The discharge papers were soon signed, and she was free to go. They brought her a wheelchair, but Rosa turned her nose up. Nicholas smirked.
“Oh?” he said. “How are you going to get out, then?”
“You're going to carry me,” she said, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world.
“Of course,” he rolled his eyes, “my princess.”
“I could be your princess one day if we get married,” she whispered into his ear as he picked her up.
“We will get married one day,” he answered softly. “Just as soon as I figure out how to make this world safe for you.”
She lay her head on his shoulder as he walked, burying her face to ignore the stares.
He barely had time to get her home in a taxi. All he wanted to do was stay with her sweet kisses and her arms around him.
By the time he got her into bed, she had gained back some mobility, her legs twitching as she stretched them. He could feel it under his palms; her magic was slowly returning. But how long would it be until it happened again, and then for good?
“I'll be back tomorrow,” he assured her. “But please, call me if you need anything.”
“Tomorrow is not soon enough,” she replied. “But I'll try to still my beating heart until then.”
“Mm,” he leaned down to kiss her. “I love you, Rosa.”
“I love you, too,” she said, and then he had to leave.
His magic was shaky when he got back to the transport spot. He knew he could still do it, but it was going to be rough. The restoration and use of magic on Earth was a bit more difficult than on Umora. However, it was the easiest of the other planets, and so he was grateful to be here.
“Nicholas.” Ariel met him, looking tired but happy. “What have you been up to?”
“Errands, love,” he said, putting on his usual smirk. She raised an eyebrow.
“Errands with lipstick on your collar? My, tell me how I get assigned those tasks.”
“What?” He paled, turning to his shirt collar. Sure enough, Rosa's pink lipstick was smeared there. “Damn it.”
“So, who was it?” she teased him.
“No one, Precious,” he said, although it damn near killed him. “You're not the only one in this family who has random, casual encounters.”
“No judgment,” she said, looking behind him. “But our sister-in-law may be a bit shocked, so tuck your collar down or something.”
“Good thinking,” he said, reaching to put it under his jacket as Enya approached. “Anything else you ladies need to do?”
He was trying to delay. The longer the magic could refill his fingers, the better. But both of them were done for the day, and so he had no choice. He took both of their hands, closing his eyes.
“Oh, Lord,” he whispered, pushing as hard as he could. The magic swirled, and then he felt the dizzying blackness surround him.
Before he knew what was happening, they crashed onto the antechamber floor.
“Nice,” Ariel said, a bit miffed at their landing. “Ow.”
“Sorry,” he said. “Don't tell your husbands.”
“I'm fine,” said Enya. “That was exciting.”
“It will be less exciting tomorrow, I promise,” he said, as they all stood up. “I hope.”
Chapter 6
“Vanishing?” Cole asked that night at dinner. “That is interesting.”
“That's what people are saying,” Nicholas said, trying to remain vague. “It seems more to be affecting individual cases and spells rather than large quantities of people. But there is the matter of the Other dropping.”
“There is that.” Cole shoveled food into his mouth like he was starving. “I hadn't thought of putting the two together, but we have had reports of dragons feeling less powerful on Earth. I had always attributed it to Earth's atmosphere.”
“What are you saying?” Peter spoke up from the head of the table. He was always so quiet, so thoughtful. Alexander was his mouthpiece, still, doing so much of the work. “That magic is disheartening?”
“I don't know,” Cole replied. “I don't think it's quite that drastic.”
“Well, magical hybrid,” Nicholas pointed out, “I think this is your job.”
“Sure,” Cole replied. “But I'd like to consult Thomas.”
“Sorry?” Yvette spoke up for the first time. Thomas Dolcetti was one of the few other magical hybrids in the universe. Like Cole, he was half dragon and half witch. He and his family had retreated long ago to Earth, rebelling against the tyrannical old king, Richard. They were a mismatched family, trying to live in peace on the edge of human civilization. Thomas, however, was a trouble maker, broken and struggling. He had allied with Richard, and Peter had pardoned him for his crimes only on the basis that he used his magic to help with his doctor father. Thomas also used to be Yvette's lover for over a year in her short life.
“You can consult with Thomas so long as it is on our terms,” Peter said. “He appears before us; you do not go to him.”
“We would have to beef up security,” Cole replied. “The people will riot if they see Thomas here. His pardon was not popular.”
Peter shifted his gaze to Yvette. “I’m aware. That's why he comes here. We do not bow to his rule; he bows to ours.”
“What are the consequences if magic is leaving?” Nicholas put in.
“It could be catastrophic,” Cole replied. “But I think we are being dramatic, really. It's probably just a singular issue, someone is behind it. Magic is not fading form the atmosphere; the whole world isn't suddenly going to be magic-free.”
“Welcome to my life,” Ariel put in, leaning back in her chair. “It's not so bad.”
“But for those of us who are used to magic…” Alexander reminded her, and she shrugged.
“You can adapt. That is the whole reason for being alive. Tell me when you will summon Thomas, and I'll make sure to be in the throne room to calm him. As long as it's around my rehearsal schedule.”
“Oh, I will,” Cole grinned. “Bringing him here again is going to be fun.”
Nicholas was not calmed by the conversation they were having. The truth was, almost every magical being could survive without magic. They would be trapped in human form and unable to transport themselves, but they would be alive.
Rosa, however, was pure magic. If her magic vanished, there would be nothing left of her. And the thought of it was enough to make him consider throwing himself off the roof.
“Where are we on sightings of our lovely father?” Nicholas asked. “My intelligence isn't telling me anything. Anyone else?”
Cole shrugged.
“It's just the same. Unconfirmed reports, a body here or there that can't be linked anywhere. If Father is around, he's keeping it a secret.”
“I expected him back before now, to be honest,” Peter finally said. “A battle for the throne, straight out of the movies.”
“Good reference,” Yvette said, who had taught him all about modern culture and films. He smiled at her, scraping the last of his plate.
“In a movie is fine. In our throne room is a different story. In any case, he's in hiding or he's gone.”
“Either way, it's something we should stay on alert for,” Alexander said. “Everyone keep your ears to the ground.”
“Aye,” Nicholas said, as they finished dinner. Yvette stood up, which made all of them scramble to their feet. As the queen, her small presence commanded that they rose when she did. Peter rose as well, taking her hand. “My lady.”
“An early night?” Peter asked, and she nodded.
“Nicholas, I need to return to Earth on Thursday, if that is all right?”
“Of course,” he said. “I think, Enya, you aren't coming then? My caravan has room.”
“Excellent,” she said, and the two of them floated off. Cole kissed Enya on the head, beckoning her off as well. Nicholas was left at the table with his brother and sister-in-law who were deep in conversation. Alexander's plate re
mained half full, which was a constant source of argument.
“But you can't regain strength unless you do eat,” she tried to argue with him. His decline in health since the war with her people was something she felt terribly guilty over. However, Nicholas felt like he could point out that Alexander had always had issues with food. A civilized dinner was one thing, but the blood lust a dragon needed was a different matter, and he often couldn't separate the cravings he felt. He once thought Peter was the one most unhappy about being a dragon. But Alexander was the one who seemed to fight everything about their dual form.
Nicholas was about to speak out when his phone buzzed. Discreetly, he looked down, trying to not draw attention to his gaze.
It was a message from Rosa, which she really should have sent. But it was a picture from the book, and he had a feeling that he needed to see it.
Halloway magic is the strongest and yet the weakest of the coven ancestral magic. It burns bright like a torch for a very short time, and then burns out. Halloway have shortened lifespans, overcome by their magic at young ages. This is a fact often kept secret from outsiders in order to protect them from being the easiest to take down. A Halloway clan of four can take down an entire planet with their magic, but they often have little time to plan such destruction.
He froze, reading the text in the photograph again and again.
“No,” he whispered, his eyes widening. This couldn't be.
And, yet, there it was in black and white.
Rosa was simply following the pattern that every single one of her ancestors had. Burning too bright and then being snuffed out and overcome.
The fact that she was carrying the last of her ancestral magic meant for four people was not lost on him. If they had shortened lifespans, hers was going to be significantly shorter from the sheer burden of the amount of magic she was carrying.
“God,” he said, which drew the attention of his siblings.
“Nicholas?” Alexander asked, grateful for the distraction. “What's the matter?”
“Nothing,” he managed. “Where's Cole?”
“Who are you texting?” Ariel slid over to him, a teasing smile on her face. “First, lipstick on your collar, and now secret messages? Nicholas, I'm starting to think that you do have a secret girlfriend.”
“No,” he said as he pulled his phone away, but she took that as an invitation to play on. She reached for it, dodging his arms. To his horror, she managed to pry it out of his hands. “Ariel, NO!”
She stopped, in shock.
Nicholas had a temper. Everyone knew that. He was out of control, his anger enough to kill an entire room if it manifested into physical actions. But never, in his life, had he yelled at his favorite sister-in-law.
Alexander rose, throwing his napkin down on his plate and holding out his hand.
“Ariel, give me the phone,” he said, looking right into Nicholas' eyes. “Now.”
She handed it over without protest. For Nicholas to yell like that, something had to be terribly wrong. Alexander's authority bore into his brother who stood stock still.
Alexander's eyes flashed over the screen, reading quickly. He was silent for a moment, and then looked to his younger brother.
“Explain,” he said.
Nicholas' brain frantically tried to come with an explanation. “I was trying to look into the theory about magic fading,” he said. “So, I asked some witches–”
“No,” Alexander said. “You are lying. Explain, now.”
“Alexander, I can't,” Nicholas begged him. “Please, don't make me. Please.”
Alexander had never seen such emotion in his brother's eyes. He recognized the look. He had seen it in Peter and in Cole when their lovers were threatened. This was the same glassy stare, the same lost eyes, pleading for help.
“Nicholas,” Alexander chose his words carefully, “is this something that will put us in danger?”
“No, I swear,” Nicholas cried. “I would never do that. How could you even think that of me, brother?”
“I don't,” Alexander said. “But you are not normally so secretive.”
“Please, just leave it be. Please do not make me explain.”
Alexander held his gaze for a long time and then handed over the phone. Nicholas took it with a sigh of relief, putting it back in his pocket.
“Thank you,” he said. “I promise this will make sense someday.”
“Do what you need to do,” Alexander said, dismissing him. Nicholas bowed and left, his hands shaking.
Alexander sank back in his seat, raising an eyebrow at Ariel.
“Who is she?” Ariel asked.
Alexander sighed, picking at his plate again. He thought he might have the strength to make it through the evening if he could find a way to get another mouthful or two in.
“Her name is Rosa Halloway,” he said. “She's a witch, and the last of the Halloway line. I had thought she was long dead, but it appears Nicholas has found her. And from the look in his eyes, it's more than just a business relationship. They knew each other as children, but it appears it has blossomed.”
“Halloway?” Ariel replied, in surprised “There are no more Halloway witches.”
“Didn't they say that about carapaces as well?” Alexander raised an eyebrow at her. “The Halloway are odd witches. They are very powerful, but they use ancestral magic, so they need four. Rosa is all that is left. The rest have died out early, overcome by their magic. It eats at them and eventually destroys their human body.”
“My God, that is not a good evolution,” she said. “So he's being all secretive. Why?”
“He's trying to protect her, I imagine,” Alexander shrugged. “The Halloway, like carapaces, were hunted for their power. Killing them off, stealing their power by a transfer, all those things were common. All of those things were things King Richard did.
“I never met your father and I hate him. Have I mentioned that?” Ariel put in. Alexander quirked an eyebrow.
“You wouldn't be alone. In any case, my dear, I know Nicholas has no evil attentions in mind. If he wants to keep Rosa to himself, it doesn't matter. Without three others, she is useless. She will burn out like the rest, and his heart will break, but that is all.”
“Mm,” she put her hand over his. “Except grief. Which can kill you.”
“He'll be all right,” Alexander sighed. “He's strong like the rest of us. Shall we retire for the evening?”
“Speaking of strong,” she pointed out. “You look like you could do with an infusion of magic yourself.”
“A good night's sleep, that's all,” he slipped an arm around her waist. “A night where I don't have to wear the crown.”
“I can think of ways where you can wear nothing at all.” She nuzzled into his neck, and he chuckled. No matter how dire the situation, Ariel always had a way of making him smile.
Chapter 7
Rosa had called in sick for work. She didn't want to, but she didn't know what else to do. They would expect her to after the accident. But she would have gone if she felt like she had the strength.
She felt so strange, as if her body was fighting a passive war. She needed the magic, but she hated the magic.
She was staring at the wall, trying to get her strength up when she saw her front door open.
She jumped about four feet in the air, afraid. If someone was coming to rob her, they were going to discover quite quickly that there was nothing to rob. Perhaps they would get angry and hurt her. She couldn't defend herself, and she didn't want to die this way.
But to her surprise, the person coming through the door meant no harm.
“My Lord,” she said, trying to look dignified. Cole stood there, a grin on face. He came and went as he pleased, asking for magical advice whenever it suited him.
“I caught you at a bad time?” he said. “I was in the area, so I thought I'd pop in.”
“You thought you'd pop in?” she raised an eyebrow. “Right.”
“Okay,
I need something,” he grinned. “How are you?”
“I'm uh…” she remembered who she was talking to. “Having problems with magic.”
“So, I figured,” he said. “There was an interesting topic brought up at dinner last night, so I thought I'd come and see you. After all, who is the oldest witch clan in history?”
“Me,” she said. “But I'm currently a singular force, so…”
“And you're experiencing a magical drain. Do you think it has to with the Other dropping?” He leaned against her wall.
“Uh…” she paused. “I don't know. I don't know what's going on, to be honest.”
Cole's brow furrowed. “Rosa?” he asked, moving forward.
Her reaction was to get up, to pretend everything was normal. It was such a strong reaction that she forgot her legs didn't work. She fell back onto the bed.
He was beside her an instant, his moves lightning fast.
“Damn. You are in bad shape,” he said.
She couldn't hold in her emotion any more. “I'm a Halloway,” she said. “We already have such problems living with our magic. If the world is taking it from me sooner, it's just cruel!”
He was taken aback by this sudden emotion.
“Rosa,” he said as he touched her. He was alarmed at how little magic was under her skin. “Oh, my God.”
“I don't know what to do,” she said. “I don't know what to do. I don't want to die.”
The tears flowed down her face, and he felt pity for this poor girl. He was about to say something comforting when the door opened again.
Rosa's head snapped toward it, her eyes wide.
There stood Nicholas, equally shocked. “Brother?” he asked Cole. Rosa looked between the two of them in a panic.
“Nicholas,” Cole said. “Do you know Rosa Halloway?”
“I–” Nicholas said. This was it, they were caught. Rosa dropped her head. “Yes.”
Rosa was dying anyway, he figured. This was their last chance.
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