“What in the nine hells is going on? Am I dead?” She demanded, fear snaking up her spine. She tried hard to remember what lead her to this point, but things were fuzzy. It was hard to recall any specific moment or event, as if it all floated underwater, little minnows darting out of her reach.
“Not yet. But if you don’t help me, you soon will be. I have Markus and Jackson waiting for us to lower your resistance so they can heal you. If we don’t do it quickly, it’ll be too late.”
What he said was important. However, no sense of urgency spurred her. What did it matter if they healed her? She liked it better on the lake. She didn’t have to hide who she was, what she was. Better to stay here. This Jackson loved and accepted all of her. He didn’t feel torn between his duty as an Enforcer and as the man who loved her.
“No. Leave me here. I’m not going to lower my resistance.” She mulishly stared at him, knowing he’d try to change her mind.
“Julia, you have to. Jackson and Markus are crying over your body. You didn’t see how broken up they were. Markus threatened to kill the entire Coterie council if you die. Jackson threatened to kill both Markus and I. It’ll be a bloodbath and you know it.” He knelt down beside her, pleading with her to see reason.
Did she want to see reason though? What did she have to look forward to if she agreed? More years of lies and deceit, always wondering if she would slip up.
“I don’t care. I’m sick of it. So damn sick of hiding. It’s not my fault the mages are a bunch of paranoid assholes. And I know they won’t change their tune any time soon. There's been centuries of hatred, so don’t try to give me a song and dance about it getting better. We both know it won’t.”
“I’ve been hiding it too.”
She tilted her head, confused.
He continued, “I’m magic resistant. That’s how I knew what you were.”
Julia reeled from this bombshell. All this time, she never guessed he was like her. He was one the highest respected mages in their society.
And would become one of the most hated if they ever found out.
Those he helped as Keeper of All Knowledge would turn on him in a heartbeat. She’d heard the rabid fanaticism, seen the hatred firsthand. She knew how they’d react. That’s why she fought hard every single day to hide her true self and she was sick of it.
“Jackson won’t reject you. I’ve seen the love he has for you and he’s no longer blinded by the dogma of the Coterie. Come back to him. Come back to us. Please. Please, don’t leave us.”
Her heart broke as he begged. She’d never seen Keeper so full of despair. She couldn’t bare to think about how Jackson was handling this, or Markus.
Damn, how could she be so selfish? If it’d been one of them instead of her, she’d be pleading too.
“I’m sorry.” She sorrowfully whispered.
A tear slid down Keeper’s face as he thought she was still rejecting his help. She lifted her hand to wipe away the wetness. “I didn’t mean to cause you so much pain. Help me lower the resistance. I don’t want to die.”
Fierce joy lit up his face. He grabbed her hand and squeezed tight.
“The wall surrounds us, keeping you locked into this one spot. Can you see it past the trees?” He motioned to the brick wall in the distance, noticeable above the trees. She surveyed the area, observing the complete circle it made around them. She didn’t know if there were any openings, but she doubted it. It was always rock solid each time she had examined her own personal fortress, the one she never wanted.
“Okay, so we need to drop it. I’ve never seen it this big before. Usually it’s the size of a garden wall. Can we do this?” Now that she decided she wanted to live, she was antsy to get started.
They didn’t have much time.
Already a strange drowsiness stole over her. She had to fight to keep focused. Her body was shutting down, dying while Jackson and Markus waited to heal her. The helplessness of waiting, unable to do anything until her resistance was forced out of the way. The fear and frustration as they watched her slip away.
A stray thought swam to the surface of her mind, something about her resistance, but before she could grasp it, the thought floated away. Frustrated, she shook her head and centered her attention on Keeper.
“We both need to concentrate our energy on forcing it down. Since I’m used to working with my own wall, I’ll be able to follow your lead. We need to be quick. Time’s running out.” Keeper held her hand tight and she could feel him lending her energy, pushing it into her as hers faded away. Seizing onto his energy, she fought the weakness in her psyche.
And almost cried in disappointment as the wall refused to budge. She always viewed her resistance as an obstacle to overcome, a barrier between her and the rest of the world. Now, it literally was a barrier, one that would kill her if she didn’t find a way to break it, to smash it. She needed to conquer her resistance, make it a part of her instead of an external force that ruled her life and, quite possibly, her death.
Sweat beaded on her forehead as she tried to join with Keeper, to open her mind to his. She wanted to scream when nothing happened.
"Why isn't this working?" She grounded out, barely able to speak due to her intense concentration.
"You're trying too hard. You need to relax. Open your mind to mine. Accept my help. Just let it all flow through you. Once you relax, the barrier will come down."
She heard his words but had a hard time understanding them. Relax? This wasn't a day at the spa. She was dying. The coldness of death seeped into her limbs, lethargy coating her mind. There wasn't much time left.
As she contemplated her death, an odd peacefulness descended upon her and in that moment she understood what Keeper meant. She needed to embrace all parts of herself, to use his energy as if it were her own and not borrowed. Needed to control her resistance as she would a limb. Her subconscious needed to lower it, not her conscious mind. She floated between wakefulness and sleep, drifting along the tranquil waves.
Keeper’s words scarcely registered, telling her the barrier was dropping.
His voice a mere whisper in her ear as he said "Heal her now, while it's down. You don't have much time."
All sound ceased and the world around her went dark.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
JACKSON HEARD THE urgency in Markus’ voice as he barked out, “Heal her. Heal her now damn it, before we lose her. Use your biggest healing.”
Before he’d finished speaking, Jackson pulled energy into himself, visualizing the end goal. He wanted Julia awake and healthy again. He needed her to live. His heart deeply entwined with hers.
Softly, he spoke, “Panacis” and Markus released the same spell. In that moment, he realized they were both willing to sacrifice a part of themselves in order save her. This spell consumed part of the caster’s life force as fuel. An incredibly powerful spell, one able to cure most diseases, ailments and life-threatening injuries, provided the caster paid the price.
Which meant seldom used and only on loved ones or those the mage felt was deserving of such a priceless gift. Every mage learned the spell, hoping they never had to cast it. Even mage healers avoided casting it if possible. Use it too often and it consumed the mage from the inside until an empty husk remained.
He dropped to the floor, too exhausted to hold up his body. Markus swayed, having trouble staying upright. He managed to remain kneeling next to Julia by what Jackson assumed was sheer stubbornness. If Jackson had the strength, he would’ve felt a little envious. Even after the spell battle, freezing a room full of people and casting a potentially deadly healing spell, Markus was still on his feet, figuratively speaking. At least someone would protect Julia if needed.
He had no idea who was even be left to bother them, though. All the threats either real-life statutes or were helping to clean up the mess caused by the spell battle.
Rustling of clothes caught his attention and had enough drive left in him to roll his eyes. He tried to move something e
lse, anything else, but his body refused to cooperate, spent of all energy. Keeper broke from his trance and slump down on the bed next to Julia. Not a single movement betrayed his status of living or dead.
Jackson wasn’t the only one concerned. Markus leaned over to check for a pulse and gave a sigh of relief when he found one. He then checked Julia.
“Her pulse is steady and strong. She should make it.” Markus told him.
Jackson closed his eyes as reaction and shock set in. His body overloaded and he could no longer control the shakes. He let himself flow through them and kept his body as limp as a rag doll.
Thankfully, the floor had plush carpeting so no danger of hurting himself, unless he bit his tongue. He recalled reading somewhere about the tongue being severed and swallowed during seizures. And with that lovely thought, he made sure to keep it out of harm’s way.
He had no idea how long he stayed on the floor or even how long the seizures occurred, just that when he finally stopped shaking, Keeper was awake and alert. Julia, however, was still unconscious. He dragged his poor abused body onto the bed.
Her even breathing reassured him as did the healthy colour of her skin, no longer pallor and ghostly. A deep sigh escaped him as he passed out next to her, his hand curled into hers. He took comfort in knowing she was next to him, alive and recovering.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
JULIA SPENT THE next few days drifting in and out of consciousness, her body working overtime to repair the damage. Jackson, Markus and Keeper took turns healing her with little bursts of energy to speed the process. Lucid for the healing sessions, she dropped her resistance and absorbed as much as she could.
After the first day, she was heartily sick of lying in bed - especially someone else’s bed! - and was ready to go home. Now that they cleared Jackson of the demon summoning, they were both free to get on with their lives.
Jackson refused to leave her side the entire time and they quietly made plans. They decided for him to move in with her since she owned a house in Bloor West Village, a cute little two storey home with a small backyard.
They also made plans for him to meet her family. She hoped for just her parents first. With her family though, they would all descend upon them once they found out Julia was home. Her brothers both lived in Toronto while her sister was the rebel living in a smaller town outside the city. Each one had ported to her house on more than one occasion and would do so again the second their parents called.
Better for Jackson to find out now how close knit her family was and learn to cope.
Just after lunch Julia and Jackson cuddled in Keeper’s personal overflowing library/living room. Shelves lined the walls and there was even a ladder that glided on rails. Several free-standing nooks were situated around the room filled with books and priceless artifacts. Tucked away on a corner shelf at the top were several tubes that housed ancient scrolls. Sadly, the scrolls were too valuable, and prone to falling apart, for her to look at. She loved being surrounded by so many books, even if some were in languages she couldn’t read. And the brown leather couch in the center of the room made for a cozy spot to snuggle.
Keeper and Markus entered the room after politely knocking on the entranceway. The rooms in Keeper’s home were open concept, so there wasn’t much privacy. Quietly, they settled into large leather chairs. Keeper always told her he spent so much time sitting and reading that he might as well be comfortable while doing it. He took the chair closest to the couch while Markus preferred the one near the door.
They both looked subdued. Markus dressed in his customary black tee-shirt and cargo pants, the Enforcer uniform. His curly black hair shone like spilled ink in the low light and his black eyes hooded. He was hiding something. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t like it.
Keeper dressed more sharply. As he wasn’t an Enforcer, he had more range in his wardrobe. A pale blue silk shirt, unbuttoned at the neck and sleeves rolled up, coupled with dark grey slacks were the closest she’d ever seen to casual on him. His reddish brown hair had a shot of silver in it, a sign of aging she hadn’t noticed before. His hazel eyes regarded her steadily, a hint of pain in them.
A glance at Jackson and he smiled at her, happiness lighting up his chocolate brown eyes. She reached out to brush back the dark brown strands of hair falling in his eyes. He still hadn’t found the time to cut it and she found the messy, just-out-of-bed look had grown on her.
Her life without these three men was impossible to imagine. For different reasons, she loved them with a depth she’d never examined before.
Markus, her mentor and partner. He’d taught her how to survive, how to live in their dangerous world and demanded her best at all times.
Keeper, her teacher and co-conspirator. He kept her alive, hid her from the executioner, taught her how to overcome her flaw and trained her in an art few knew still existed.
And Jackson, her lover. Before him, she’d just existed, skirting through life, hoping to just survive. Now, she learned life held more for her. A passion and joy that lit up the darkness, burning away the shadows in her mind.
“Julia, it’s time.” Keeper’s words jolted her, obliterating her contentment. “You can’t keep it a secret from him. If you want him to be a part of your life, he needs to know what you are.”
She turned pleading eyes to Keeper. “But, what if he can’t accept it? What if...”
A bare whisper to Jackson as she faced him, “You stop loving me?”
His fingers threaded through hers, lending her strength.
“Whatever it is, it’s not enough to break my love for you. Unless you confess to being a mass murderer and eater of baby souls.” He tried to joke.
“It’s almost as bad.” She muttered, her head drooping, the weight of her lies a heavy burden.
“Please, honey, tell me. The suspense is killing me. And after everything we’ve been through, I don’t think I can take much more.”
“I’m...” The words formed into a jagged lump, tearing at her throat. Raw and bleeding, exposed and vulnerable. Could she bare her sins to him? Her soul would wither if he regarded her with hatred and disgust. The thought of losing his love clawed at her and she almost cried out in physical pain. Keeper was right though, she needed to tell him. “I’m magic resistant.”
Complete silence greeted her words.
A slow inhale as she gathered her courage and met his eyes. Stunned and disbelieving, he stared, his fingers tightened around hers, a reflex and nothing more.
A glance at Keeper and Markus showed understanding and encouragement. They both smiled. Or more accurately, Markus’s lips twitched, but the warmth in his eyes helped control her fears.
“How can you be magic resistant? I’ve seen you cast magic. Magic affects you. You almost died from a death spell! This makes no sense.” With a gentle hand, he brushed her hair out of her face and his touch warmed her. The fact he still wanted to be near her steadied her.
“I’m able to cast but it’s harder to do. I use more energy than a normal mage and I have to concentrate harder. It’s also why I have so many spell components. They help me focus. And being affected, well, if I wasn’t magic resistant, that death spell would have killed me, no ifs ands or buts, I’d be dead.”
A sheen coated his eyes, tears she never thought to see from her strong Enforcer. He gathered her in his arms, his lips pressed against her temple.
His voice a ragged whisper, “Don’t ever do that again. I’m not worth your death.”
She disagreed, but decided now wasn’t the time to argue. Instead, she savoured the feel of his breath against her skin, stirring her hair. His heart thudded in her ear, the sound soothing.
He didn’t try to execute her. A shaky breath left her, thankful he hadn’t tried. Keeper and Markus would’ve taken exception to it. And while she loved him deeply, he was no match for her two teachers.
“Do you hate me?” She murmured. Did he accept her or viewed her as a monster?
“What? Hell no! I lov
e you. Yeah, I’m shocked by this, extremely shocked. I didn’t think magic resistant mages existed anymore. But there’s no way I believed all the bullshit they fed us when we were in school. You’re not evil. You are the most caring, compassionate, and loving woman I’ve ever met. I can’t even imagine you causing someone harm just because you feel like it.” He kissed her slowly and gently, telling her more with that kiss than words could ever express.
A not so subtle throat clearing reminded them they weren’t alone. Sheepishly, Julia raised her head and smiled at the other two important men in her life.
Keeper squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and said “I’m magic resistant as well. I’m also Julia’s great-great-great-grandfather.”
The three of them erupted when he dropped this bombshell on them.
“What the hell? You never told me any of this!” Markus exploded, not liking this information being kept from him. He pounded his fist against the arm of his chair.
“You’re both magic resistant? He’s your grandfather?!” Jackson exclaimed. He dropped his head into his hands. “I can’t handle any more shocks today. I’ve reached my quota.”
“My grandfather?! Why did you keep this from me? All those times I’ve trained with you, trusted you and you didn’t tell me?” Betrayal and anger crawled through her.
How could he keep this from her? The magic resistant part didn’t shock her as it did the other two. He’d already spilled that little tidbit of information to her. A pang of hurt proved she hadn’t forgive him for hiding it.
But her great-great-great-grandfather? He was her ancestor? How was that possible?
“Quiet!” Keeper snapped. Their obedience wasn’t a question in his mind as evident from both his tone and from the immediate lull that followed his command. “I never told anyone because it’s extremely dangerous knowledge. If anyone found out Julia was my great-great-great-granddaughter, she would’ve become a target. Over the centuries, I’ve made enemies. However, none can touch me. I’m too protected and too powerful. Julia’s not. As an Enforcer, she could’ve had an ‘accident’ on the job. I couldn’t let that happen. As for the magic resistance, we all know why I kept it under wraps.”
Magic Resistant Page 25