He had done magic—powerful magic! And he had met Adriana.
She was so beautiful. And, oddly enough, as attracted to him as he was to her. They didn’t even know each other, and yet he had felt such a deep connection with her. She was as lonely as he. She, too, was being held against her will. And the way they had recognized each other...
“Something’s coming, Kat. Something is changing.”
Kat’s eyes jerked to meet his. She lifted herself onto her knees. “What is it? Did you hear something? Your mother, did she...?”
But Morgan could only shake his head. “No, my mother has nothing to do with this. I don’t know... It’s just a feeling,” he shrugged, watching the foal suck greedily at the cloth.
Kat sank back down again, disappointed.
“But something’s got to be changing,” Morgan continued, dipping the cloth into the milk once again. “I did magic, Kat, real magic!” He could still hardly believe it. “And Adriana? There must be something special happening for her to come into my life.”
Kat gave him a sad smile. “Adriana is here to become betrothed to your brother, Morgan. I’m sorry.”
“Yes, I know. She told me. But she’s being forced into this marriage against her will.”
Kat nodded. “That’s true. And so is Jonathan being forced, but that doesn’t change things. Adriana’s not here for you. You weren’t supposed to meet her at all. It’s just an accident that you did.”
“I don’t know...”
“Morgan,” Kat said, and then reached over and put a consoling hand on his knee.
He was quiet for a moment as her magical touch warmed him and made him happier. “Well, one thing is certain—my magic is increasing, for whatever reason. And I plan on helping it. Working harder at it. I am going....”
“No! Morgan, you mustn’t!”
“Why not?”
“You just said yourself, we don’t know where this magic is coming from.”
“No, but the more I think about it, the more certain I am that we’ll never know—so I might as well use it, make it stronger.”
“I don’t think that’s wise, Morgan. In fact, I think it could be dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” Morgan started to laugh, but the seriousness of her expression stopped him. “Kat, you can’t mean it!”
“I do mean it, Morgan. I don’t think you should try using this magic until we know where it’s coming from.” Kat reached out toward him again. “I know you don’t like it, but please, Morgan, please. Promise me you won’t use this magic until we know more about it.”
Morgan hardly had to think this through before he shook his head. “I can’t do that, Kat. I can’t! For the first time in my life, my magic is working the way it’s supposed to and you want me to just turn my back on it?”
At the thinning of her lips, he said, “And how would you propose that we find out where this power is coming from?”
That did stop her.
“What would you do?” he continued, “Ask my mother? She’s the only one who might have some idea, the only one who might be able to figure it out. She is the High Priestess.”
“I know that,” Kat snapped, meeting his anger with some of her own.
Morgan sat back. “Are you going to tell her?”
“No! No, of course not. I’m not so stupid.”
“I hadn’t thought so,” Morgan said. He didn’t want to be angry with Kat, nor have her upset with him. “I’ll be damned, and rightfully so, if I don’t take this gift that is being offered to me, if I don’t use this power. It is mine, Kat. It should have always been mine.”
<><><>
“Miss Hayden, I just cannot,” the wicker chair creaked as Lord Vallentyn leaned forward.
Adriana shook her head, and put her hand on his arm to emphasize her words. She was not going to give up on this. She couldn’t afford to. “I’m sorry, my lord, but you must. You must tell your mother you will not marry me. You will not let your mother and my guardian force us into marriage.”
Lord Vallentyn just sat staring, unblinking, into her eyes. In the bright light of the solarium, his pupils were tiny pinpoints of black amidst the pale blue of his eyes, but the intensity of his stare unnerved her. She would not let it affect her—she refused break eye contact.
Finally, he blinked and shook his head. “But you don’t understand...”
“I do. I understand very well. You are being forced to do something that is repugnant to you, but you must stand up for yourself. How do you expect to make a name for yourself in Parliament if you can’t even stand up to your own mother?”
Lord Vallentyn winced at her brutal honesty, and indeed, Adriana could hardly believe it herself. Henrietta’s voice echoed in her mind—scolding her and reminding her that a lady never spoke to a gentleman in such a way. And, indeed, she had never been so blunt with anyone before. But this was her future—her life—that was at stake here. She couldn’t afford to be nice and polite. She blocked Henrietta’s voice from her mind and concentrated instead on Lord Vallentyn.
But now he had risen, and was pacing back and forth in front of the open windows, muttering to himself. He seemed to be truly agitated by what she had said. “I can’t!” he said, coming towards her but staring hard at the floor. He spun around on his heel. “But I must! I don’t want this marriage.” He spun around towards Adriana once again, “But Mother...”
“I don’t understand why you must do as your mother says. My lord, you are a man! From all that I have ever learned and experienced, men are the ones who hold the upper hand. They answer to no woman.”
Lord Vallentyn laughed, but there was no amusement in it. Indeed, it was a very sad laugh. Adriana looked, perplexed at Lord Vallentyn.
He only shook his head and said, “That may be so in ordinary society, but, well,” he sighed heavily. “We are not in ordinary society, are we?”
“Aren’t we?” Adriana asked. This made no sense to her. Ordinary society? What other type of society was there?
“Let me just say that you do not know my mother, Miss Hayden. If you did, you would understand, I assure you.”
But Adriana wasn’t going to allow him to misdirect her. Getting out of this marriage was too important. “No. I don’t understand, and from all I’ve heard, I don’t believe I want to.” Adriana stood up to encourage him further and confront him. “My lord, please. You must be strong. You must stand up to her!”
“I can’t!” His eyes locked on to hers for a moment, and then immediately he turned away again. “Oh, but I must!” With his fingers to his temples and one last agonized look at Adriana, he escaped out the door to the garden.
Adriana shook her head sadly. She hadn’t meant to cause him so much distress. But just think how miserable we will both be if we are actually forced to marry , she reminded herself.
She reopened the book on her lap to a random page, and then stared out the window thinking over her situation. It couldn’t have been more than five minutes later that Lord Devaux walked into the room and strode directly over to her.
“Adriana, it is time you stopped wasting my precious time and accepted Lord Vallentyn’s proposal,” he said, getting straight to the point.
Adriana sighed. Her guardian never was one for small talk. Then, just to be perverse, she pasted her social smile on to her face. “Good morning to you, my lord. It is a beautiful day, isn’t it?”
Lord Devaux stopped and scowled at her. “We don’t need any of that, young lady.”
“No, of course not,” she said brightly, and then added “Please do sit down.”
“That is enough,” he said, despite taking the offered seat. His voice was high with annoyance. “When are you going to accept Vallentyn’s proposal so we can get back to London? I’ve got important business to attend to there, but we can’t leave with this unresolved.”
The light in the room dimmed considerably as a cloud moved to cover the sun. Adriana let the smile drop from her face. “I’m afraid I don’t se
e the point in this marriage, my lord. Are you truly going to put your career at risk to help Lord Vallentyn, who doesn’t seem to have any firm views on any subject, to attain a significant position in Parliament?”
Lord Devaux scowled. “The only thing you need to concern yourself with is that you will be able to keep that garbage you call art... and Lady Vallentyn will give me an advantageous marriage settlement,” he added quietly.
Adriana’s jaw began to drop, but she caught it before she gave herself away. So that was it. She was being sold.
The pain of hurt burned its way up into her chest.
Her father had tried to protect her from this. He had known that it was a common enough practice and didn’t want his daughter to suffer from it. He had written into his will at Adriana’s birth—a mere six years before his and his wife’s untimely death—that she was never to be forced into a marriage. But Lord Devaux had found a way around it. Yes, Adriana would have to sign an affidavit saying that she was not being forced into this marriage, but in truth, she was and there was nothing she could do about it—unless Lord Vallentyn came through for her and did actually stand up to his mother.
“I hadn’t realized you were so desperate for funds,” Adriana said quietly.
“I’m not!” Lord Devaux paused and then continued more calmly, “This will simply put me on the same footing as some of the other more prominent members of Parliament.”
Adriana nodded her head slowly. Now she understood. Everything her guardian did furthered his career in Parliament—this would be no exception.
“There is only one flaw in your plan, my lord,” Adriana said, beginning to feel true hatred towards this man who thought nothing of using her for his own ends, regardless of the consequences.
Lord Devaux looked at her askance.
“Without me, your political dinner parties will be nothing. Henrietta, although I love her dearly and she is a sweet soul, does not have the knack that I have for these things. She can never be the hostess I am—you said so yourself,” she added for good measure. If he wasn’t going to play fair, well then, why should she?
Her guardian nodded his head in agreement. “You are correct. That is why you will continue to host political dinners. The only difference is they will have the added benefit of being in Vallentyn House on Grosvenor Square instead of my humble abode. And I, naturally, will always be invited.”
“And why would I want to do that?”
“Because it is the reason Vallentyn is marrying you, you silly little girl. Without your dinners and my presence, Vallentyn will never gain the position his mother wants for him.”
“And if I refuse to hold these parties?” Adriana asked, holding her head high.
Lord Devaux narrowed his eyes at her. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said very softly. “I may punish you by taking away your art, but I’ve heard that Lady Vallentyn’s punishments are much, much worse.”
A shiver ran down Adriana’s arms as she remembered her conversation with Lord Vallentyn not ten minutes ago. If that were the case, then what choice did she have? She was being backed into a corner. Every road to her freedom, one by one, was being made impassable. If only... if only she had the means to run from this life—no, this was no life, this was servitude.
So long as she still had her painting, she could escape.
<><><>
Morgan could hardly wait to try out his new powers. Finally, in the early afternoon, his patience wore out. He knew he still had chores to do, but what would it hurt to just try?
His eye landed on a small pile of hay sitting in a corner of the barn. The energy was swirling around inside him, surely there could be no harm in using it. In fact, it could only help him to use it. He knew that magic was like a muscle—the more you used it, the stronger it became. If he practiced, if he used his magic, it would become easier and easier.
He focused his eyes on the hay and thought, fire.
Nothing.
No, it couldn’t be that easy. All right. He reached inside of himself, pulling his energy together and imagined the hay on fire. “Fire,” he said aloud, this time.
Oberon, who was standing nearby watching him, slid down to the floor. Morgan looked over to him. “I can do this. I know I can.”
The dog gave a small bark of encouragement.
Morgan nodded and tried again. This time he really concentrated. He imagined the energy swirling within him. He saw it move about his body and gathered it, directing it into his arm, just as Kat had told him. Pointing his hand at the hay, he released the energy like an arrow from a bow. “Fire!” he shouted.
The hay twitched, as if a light breeze had blown past.
“I am tied to the element of fire! I am one with it. It is mine to command!” His anger mixed with the magic and swept into his hand faster this time, but still there wasn’t even the smallest spark.
Morgan slammed his hand against the wall in his anger. He heard the wood crack, but didn’t care. Oberon gave a little whimper.
No, maybe I’m starting too big, he thought. Maybe I need to start with something smaller. Even his brother and sisters could move objects with just a thought, and he had heard his mother lamenting over how weak they were. Surely, he could make something move. Any Vallen could do that.
He looked around the barn for a likely object. A fox crept quietly out of the end stall and slinked up to the water trough. Morgan had yet to refill it that day and it was nearly empty. Still, the animal lapped up what little there was.
As soon as he was done, Morgan moved to the pail that sat ready for him to take to fetch the water. Holding his hand out over it, he willed it into his hand.
Come into my hand, he thought. Come, he projected. Up! But still the pail didn’t move. Once again, Morgan, grasped at his magic, pulling it, cajoling it into his hand. Rise, he thought, focusing his energy on the pail at his feet.
“Rise!”
“Up!”
“Move!” he finally shouted.
And then kicked the pail with all of his frustration and anger. It went flying across the barn. The fox shot back into his stall, so fast that it was hardly a blur.
Why didn’t this work! How could it not? He had put a suggestion into Adriana’s mind! That was powerful magic – much more powerful that lifting a pail or starting a fire. Why couldn’t he do this?
Was this why Kat hadn’t wanted him even to try? Because she knew he would fail? Had she been trying to protect him?
It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair! He was destined to be the greatest Vallen of his time and he couldn’t even move an empty pail!
Leaving his heart and his anger spent on the floor, he went and retrieved the pail. He still had chores to do.
Twelve
As always, Oberon bounded on ahead. Morgan heard him give a little bark, warning him there was someone by the stream. But who could be there?
Morgan’s heart gave a little leap at the thought that it might be Adriana. He had been hoping she would come back to visit him again.
He looked out from between the trees. It was her! All of the pent–up tension in his body disappeared at the sight of her. Morgan moved a step closer to her into the clearing.
Her auburn hair glinted in the sunlight as she sat on the ground facing the stream, a pretty straw bonnet on the ground to her left. Oberon was sniffing at something in the grass to her right.
“No, puppy,” Adriana laughed, pushing Oberon’s nose away. She gave his jaw a rub to move him away from whatever it was he’d been smelling, and then started massaging him between his ears. Oberon moved closer, enjoying her attentions, but nearly stepped on the thing she’d been pushing away from him.
“Oh, no! Please, do be careful!”
Morgan moved forward, eager to talk to her and be with her once again. “Oberon,” he called, both to save whatever it was Adriana wanted him to move away from and to let her know he was there.
Adriana jumped at the sound of his voice, and twisted her body arou
nd to look at him.
“Oh, you startled me.” Her cheeks turned a little pink and she tried to quickly gather up her things. Putting on her hat, she closed what Morgan could see now was a box of paints, and tried to stand up at the same time.
She stumbled as she stepped on the hem of her dress, but Morgan took a few quick steps forward and caught her elbow before she fell.
“There is no need for you to get up,” he said soothingly. She seemed to be very agitated all of a sudden.
She gave a nervous little laugh, but then looked down and noticed that part of the hem of her dress had torn. “Oh dear!” she gave an exasperated sigh. “I wish I weren’t so clumsy!”
Morgan smiled. “I just can’t imagine anyone as graceful and beautiful as you could be uncoordinated.”
Adriana shook her head, as color flooded her cheeks. She was clearly at a loss for words. But Morgan didn’t think she needed to say a thing as he sank into the warm pool of her green eyes.
He could have just stood there, staring into her beautiful eyes, and maybe caressing her soft pink cheek. But then that wouldn’t have been enough, he’d want to kiss her again...
Oberon gave a bark, abruptly recalling Morgan to his surroundings. When had his dog become so annoying and rude? He took a step back, away from Adriana, although he wanted nothing more than to get closer—much closer.
“What were you were painting?” he asked, in an effort to pull his mind away from where it had been heading.
“What? Oh!” she gave another nervous laugh and looked down at her sketchbook that was still lying on the ground where she had left it.
Morgan bent down and picked it up. The picture was that of the flowing stream. She had caught the flow of the water beautifully, its ebbs and eddies and the slightly turbulent nature of it as it moved briskly downstream. She had begun to paint the greenery surrounding it, but that was where she had stopped.
As with Adriana’s drawings, she had somehow infused feelings into the painting as well as simply depicting what she saw. This one gave a sense of longing and sadness, as if she wished she could continue on with the flowing water instead of being trapped here on the bank. And there was something more... there was a feeling Morgan was more familiar with than, he thought, anyone.
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