House of Deception: The Unrivaled Series

by Brandi Elledge

  “A rope?”

  She shook her head. “Strings. Like what the Puppeteer pulls when he manipulates people to do his will.

  “The Puppeteer isn’t all bad. He has taught me to not hide from my gifts but showcase them. Before this mark, I was in hiding, using my power for only those who I trusted. It barely paid the bills. Now, because of this mark—the Puppeteer’s mark—no one is brave enough to mess with me. I can live here in peace, and I have more than enough business coming my way.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “And what does the Puppeteer get out of this?”

  She laughed. “Very astute. You’re learning.” She turned serious as she answered, “He comes to me when he needs help with something. For example, he wants me to use my gift on you to help you get through the House of Deception’s doors, and he wants you to bear his mark. You have to figure out why he wants those two things and if it’s advantageous for you to go along with his wants. He needs me to help convince you that this is the way that you should go—”

  “Um … no. I mean, no, thanks. Don’t get me wrong; the mark is beautiful, but I don’t want to belong to the Puppeteer.”

  She tilted her head at me, studying me for so long that I began to twitch in my seat. “This is why I wanted to talk with you. If you don’t want this, then I will not do it. Even if that means I suffer the Puppeteer’s wrath, but I need you to understand something. When I was around twenty years of age, an old friend of mine, who was the most powerful unrivaled in the House of Deception, had a baby. When she could no longer hide the pregnancy from everyone, she did what my mother had done and lied. She said it was part human. Because of how powerful the real father was, she knew that she needed to sneak the child out, because one day they would know that her baby was going to be a powerful hybrid.”

  I looked at the woman. “What happened to the parents and child?”

  “The parents are dead, and no one knows what happened to the child.

  “In the House of Deception, some of the most powerful carry their own mark. It’s not like the marking that the Puppeteer gives the people that he claims, but it is something that they are born with. It’s in their coloring.” She gave me a pointed look. “They are born with eyes the color of gold.”

  She reached out and grabbed my hand. “Maybe you are human and your eccentric eyes are just a fluke, but like I said, the Puppeteer isn’t bringing you to the House of Deception to reunite you with your people. He has a plan that probably involves the missing serum. If I’m right, you will need his mark.”

  So many thoughts swirled around in my mind. “If I was born from the House of Deception and had extreme gifts, wouldn’t I know it?”

  “Not if someone bound them.”

  I rubbed my temples. “I’m sorry, it’s just that none of this makes sense to me. There are too many theories or what-ifs for me to take any of this seriously. I should just decline this whole marking thing and go back to the House of Hybrids where cleaning sounds like a much safer option than hunting down some lost serums that could start another war.”

  She nodded. “You’re right; you could. But then, would you ever know who you truly are?” She released my hand. “My suggestion is to do what the Puppeteer asks of you. Take the mark because, with it, comes protection against all. And while you let him use you, use him. Under his protection, find out who you really are.”

  “His mark won’t protect me against him.”

  “Honey, if the Puppeteer is after you, there is no one, and I do mean no one, who can help you. Take the mark.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t.”

  She took a deep breath. “There is another way. I can give you a potion where a marking—his marking—will appear when you need it, but it will only stay on you for about nine weeks. If he chooses to make it permanent, he can simply add his blood to it.”

  “So, it would only be semi-permanent?”

  “Yes. But understand that the Puppeteer won’t lose an asset.” She gave me a sad smile. “The Puppeteer has a plan for you. I don’t know what it is, but it will only bring trouble to your doorstep. I fear there is no turning back for you. I truly believe that. This mark could help you survive.”

  She did have a point. The average life expectancy for a human worker was twenty-five. Under his care, I might beat the odds, whether I was a human or not.

  “Do humans carry his mark?”

  “No.”

  I sighed. He must be pretty sure I wasn’t human.

  “You’ll find that not all hybrids carry his mark. He is very careful with who he marks.”

  I would be a fool to think the Puppeteer truly cared about my protection. More than likely, he was insuring his assets so that he could use me in the future, just like he was doing with this woman in front of me.

  She was content. Her life, according to her, had improved. So, perhaps being marked by the Puppeteer wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, and at least it was only semi-permanent.

  “What is the downfall of being marked?”

  “While marked, you belong to him. No house can ever claim you.” She must have seen the disgust on my face, because she added, “But I will tell you that there isn’t a house that you would want to belong to. Yes, there are good people in every house, including the House of Hybrids, but there is also a lot of evil, too. You would be better off with him than under any leader of the other four major houses.”

  “All right. I’ll take the semi-permanent mark. Thank you for giving me the choice.”

  She beamed at me. “You’ve made the right choice. If you’re done with your tea, we will get to work.” She stood up from the table and walked over to the fireplace.

  “I need an open space to work,” she said as I followed her. “Are you familiar with what the House of Deception’s powers are?”

  “No. Workers don’t really need any knowledge of what the unrivaled can do. I mean, we hear stories but, in reality, all of this is a first for me.”

  She nodded as she took something from the mantle. “I keep these little bottles here in plain sight. They look decorative on my mantle, but they hold something precious on the inside.” She shook the bottle. “The Puppeteer gives me four of these bottles at a time. The liquid inside is for those who are running from a house. Since the House of Deception is so close, I have only handed these out to minors that come from that house. They take it, and it provides them a certain amount of safety until the mark wears off. It makes me happy to help fellow unrivaled escape from the cruelty of the House of Deception, and the Puppeteer likes to keep me happy. He allows me to keep a few vials here and use at my own discretion. After they are marked, I send them to the House of Hybrids.”

  “Has he ever made any of those hybrids’ marks permanent?”

  “Not to my knowledge, no. As soon as they are in his district, they would have no use for the mark anyway.”

  I eyed the miniature doll-like knickknack that she held in her hands, and then my eyes widened as I watched her twist the top off the head.

  “What exactly is it that I’m drinking?”

  “Are you sure you really want to know?”

  No, I was certain that I did not, yet I found myself nodding. “I think I should know.”

  “It is a potion that I created that is mixed with the Puppeteer’s blood.”

  I shuddered as she handed over the vial and gripped what remained of the wooden figurine.

  “Bottoms up.” I chugged the liquid and did my best not to gag.

  After the last drop was gone, Lana clapped then grabbed the wooden knickknack from me.

  I pulled down the collar of my brown shirt to see if the mark had already appeared, causing Lana to laugh.

  “It takes a while for the mark to show. When it does, you’ll know. It will feel warm wherever it chooses to come up.”

  “Wherever it chooses to come up?” My voice came out squeaky. “What if I wake up tomorrow with strings covering half my face?”

  “I doubt the magic wi
ll choose your face. I’ve seen them on the shoulder, arms, and hands. Never anywhere else. Besides, we’re shooting for semi-permanent.”

  If that was supposed to make me feel better, she had missed the mark.

  I was sure she could see the anxiety rolling from me, but she ignored my emotions as she started to do wide circles around me while she hummed. “Now, how should we dress you?” She stopped in front of me, tapping a finger to her chin. “The House of Deception has very distinct colors of gold and cream. They are extremely traditional, so we need to make sure you don’t look like them.”

  “Can you tell me why I wouldn’t want to look like them?”

  “Hmm? Oh, because the Puppeteer wants them to know that, even if you were born of the House of Deception, they can no longer claim you.”

  “You both seem pretty certain that I was born there.”

  She ignored my comment. “Are you ready to see what my power is? The one that comes from the House of Deception?”

  “I guess so.”

  She laughed. “Don’t sound so distraught. I promise you that I won’t turn you into a goose.”

  She went over to a chunky wardrobe that was in the corner. Opening the doors, she then skimmed over yards and yards of fabric. I had never seen so much fabric in one place. She slid her hands over silks, cotton, and wools until she stopped on a blood red satin fabric. She pulled it from the wardrobe and placed it on the table that was in front of the fire.

  “I need you to strip. Don’t worry; I’ll close my eyes.”

  I had ridden for several hours with the Puppeteer, drank his blood so I could bear the mark of strings that, with my luck, would be on my face, and now I was going to strip nude. Why not?

  She sat down in the chair with her eyes closed. “Tell me when you are completely bare.”

  Turning my back to her and facing the fire, I started stripping.

  “Lana?” I said as I took off my plain worker bottoms. “What is your other power?”

  From behind me, she sighed. “It’s the one that is the most valuable. I need you to know that I don’t lightly share this information with anyone.”

  I stopped what I was doing to look over my shoulder. She sat ramrod straight in the chair, eyes closed with a peaceful expression on her face. Turning back, I continued shucking off my pants.

  “I can stop time.” Her voice was soft and soothing.

  I gasped as I shimmied out of my top. “Stop time?”

  “Only for a few seconds. But sometimes, you just need a few.”

  “Why did you tell me?”

  “Because I feel connected to you. I know that you won’t betray my secrets. Just as I would never willingly betray yours.”

  The way she had phrased that made my brows rise.

  Once I stood there, completely nude, I said, “Okay, I’m out of my clothing.”

  I almost shrieked as the red fabric that she had previously put on the table started floating in the air in front of me. Then the satin material seemed to unroll itself and, in a blur of red, started wrapping around my body. It pulled and tugged here and there. In sections, it ripped just to reattach to another piece of fabric. The satin crisscrossed over my breasts and left a couple of inches on my sides bare. Finally, I turned in a circle as a beautiful dress hung from me. It was the nicest thing I had ever worn. So nice that I was afraid to move.

  Lana slowly opened her eyes. Then, with a wave of her hand, my hair went from ramrod straight to bouncy curls. She stood and left the room, and when she returned, she had a small mirror in her hands.

  “You don’t need makeup, but I’m going to add a little to make your eyes pop even more.”

  I watched in the mirror as my lids were painted a shimmery gold, and my lashes swooped up as they elongated and darkened.

  “Wow, Lana. You made me beautiful.”

  “You were already beautiful. I just dressed you up. I decided to have the dress wrap around your body and hug your hips before slightly flaring at calf-length in what the olden times called a mermaid fashion.” She pointed to the stack of books on the shelf in explanation as to how she knew that. “Usually, the Puppeteer brings me books and magazines when he comes to visit. I guess he was distracted this time.”

  I ran one hand down the dress. “Well, whatever it is called, it is beautiful.”

  She smiled. “Thank you.”

  I handed her the mirror back. “So, this is what you can do with your power from the House of Deception? Sew with your mind?”

  She laughed. “No, sweet girl. For short periods, I have control and can manipulate inanimate objects. That gift is from my mother. It was my father who gave me the gift of slowing down time.” She picked up a candle then rolled it at my feet. With a flick of her wrist, the candle turned into a black snake.

  “Whoa.” I jerked back from its slithering body.

  She giggled like a school girl. “It’s been a while since I’ve impressed anyone.” With another roll of her wrist, the snake disappeared, and all that was left in its place was the candle.

  “I want you to remember something. You are going into a very powerful place. Yes, it’s a minor house, but there is still major power within the walls. They can deceive you without blinking. Don’t forget that.”

  Before I could reply, Lana’s front door was opened, and the Puppeteer was there, sliding his icy gaze over every inch of me. I held completely still while he assessed me in a calculating way, deciding if I could be a tool, an opportunity, or a weapon for him to wield.

  To be so handsome yet so cold was such a shame.

  He nodded at Lana. “Good job.” He then set something down on her table.

  Her eyes widened before she snatched the old magazine up. “And here I thought you forgot about me.”

  A small smile graced his perfect face. “Never.” He cut his eyes to me. “Are you ready?”

  “I think so.”

  “Well, come on, then.”

  Before I could follow behind him, Lana intercepted me with a tight hug. “Don’t trust anyone there. And if you need me, come see me.”

  I left Lana’s house with a pit in my stomach. I was going to chalk it up to anxiety over the uncertainty of my future. Regardless of whatever the next few hours brought, at least I would have some answers to my heritage if, in fact, these were my people.

  After we were back on the road and I had fidgeted enough in my seat, I found my courage and my voice.

  “Before we get to the House of Deception, I have a few questions.”

  “Do you now?”

  Ignoring the sarcasm, I said, “I took that potion, you know.”

  “I do.”

  I looked down to my barren shoulders. “How?” Then I patted my face with a gasp.

  He chuckled. “Relax, you’re still you.”

  What in the world did that even mean?

  “I can see the mark before you can,” he said.

  “Why does the mark resemble strings?”

  He shifted gears. “Because people are my puppets. Isn’t that what you want to hear?”

  I looked over at him. Maybe my question was rhetorical. “What is the real reason you want me to go to the House of Deception tonight?”

  “Reconnecting you to your family can’t be my reason?” When I gave him the side eye, he smiled. “Fine, I’ll tell you, even though I don’t have to. I’m feeling giving this afternoon. If someone has bound your gifts, it’s because you are extremely powerful. You could even be serum-worthy.”

  I turned in my seat as much as the dress would allow. “If you think for one second that I will let you inject me with serum, then you are crazy. It’s not happening. You can kill me now.”

  The muscles in his jaw tightened. “I never said that I would inject you with the serum. However, since I’m trying to track down the serum, you would be the perfect bait. Exceptional power means that you would be strong, which means that you could possibly handle the serum.”

  “Only if my parents were a … what do y
ou call them? A perfect match?”

  “Since no one knows who your parents were, how can anyone dispute that they were not a perfect match?”

  “You’re using me as bait.”

  When he shrugged, I felt anger boiling inside of me.

  “What’s the real reason that you want this serum? Is it for yourself? Do you crave even more power, Puppeteer, or do you just want to make sure that no one can have so much power that they can best you?”

  “Do you feel better?” he asked. “If you’re done with your tantrum, I’ll answer your questions. The serum is not for me, because I do not think that my body can handle any more. I might like power, but keep in mind that I can’t use any of it if I’m dead. You are correct in the fact that I don’t want anyone to be able to best me. If anyone ever tells you that they want to be bested, they are a lunatic and a liar. But is that necessarily why I don’t want them to have the serum? No. I don’t want the serum to fall into the wrong hands.”

  “Oh, and I guess you are the right hands?”

  He didn’t reply. Instead, he punched the gas.

  I watched as the needle on the speedometer kept creeping up. When the car was going so fast that I felt like I was in a vacuum, I cried out as I held on to a handle and braced my other hand on the dashboard. He was going to kill us, but why? Because I had upset him?

  The car slowed a little before he jerked the wheel. I lost count of the number of times the vehicle turned in a circle before coming to a dead stop in the middle of the empty road. My breaths were coming out so fast I feared I was hyperventilating.

  The Puppeteer was nothing but calm serenity as he looked over at me with a smile. “Dear Thorn in my side, tell me; was that scary?”

  I couldn’t move as I sat there in shock.

  “Driving one-eighty down a road is reckless. It is dangerous. And if you don’t know what you are doing, someone will die. Having extreme power is very similar. You sat there in the passenger seat, unable to stop me, unable to save yourself.

  “I know what I’m capable of. I don’t know what they are capable of. Who they are willing to sacrifice or destroy for power. So yes, I would prefer if I wasn’t a passenger in life. I can’t let those who have power gain more. They could destroy us all.”