped into the kitchen and debris from the roof littered the floor. It crunched under his feet when he turned to face me. “He would kill his own mother and steal her powers if it made him ruler of all warlocks.”
“You know this would be a lot easier if you stopped keeping secrets from me.”
He wrinkled his nose at me. “What are you talking about? All I’m saying is that we can’t afford to waste any more time.”
“There is tension between the two of you.” Just then Maze, Cross, and Logan walked into the kitchen and I stood between them all. “For that matter you all have known each other since, I don’t know, birth. I’ve been here for a few weeks and you just expect me to learn my powers and fall into line right behind you? I’m not a machine.”
“Hey, I was just trying to fix the roof. Don’t lump me in with these insensitive fools. I’m in touch with my feminine side.” Maze pressed his hand to his chest, trying to look all innocent.
“Oh please, you’re just as crazy as the rest of them.” I raised my hand toward the room and shot my magic at it. Piece by piece it connected together like doing a puzzle in fast forward. The cabinets righted themselves
, the debris cleared, and everything went back to the way it was before I’d ascended.
Beckett arched his eyebrow at me. “If only you could do that all the time and not just when you’re pissed at me. I’d hate to have to pick fights with you for all eternity.”
“Why not? It’s what you do best.” How could he have been so considerate, so caring the past few days, and then gone right back to bossy jerk. His mood swings were giving me whiplash.
“If you can’t see by now that everything I’m doing is to protect you, then you need to open your eyes. We aren’t dealing with some New York socialite threatening to take away your high-class status. These are real warlocks. They kill the ones they love.” He sucked in a breath and his face grew bright red. His eye shimmered. The muscle in his jaw ticked as he ground his teeth. “They kill them for no good goddamn reason.”
“Right, because I’m playing at being a warlock. In case you forgot, I almost died afew days ago.”
Logan stepped in between us. “Maybe we should just relax and take a step back.”
“Shut up, Logan.” I felt his power rolling over me, but I didn’t let it in. I didn’t want to relax. I was angry, and nothing, not even Logan’s low-key cool, was going to take that away. He snapped his mouth shut and held his hands up in surrender. I pointed at Beckett. “You should calm the hell down. I am doing the best I can.”
The red in his cheeks suddenly subsided. “I know you are.”
“Do you? Because from where I’m standing I get three days of reprieve from all”—I waved my hand over him—“of that and we’re back to battle axe Beckett when some hoity-toity big deal warlocks walk in.”
“Don’t take them so lightly.”
“Yeah, well, are you forgetting who we are?” I put my hands on my hips. I wasn’t the leader of this group, he was, but if he needed to be reminded of what was happening, then I would remind him.
Wicked Wish (The Royals: Warlock Court Book 2) Page 7