“That’s a long story,” she replied. “I had a weakness in my soul, and Kytis exploited it. With Narelle’s help—”
“Narelle? But she’s—”
“It was the spirit of Narelle,” she corrected. “She helped me see the flaw in myself, and how Kytis was using it to exact his revenge.”
“So, he knows,” Frasie said. “He wasn’t there, and none of us told him. How did he find out?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Aiden replied. “It proves Kytis is up to no good.”
She stopped. “I can’t prove it, Aiden.”
“But you said—”
“Yes, I know he is trying to kill me. I saw the symbols. I felt the hate. Narelle told me he’s here for revenge. But I have no proof.”
Aiden scoffed. “We’re not trying to convict the man in court. We just need enough evidence to run him out of town. Preferably with a feather costume and a nice coat of tar.”
“Aiden!”
Aiden walked in front of them and pointed toward her. “No, I mean it, Frasie. He’s trying to kill Olivia, tried to come between us, and charmed you. What more do we need?”
Frasie looked down. “I don’t know.”
“He’s trying to kill Olivia,” Aiden insisted. “See… the Frasie I know would be fighting mad about that. But he charmed you.”
“I still want to talk to Kytis about all of this,” Frasie replied, then turned to Olivia. “If everything Aiden is saying is true, I’ll kill him myself.”
“No, I don’t want to tip him off,” Aiden said. “We have to pretend we don’t know what’s going on.”
“But that gives him no opportunity to defend himself,” Frasie said.
Aiden scowled. “He doesn’t deserve it.”
“The effects of his charm still linger, Frasie,” she said. “The closer we are to him, the more you will fall for his lies.”
“Frasie, you have to stay away,” Aiden said. “We can’t risk him charming you again.”
Frasie sighed. “But Aiden… I can resist it.”
Olivia put her arm on Frasie’s shoulder. “No, Frasie, you can’t. You are an easy charm. There is no shame in this. I love what you’re trying to do, and I love how you want to defend me. But you’re vulnerable to Kytis’s spell. Aiden is right—we can’t risk it.”
“How do you know I’m an easy charm?” Frasie asked.
“Because I charmed you myself.”
Chapter 56
A look of confusion washed over Frasie’s face. “You what?”
Olivia took a deep breath. “I charmed you. It’s been a long time ago.”
“When?” Frasie asked.
“Right after Lahara fell. The situation was dangerous, and we needed Niv’s help.”
“No, I mean exactly when did you charm me?”
“We had escaped Lahara and stayed the night in an abandoned house outside the city. You were convinced Aiden was still alive and wanted to search for him.”
“I remember,” Frasie said. “You and Farius tried to talk me out of it. I thought you were both so callous. And then… somehow… I changed my mind.”
“I am terribly sorry. I really didn’t want to do it. But time was running out and you were inconsolable.”
“You lied to me,” Frasie said. “And you forced me to do something I didn’t want to do.”
“Farius and I were afraid you would be killed if you went to search for him. We barely made it out of there alive.”
“But still… you didn’t give me a choice.”
It broke her heart to see the hurt on Frasie’s face. By instinct, she almost tried to shove back the guilt, but she couldn’t do that any longer. She brought her regret to the forefront of her mind and took a step closer to Frasie. “I did it to protect you. I never meant to hurt you.”
“I trusted you,” Frasie said.
She wiped away a tear. “I’m sorry.”
Aiden looked to the upper city then motioned for her to come along. “Come on, Frasie. We can sort this out later.”
Frasie gave her a dejected look that brought a painful shiver to her entire body. Her defeated champion lingered a moment before following Aiden. As she watched them cross the retaining pool bridge, she re-examined, as she had done countless times before, the need to charm Frasie. She probably saved Frasie’s life, but that offered little comfort. She gave them their space, then proceeded, hoping to find redemption on the other side of the bridge.
After a brief wait, Shareis and Mauria joined them near the fountain in front of the temple.
“I can cast a protection spell for all of you against Kytis’s charm,” she said. “It won’t last long—perhaps a few hours, and it won’t be complete. You’ll still have to resist.”
Frasie frowned. “Will it protect me from your charm, too, Olivia?”
“Yes, but I would never do that to you again.”
Frasie put her hands on her hips. “Until I’m about to do something stupid, you mean.”
“Not even then.”
“What is this about?” Shareis asked.
Frasie pointed at her. “Olivia charmed me after we left Lahara so I would stop looking for Aiden.”
Shareis looked at her, then Frasie. “She saved your life—maybe all our lives. Without Niv’s help—”
“Olivia, you were saying something about a spell to protect us from Skillas?” Frasie asked.
“I think I have a spell that might work. Let’s head inside in case Kytis starts wandering about town.”
They followed her to the council chambers. She shut the door behind them and motioned for them to gather around her. She cast a circle, then chanted a simple protection spell.
“Harm shall find no welcome in this circle. Those protected are blessed and under the watchful eye of the creator. As I will, so it shall be.”
She pointed to the ground at the northmost part of the circle and slowly swept a wave of protective energy around them. A translucent purple sphere enveloped them as she completed the circle through the quarters.
“Everyone, repeat after me: This circle will protect us from harm.”
They repeated the words, then she retraced the circle. The bubble around them gradually faded.
“The circle is open but never broken. We shall go in peace.”
“Will that hold?” Shareis asked.
“Have faith,” she replied. “It is the underlying principle of magic.”
Aiden rested his hand on his scabbard. “I will trust your magic and my sword. Come on, Frasie. Let’s check the rest of the temple.”
Frasie nodded and left with Aiden.
Mauria shook her head. “Surely none of this will be necessary. This could still be all some misunderstanding.”
“It never hurts to be safe,” Shareis said.
“Besides, Olivia, you charmed Frasie, too,” Mauria said. “Should I be worried of you?”
“You have nothing to fear from me. As for Frasie, there was a lot at stake. She doesn’t understand.” She sighed. “I hope she forgives me.”
“She will,” Shareis said. “She needs time, and right now Kytis has her so addled she can’t process all this.”
“I hope you’re right.”
She heard a noise from a dark corner of the room. A pair of golden eyes cut through the shadows. She motioned to Shareis, and the two stood in front of Mauria. Shareis took a step forward, pointing her dagger toward the unknown creature.
A black wolf stepped toward them and growled.
Mauria’s voice cracked in fear. “How did that get in here?”
She swiped her hand in front of her vision, attempting to clear any form of glamor or deception.
The wolf stood on its hind legs, then swirls of dark energy encircled it as it transformed into a human.
“Kytis.”
Kytis walked toward the council chamber table. “Niv’leana’s pet Proctor is full of herself, Olivia. Frasie will never forgive you.”
She slowly approached.
&nb
sp; “You should really make sure your space is empty before performing a ritual,” Kytis said. “You never learned that?”
She leaned over the other end of the desk. “I know what you’ve been trying to do, and it won’t work.”
“It would appear we have no more secrets,” Kytis said. “It’s a shame, really. I liked it so much better when you were dependent upon me for your…” he chuckled. “Mental well-being.”
“You’re a monster,” Shareis said. “You killed Rachel, and now you’re—”
“Killed Rachel? My, Proctor, aren’t we jumping to conclusions.” He scowled at Mauria. “Just what kind of lies have you been feeding your daughter?”
“She hasn’t told me anything I didn’t already know,” Mauria said. “And how did you know Shareis was my daughter?”
“Why… Lilly told me.”
Shareis stood next to her. “Lilly? Is she alive? Where is she?”
Kytis stared into Shareis’s eyes, then laughed. “Pardon me, but didn’t you accuse me of murder? What makes you think I’d share anything with you?”
“Please, Kytis,” Mauria said. “If you know anything about Lilly, tell me. You at least owe me that.”
Kytis slammed his fist on the table. “I don’t owe you anything, Mauria. You are just a pathetic servant. I rescued you from a slow painful death and gave you a chance for a life with some meaning. No, Mauria—it is you who owe me.”
Aiden and Frasie entered the council chambers. Aiden approached Kytis with his sword drawn.
“There you are. You have a lot to answer for, Kytis.”
Kytis gently shoved Aiden’s sword from his face. “Be careful, boy. You might hurt yourself with that thing.”
“You tried to kill Olivia!” He took another step. “You may have killed your wife, but you won’t succeed with Olivia.”
“I didn’t kill my wife, and, as for Olivia…” he glared at her. “She killed my mother.”
“Your mother betrayed me,” she said. “Betrayed all of us. She tried to kill Niv’leana. If I hadn’t killed her, Vorea would still be wreaking chaos.”
“You didn’t kill Rachel, did you?” Frasie asked. “I told you, Aiden. Please, Kytis, explain it to them. They have this all wrong, don’t they?”
Kytis smiled. “Oh, Frasie, yes… they all are so wrong on so many things. Rachel died of natural causes. She—"
“What a load of crap,” Aiden said. “She slowly withered away, just like what almost happened to Olivia. You can’t tell me it’s a coincidence!”
Kytis ignored Aiden’s sword at his chest as he walked to Frasie. “Rachel was a very sick woman. She was never healthy a day in her life, and she eventually succumbed to her illness.” His voice broke. “I loved her so, Frasie. When she died, I wanted to die with her.”
“Why did you paint her so many times?” Frasie asked.
Kytis lowered his voice. “I wanted to remember her. Painting her seemed like the best way to do that.”
“That’s how you work your magic, isn’t it, Kytis?” Olivia asked. “Or should I say, work other’s magic. You’re so small of a man you need other’s power to make you feel better. You drain people, slowly and surely, until there is nothing left. And then, when you’re done with them, you move on like nothing happened.”
For a split second, she saw a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. Her accurate assessment cut deep.
Kytis frowned. “You are a skillful liar. That’s how you deceived Frasie for so long, isn’t it?”
“This isn’t about Olivia,” Aiden said. “This is about you, Kytis.”
“Oh, but you see… it is about Olivia.” He pointed to her. “She set all of this into motion. She had no qualms about killing Narelle, someone she considered a dear friend. She charms another friend, Frasie, to bend to her will. Tell me… who is the villain?”
“It’s not like that, Kytis, and you know it!”
Kytis walked around her. “Did she tell you what she did to her mentor?”
She tensed. “Enough, Kytis!”
He laughed. “Oh… she doesn’t want you to know. He taught her everything about magic. Trained her in the fine art of being a Skilla. Even fell for her. And how does she repay him?”
She walked away from him. “You have it all wrong.”
“Oh, don’t you wish that were true,” he sneered. “Your friends have no idea how wicked a woman you are.”
She turned back to him. “You’re twisting everything.”
He blinked, then glared a hole through her. “You are a fraud, Olivia, and you know it!”
Years of repressed shame and embarrassment swelled within her. It could no longer be ignored. She thought she had been listening to her heart, but clearly this connection needed more work. She ran, both from herself, and her friends—charging from the council chambers in such a hurry she didn’t bother to close the doors.
Chapter 57
Shareis and Aiden yelled for Olivia to stop, but she couldn’t. She thought she had worked through all the guilt and anguish since the ritual, but it now reared its head with a vengeance. Was all that hard work for nothing?
She ran out of breath in the main hallway of the residence wing. She leaned back against the wall as she frantically wondered what to do. In moments, Shareis, Aiden, and Frasie caught up to her with Kytis in tow. She had no more strength to run.
“Olivia, please wait.”
“Wait for what?”
Shareis pointed to Kytis. “It doesn’t matter what he says. We don’t believe him.”
“I believe him,” Frasie retorted.
“Even if everything Kytis says about you is true, it doesn’t matter.” Aiden stepped toward Kytis. “He has done far worse.”
Kytis broke away from them and started toward her. “Olivia has fooled you all for months. You've probably all been charmed.” He returned his attention to her, staring intently. “Are you so desperate for approval that you would cast a spell on people who trust you to ensure their friendship?”
“I... I didn’t.”
Kytis chuckled. “All Skilla do it from time to time. There’s no shame in it, is there?”
“No. I’ve never—”
A bright swirl of amber circled Kytis’s pupils. “You are an evil woman, Olivia. You are a spoiled brat seductress who lies and cheats to get her way.”
She backed up as he drew closer.
“You murdered your mentor in cold blood. Not when he first became a bit... harsh with you. No... you waited until you had learned all you needed to know, then you killed him. It wasn’t self-defense. It was murder.”
She turned from him and moved toward the window.
“And then again with my mother, Narelle. She was your friend, Olivia. And what did you do? You killed her for trying to save her people.”
Tears streamed down her face. “She betrayed us.”
“That’s what you told the others,” he said. “But you know, down deep in your heart, you killed her in cold blood.”
She reached the window and firmly grasped the railing. Her fingers dug into the metal as the torment seared her mind.
“You’ve taken at least two people from this world, Olivia. Maybe more. And that’s not counting the trail of broken hearts you’ve left in your wake.”
She stared at the beautiful garden below.
“Don’t you think you owe it to your victims to make some kind of restitution?” Kytis asked.
Her lips quivered. “Yes.”
“Go ahead, Olivia. Jump. Your life is meaningless now. It’s the only way you can redeem yourself.”
Footsteps approached from behind.
“Stop it, Kytis!” Shareis yelled.
“What are you waiting for?” Kytis asked.
A dagger rang after it slid from its scabbard. “One more word to Olivia and I’ll kill you.”
“Wait in line,” Aiden said.
She turned in time to see Kytis erect a thick purple energy barrier between them and Shareis, Aiden, and F
rasie.
“It’s just you and me now, Olivia. You know what you have to do.”
She leaned over the railing. It didn’t seem too far. Surely a huge shard of glass would stab her to death before she hit the ground.
“Dear Mother, receive Olivia’s final offering into your gracious hands,” Kytis said. “Your death will now be avenged.”
The hum of the barrier protecting Kytis from her friends faded. All was silent, save her heartbeat thundering in her chest. Her calf muscles tensed, ready to jump. Finally, an end to the pain was in sight.
But wait. It wasn’t that easy. She could end her life here and now and it wouldn’t solve a thing. Sure, Kytis may have struck a chord in her tangle of frayed nerves, but he was still a monster. As Aiden said, every accusation of Kytis could be true and he’d still be an evil, manipulative man bent on harming those she loved.
Her problems would be over, but it would leave Frasie, Aiden, and Shareis’s nightmare to continue without end. Sure, Kytis would have his revenge on her, but he wouldn’t stop there. He despised Aiden. Shareis would come to his defense, making her an enemy as well. Frasie would fall further under his spell and perhaps fall in love—only to suffer the same fate as Rachel.
No, it had to stop. Her pain, her anguish—it didn’t matter. Her friends needed her. The evil that lurked within had already consumed her. There was no hope of redemption. She closed her eyes and drew her hands to her chest, pulling the powerful energy residing in Kytis’s barrier to her core. She combined that with all the self-loathing and hatred she could assemble and stored it inside her heart.
She turned and faced Kytis. “This ends here.”
Kytis noticed the fading barrier. He hurriedly tried to cast another protective shell while she walked behind him.
“It’s too late for both of us,” she whispered in his ear.
He turned and scowled as he raised his arms, gathering energy around him. His growl echoed like that of the wolf. “Maybe. But you will pay.”
“Not today.”
She released the torrent of magic within her in one concussive burst. Deep purple strands of energy rippled from her core, across her arms, and into Kytis’s body. He could offer no hope of resistance against the overwhelmingly powerful onslaught. He flung backward, hit the railing, and careened through the window.
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