“No, I see no reason to do any such thing. You’ve not given any compelling evidence to warrant it.” I hoped only I noticed the slight quivering in my voice.
“That’s outrageous,” the woman who had made the suggestion exclaimed.
“You do not speak to this Council that way,” said a man who sat on the farthest throne.
The other Councilors made similar statements. This group was clearly used to getting its way.
Calista raised her hand, and the room silenced. “What is it that you want, Kat? What is your ideal situation?”
Her question took me aback. What did I want? I didn’t even know other than that I wanted to be alive and left in peace. Living on Earth with my talisman seemed foolhardy. But did I belong in Elustria? “What I need is time to figure that out for myself, time to learn who my mother was, who I am, and to discover more of Elustria.”
“That is a reasonable answer,” Calista said. “However, I hope you can appreciate the precarious situation the Council is in. We do not know you, Kat Thomas. You are an outsider here. We don’t know your intentions. The story of your adoption may be a fabrication. Meglana could have raised you this entire time, indoctrinated you into her twisted beliefs about magic and power. We will need time to discuss this and come to our own conclusion.
“In the meantime, I’m afraid we must confine you to your quarters. You’re a guest here, and we will make you as comfortable as possible, but we cannot allow you to roam freely when you may pose a threat to our people.”
“I don’t pose a threat to anyone.”
“Even if your intentions are pure, we are still unsure about the talisman you wear. It has attacked those who have come near it. Marcus reported its power to us. If you cannot control it, that presents its own risks. I can promise you that this Council will work swiftly to come to a resolution, but until then, you must remain in your quarters. The shifter is free to go.”
“No, I’m staying with her.” Alex took a step in front of me.
“You think it your place to make such demands?” A man sitting next to Thaddeus fixed a baleful stare on Alex.
“I have always believed this Council to be a fair and just body. From the time I delivered the talisman to Kat, I told her that the smart thing would be to come here and surrender it to you. My interest is in protecting Kat, and I will remain with her until this matter is resolved, but if I were you, I would stop insulting me seeing as I’m your only ally in all of this.”
Calista looked to the man who had spoken to see if this satisfied him. His face softened some, and Calista turned back to us. “You are welcome to stay with her. However, if you remain, you will have to be confined to quarters as well.”
“That won’t be a problem as long as Millhook remains with us. He is our only assurance of safety.”
“Naturally.” Calista nodded to Alex. Her entire demeanor was both welcoming and intimidating. It was an interesting combination that I wouldn’t have thought possible.
Millhook crossed his arms over his chest. “You know, Millhook might have something to say about this. What a novel idea: ask the fae what he wants before just ordering him around. Last time I checked, I’m a free fae here, and I can come and go as I please. No one asked me if I wanted to stay with this Furball and the halfling.”
“Millhook, don’t be rude. You are being paid, and that’s all you care about. Now be a good fae and try to be agreeable.” Calista shifted her gaze to me. “We’ll summon you when we have come to a decision. We’ll strive to decide quickly but will ultimately do what is in the best interest of our people, no matter how long it takes. Lilibet will teleport you back to your quarters.” Calista gestured behind us.
“Right this way.” A plain-looking woman I hadn’t noticed before stood from a chair near the entrance. She stepped to the teleportation ring next to the door, and our little party followed. “Just close your eyes, and I’ll take us to your corridor,” Lilibet said.
I decided not to reveal that I knew how to use the ring myself. Knowledge is power, and I needed to keep mine to myself for the time being. I closed my eyes and felt the familiar squeezing sensation, realizing too late that she could be taking us anywhere.
Chapter 4
When I opened my eyes, I recognized the hallway outside my room. The abstract painting that hung on the wall opposite the ring gave it away. Despite the picture’s fanciful composition, it still appeared so real that I thought I might be able to step right into it.
“If you need anything,” Lilibet said as she led us to our room, “you can use your communication orb to get in touch with me. The Citadel has a marvelous library if you want me to fetch some books for you.”
Everything about her was soft, from her voice to the light coloring of her pale blonde hair and pink eyes to her plain, pastel green, floor-length dress with matching flat shoes. Her hands remained clasped in front of her, and I assumed she must be a servant. Regardless, it was difficult for me to engender feelings of goodwill toward her. Unfair as it was, in my mind, she was complicit with the Council.
“Dress it up all you like, but I’m still being held here against my will. I’ve done nothing wrong, and there’s no reason for you to confine me here.” My tone sounded rough following her soft voice.
“I’m sorry for the way you’re being treated. The Council is cautious, sometimes overly so. I’ll do whatever I can to make your stay as comfortable as possible. I think they’ll come to a decision quickly. No one wants to see a young woman confined. It’s not our way to be so punitive.”
Damn her. She really had the whole “kill them with kindness” thing down pat. Guilt at speaking so harshly to her consumed me. “I’m sorry. I’m a little cranky is all.”
“I understand. There’s no need to apologize. Please, let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“Come to think of it, some books would be nice.” I needed a distraction.
We stopped at the door to the room I shared with Alex and Millhook. “I’ll go pick some out now for you and send them through the teleportation ring to your room. I’ll also make sure some food is sent up. Any requests?”
I knew without asking that I could have nearly anything, and this thought excited me. “I’d like to try whatever is a specialty here, the food you’re known for. Surprise me.”
“I have just the thing in mind.” A gentle smile graced Lilibet’s lips. She opened the door and stood by while we entered. When she shut it behind us, the handle glowed red as it locked.
Excitement over the impending food and books almost overshadowed my irritation with the Council. Almost.
Millhook and Alex each took a chair at the table, and I lounged on the bed.
“So this is the part where we tell each other our life stories, braid our hair, and become bosom buddies?” Millhook said as he eyed us both with disdain.
Alex ignored Millhook and focused on me. “You should take the truth potion.”
“But won’t that mean telling the truth about everything?”
“Yes. So? You have nothing to hide.”
“But I’m not a snitch. My mother enchanted Wizards and Fae for Casper. I’m supposed to tell them that?”
Alex’s brow furrowed. “Did you hear what they said? Your mother was doing some bad things.”
“And I’m supposed to believe them? It’s clear you do. This is my mother we’re talking about. You’re saying you think that someone evil gave birth to me? You think it’s so easy to believe that my mother was a bad person?”
Alex shook his head. “I’m not saying this has anything to do with you.”
“It has everything to do with me!” I sat up to face him head on.
“No, it doesn’t. You said so yourself: Meglana is not your mom. Your mom and dad are who raised you. They’re the ones who made you the person you are today, not Meglana.”
“You know this means your dad was in on it too, right? He protected my mother.”
“Yeah, well, that doesn’t make
it any harder for me to believe. My father was easily seduced. I loved the man, and I protected him as my sire, but we weren’t close. Your mother’s work excited him. After hearing the Council speak, I can understand why. My father didn’t like the way shifters are treated. You’ve heard the way Millhook talks about our kind.”
“Hey, don’t bring me into this,” Millhook said. “You’re the one who’s been all shifty with me. I just call it like I see it. I got no problem with shifters in general. Know some great shifters myself. A good friend of mine’s a shifter. I’m saying you and that trick you pulled on me back on Earth, that’s shifty.”
Before we could continue this “discussion,” food and a few books appeared in the middle of the table, and a truce was declared in the interest of eating. Or rather, the excitement at seeing such foreign cuisine forced my mind to abandon any reasonable argument to mount against Alex.
Given how the meeting with the Council had gone, I had little hope that this would end well for me. They were right: they didn’t have any reason to believe me. While their accusations against me sounded outlandish, given the world they lived in and what I had seen of it, it didn’t seem such a stretch. Betrayal, murder, subterfuge: these had all become part of my life since I learned of my birth mother.
The food tasted amazing. The meat had a flavor unlike anything found on Earth. Some interesting orange substance, somewhere between gelatin and pudding, had a surprisingly savory taste. A salad made of yellow mushrooms and a leafy, blue vegetable with little bean sprouts on it had a hint of sweetness. As worried as I was about the future, my senses danced with the new flavors and textures.
There was so much more to discover outside of the Citadel. An entire world waited there, one that I wanted to explore. Not to mention that I had yet to plumb the depths of my magic. None of that would happen if I didn’t prove myself to the Council. If I didn’t trust them with the truth, they would never trust me with my freedom. That was all there was to it.
“All right, I’ll do it.” I hoped whatever I said under questioning wouldn’t come back to bite me. I didn’t want to insult the memory of my mother, but she had also thrown me into this crazy situation. After the way Casper had treated me, I didn’t care what the Council learned about him. In fact, I could use protection from Casper, and the Council might help out with that.
“You’ll take the truth potion?” Alex asked.
“Yes. Is it going to put me out of it? Will I remember what I say?”
“I have no idea. I’ve never seen it used before, but Millhook and I will be there.”
“Sure, sure, Millhook will be there. I have nothing else to do. No life of my own, no home to get back to, no friends or family. I’ll be happy to sit around listening to you all blab all day.”
The thought of Millhook hearing everything I would say made me uncomfortable, but he was our assurance of safety. I would have to be all right with the trade-off. My first instinct was to have Millhook call Lilibet to conceal that I knew how to use a communication orb, but the Council would know soon enough, so I picked up the little marble and spoke her name.
“Was the food to your liking?” Lilibet asked when her face filled the orb.
“Yes, it was great, but I’m actually calling for something else. I was hoping you could get a message to the Council that I’m willing to take the truth potion.”
Lilibet’s eyebrows raised slightly, and a little sparkle of pleasure lifted her lips. “I’ll tell them straight away.”
Her face disappeared, and a sense of impending doom descended on me. It was done. I couldn’t take it back now, not without appearing as if I had something to hide.
“Do you want to talk about anything?” Alex asked.
“No, I’ll just read until they send for me.” Talking about the situation would only increase my nerves. What I wanted more than anything was to lose myself in a book. It would also feel good to continue practicing my magic.
I went to the bed and levitated the stack of books off of the table. To my disappointment, they all appeared to be fiction. Of course, it wouldn’t make sense for them to give anything instructional or nonfiction to someone they didn’t trust. I wondered if Lilibet had chosen these titles because of their innocuous nature or if she thought they would be something I’d enjoy. It didn’t matter. Even fiction would cast some light on this unknown culture.
“So, Furball, what are we going to do?” Millhook asked Alex.
Alex’s jaw tightened for a split-second before he stood and shifted into his panther form, releasing a roar so loud that Millhook paled. He then resumed his human form and took his seat. “Don’t call me Furball.”
I giggled behind the pages of my book, wondering if I would get a chance to read at all.
Chapter 5
I had no concept of time. In the windowless room, no clocks ticked by the seconds. It didn’t look like an interrogation room, more like a small sitting room, comfortably furnished with thick carpet made from either dark blue fur or a pelt dyed dark blue. The walls, like most of the Citadel, were decorated with paintings and tapestries. The mages of Elustria really had a thing for surrounding themselves with beautiful art. I sat in an upholstered chair across from Calista, and Alex and Millhook sat in a corner out of the way.
“Your parents died in an accident?”
“Yes.” This was the second time Calista had circled around to the subject of my parents.
“To be clear, was the accident caused by Meglana?”
“No, I’ve told you they died in a plane crash along with over a hundred other people.”
“How can you be sure that Meglana wasn’t responsible?”
My mind wandered back to the day of the crash. I’d heard about it on the news as I left a coffee shop without even realizing it. It would take a couple of hours for the news to reach me that the crash was my parents’ flight. It hadn’t seemed real. Parents died of cancer or in car crashes or, if you were lucky, of old age. Nothing prepares a person to hear that their loved ones were a statistic, a sensational news story.
“Kat?” Calista’s question pulled me from my thoughts. I searched my mind for the question I should be answering.
“Uh, they died in a plane crash. That’s all I know. There was a malfunction. The pilot was exhausted. He shouldn’t have been flying that plane.” I’d gone through the sequence of events hundreds of times. Half a dozen things went wrong, none were fatal on their own, but together, in just that sequence, they had led to one of the deadliest plane crashes in recent history. If any of those things had been different, if the pilot had been a little more alert, if the man he was filling in for hadn’t gotten sick at the last minute, if the air traffic controller hadn’t been overwhelmed because of weather delays, if, if, if…
“Did your parents ever indicate that they knew who your real mother was?”
“My mom was my real mom. We were happy. If Meglana had shown up on my doorstep, I wouldn’t have even talked to her. I was happy. My parents were happy. Everything was fine.” My volume rose with each sentence until my emotions choked my voice.
“Stop.” Alex came to my side, kneeling next to my chair as he rubbed my arm. “There’s no need to keep going over this. She’s told you everything you need to know. Stop bringing up her grief for your own amusement.”
Even Millhook piped up. “Yeah, Calista, you’re just being cruel now.”
“It is not my intention to be cruel, but I understand your concern,” Calista said.
“I’ll be fine. Really.” I patted Alex’s hand where it rested on my arm. “And you know I’m telling the truth because I can’t lie.” I gave him a smile that he didn’t match, but he retook his seat in the corner.
“And it was after this time that you immersed yourself in Casper’s game?”
“Yes. After they died, I played Wizards and Fae a lot more.”
“And how much did you play?”
“A lot. I skipped class to play. Sometimes days would go by without me notic
ing.”
“Was there some magic that compelled you to continue playing?”
“No, it was just my way of coping with my parents’ death.” My lack of self-control put me to shame, and I didn’t appreciate Alex hearing it. But I had done the best I could. Sure there were people who had it worse than I did, but I never expected to lose both my parents at such a young age.
“Moving on, if we allowed you to stay in Elustria and set up residence, would you swear allegiance to the Council?” Calista asked.
“I don’t know.” This was how I knew the potion was working. I wanted to answer in the affirmative, because that was clearly the smart choice, but it wasn’t the truth. “I would need time to learn more about the Council. What are your aims? How are you governed? What do you advocate for? I thought Casper had been a good guy and look how that turned out. I’m clearly not a good judge of character.”
“What about the panther shifter?”
“You mean Alex.” It bothered me how no one addressed him by his name here. “He proves my point. I thought he was a creep when I first met him, and he’s proved to be the only person I can trust. He’s had only positive things to say about the Magesterial Council, so that’s a good start. It’s not that I don’t want to swear allegiance; it’s that I want it to mean something. If it turns out the Council is a just body as Alex has led me to believe, I should have no problem pledging myself to it.”
Calista didn’t indicate whether she liked my answer or not. It didn’t really matter; it wouldn’t change anything. Nothing but the absolute truth came from my lips thanks to the potion. Not for the first time, I worried how long it would last. This interrogation had already gone on for hours, or so it seemed.
Any concerns I had about Millhook listening to the interrogation were unfounded. Throughout the entire thing he appeared bored, only perking up when I recounted how I had killed Marcus. I have to admit, I kind of liked him having a little edge of fear around me. The unpredictable mage who could kill if provoked was a badass reputation to have.
Magic Unknown (The Elustria Chronicles: Magic Born Book 2) Page 3