by A. J. Macey
“Can you blame her?” Xan bit out, gesturing toward the hallway and living room. “There are family pictures all around this place. Did you notice anything missing?”
The venom in his voice shocked me, so I stood up to go investigate, everyone but Xan following me. As I glanced around at the perfectly posed family, I realized there was definitely something missing.
There’s no way they were that cold... right?
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Kye ground out, taking a huge portrait off the wall and smashing it against the fireplace, shards of glass sprinkling around the stone. Pain clenched my chest for our girl. How fucking shitty did a person have to be to treat their own flesh and blood like a dirty little secret? She was stronger than any witch I knew, and not once had I thought of her as anything but amazing.
“How do they sleep at night?” Torryn wondered, the quiet and calm quality of his voice not matching the tension in his shoulders.
“Easily, apparently. That’s what happens when you have no fucking soul,” Drayce growled, surprising us all by grabbing another photo and following Kye’s lead, smashing the smiling family—minus one pink witch—against the stone mantle. Xan jumped, having just stepped in the room, but the moment he saw what we did, he grinned happily. If anything united us, it was our hatred for Aris’ family.
“I want to do something super ridiculous to fuck with them, completely petty but perfect. Like taking all of their left shoes and throwing them in the lake or taking all the curtains and doing the same. Something…” The mischievous side of me was coming out full force.
“I have this spell,” Torryn started, seemingly trying to talk himself out of it, but when he took one last glance at the picture wall, I saw his reluctance disappear. “So, there’s a spell I learned back in school. You spell the mirrors to reflect a fucked-up version of yourself. Here, I’ll just show you.” He walked over to the one mirror in the room and waved his hand in front, muttering under his breath. When he stepped back, laughing, I assumed it worked despite nothing changing.
“Let’s see this,” Drayce said, strutting up and facing the mirror. The moment he saw his reflection, he let out a high-pitched scream and fell on his ass. The laughter that boomed in the room from his reaction was loud and carefree, and despite joining in, I couldn’t help but appreciate the moment for what it was. Us, relaxed and carefree, even if the moment was fleeting.
“Okay, okay,” Kye said, stepping up in front of Drayce and peering in. “Oof. That’s wicked!”
“What is it?” Xan asked, exasperated at their lack of explanation.
“It’s subtle at first, but it fucks you up,” Drayce laughed. “I had buck teeth, my eyes were slightly lopsided, my hair unruly in parts, and it distorted me to look bigger than I am.”
“I have to see this,” I said, stepping up. My usual ocean eyes were dull and humorless, my expression sour, and as he said, my features subtly distorted to make me look weird and slightly creepy. “This is perfect. Get all the mirrors,” I said emphatically. Torryn grinned as he ran off to do just that.
“Keep the familiars out of here; we aren’t cleaning that up,” Xan said firmly, ushering us back to the table to finish our cold, mediocre dinner.
“Has anyone checked on Indigo or the vlog in a while?” Torryn asked as he sat back down, his face smug from his prank.
“I haven’t, but I can,” I said, digging out my Witches Glass. I pulled up the page I had saved, noticing a live broadcast happening now. I set it to holograph, so it projected above the glass, and everyone could see.
“It’s hexing outrageous!” Indigo thundered, her face red as she raged on. “They’re trying everything they can to shut me down, just because I speak the truth the council refuses to let you hear! They may have power, but we aren’t powerless! We have our ingenuity on our side. I work with some of the best technomages around. They won’t win!”
“Shit, the council isn’t playing around,” I mused, shaking my head in disgust.
“We should leak info to them,” Xan said firmly. He glared at us as if we’d argue, the liquid fire in his amber eyes, making him look dangerous. Xan might be quiet, but right now, he looked downright deadly.
“Already pulling it up,” Drayce said happily, turning down the broadcast’s volume and typing in a comment to send anonymously. Thanks to me not logging in, it just pulled him up as an anonymous user. “Don’t let them fool you. They’re throwing their own in prison and using blood magic to force others to comply. They caught and lost a certain pink-haired rebel.”
“Perfect,” Kye agreed. “Gives nothing away, really, but should be enough information to help us stand out just enough for Indigo to see it.” We all nodded, and Drayce hit enter, turning the broadcast back on. We watched as she paused and looked to the side, a bright smile on her face when she turned back around, doing a little happy dance.
“Guys! I just saw that a certain troop of runaways commented! The council doesn’t have Aris anymore. They also gave confirmation that the council is dirty. We all knew it, but hearing it from them makes this all more real. We’re fighting the good fight, my friends!” Seeing her so excited and knowing they weren’t giving up was enough for me. I shut the feed off before she could dissect our comment and speculate about everything.
“Do you think she’ll be an ally when the time comes?” Kye asked, his gaze shifting from one of us to the next.
“Yes. She has an insane following, and her technomages are clearly good if they’re staying under the radar. She could be an amazing ally. At some point, we should make full contact,” Drayce explained, and I had to agree. What she was doing was dangerous, yet she was still broadcasting, which meant they couldn’t locate her.
“I discovered a covered garden out the back door earlier so I’m going to let the familiars outside for some fresh air now that it’s dark. We should all turn in soon; I want to leave at first light,” Torryn said firmly, walking out with our familiars at his feet. They looked as exhausted as we felt, and I knew staying was the right choice for tonight.
“Well, Drayce and I are off to find a room and showers. Where’s Tor’s bag?” I asked, standing and rinsing out my bowl in the sink.
“He left it in the entryway,” Xan said but gestured to Tor. “However, I’d wager you’re the same sizes as Aris’ older brothers. I say we raid their rooms. If the downstairs is anything to go by, they probably have some clothes here. They didn’t seem to be careful with money.”
“Good plan,” I grinned, taking Drayce’s hand and leading him up the stairs. After the third door we opened, I turned to Drayce, anger bubbling up again. “How many sisters did she have?”
“Only one,” he answered, confused.
“So, not only is she not in their photos, look at these rooms,” I ground out, flinging another door open to reveal another guest room. “There are two distinct ‘guy’ rooms and one ‘girl’ room, plus the master. The rest of them are all plain. She was as much a ghost in their vacation home as she is in their family pictures.”
“I have an idea,” Drayce said, going to the narrow doorway that was clearly to an attic. Dust billowed out as he opened the door, both of us sneezing and wafting it away before starting up the steep steps.
“There she is,” I said, laughing as I looked around the space. There were the usual boxes you’d expect in the attic, but one corner was cleared out. A small bed and dresser were there, but the walls were covered in brightly colored lights and fabrics, Aris’ little flares of color putting her mark on the space.
“I hate them,” Drayce said with a shake of his head. “Let’s go steal their clothes and shower. I’m feeling so out of sorts, maybe some hot water and sleep will help.”
“I have another idea,” I promised, going back to the guys’ rooms and rummaging around until I had an outfit for each us, including sleep clothes. I’d even found a pack of unopened boxers, which was like winning the lottery when you were on the run.
Leading Drayce to
the master bedroom we’d found earlier, my heart pounded in my chest. I wasn’t usually the bold one in our relationship, but tonight, he needed a distraction, and after all we’d been through together, I was finally ready for taking another step.
“Oh, are we showering together?” Drayce teased. My cheeks heated at his husky tone, and at the same time, I felt empowered, knowing I turned him on. It would have been better with our Aris here, but we could include her, anyway. Taking a deep breath, I stalked up to Drayce, peeling his shirt off slowly, then placed a kiss on his chest, moved up over his throat, finally ending on his mouth. His lips were soft and warm under mine, but I could tell he was holding back, letting me take the lead.
Ripping my shirt off, I pulled my Witches Glass out and switched it onto camera mode.
“Smile for Aris.” I flipped the glass around and leaned into him. Just as I hit the button to take the picture, he moved to trail his tongue over my neck, my mouth falling open in a moan. I kept taking pictures as our mouths connected, our teasing glances and flushed skin giving her a full show. Drayce took the camera, holding it up high to get our abs in the picture this time, as well as our cocks straining against the front of our jeans. It was perfect, and the voyeur aspect of the situation had me hard as steel.
“Okay, enough,” I growled, taking the Witches Glass and tossing it onto the bed. Grabbing the belt loop on his jeans, I dragged him into the bathroom, letting go long enough to turn on the water. By the time I turned around, he was naked and standing in the shower. My mouth went dry as my eyes dropped lower, taking in every inch of him. My cock pushed against my zipper even harder as a bead of precum formed on the tip of his. The urge to lick it off hit me hard, surprising me. I knew I was attracted to him already, but seeing him like this, his eyes trained on me, showed me how deep that attraction went.
“You sure?” he asked, his eyes holding concern. In answer, I unbuttoned and dropped my pants, meeting his eyes with a practiced confidence.
“Positive,” I promised, stepping under the spray. Grabbing a bottle of shower gel, I poured it into my hands, using it as an excuse to explore the toned expanse of his body. He groaned as I trailed my hands over his chest, avoiding his leaking cock as I moved down his legs. Moving around him, I continued my torture, his panting breaths and groans turning me on even more. His eyes held promise when I circled him again, my laughter muffled as he crashed his lips against mine, nipping and teasing as his hand slid to my cock, stroking me slowly as he dominated my mouth. It was nice letting him take control and just letting myself feel.
Not wanting him to take the lead completely away from me, I dropped to my knees, his soft gasp making me grin up at him. Not letting myself second guess the action, I wrapped my fingers around the base of his cock and slid my lips around the tip. Going slowly, I slid him further into my mouth, his hands slipping into my shaggy hair and tightening. He didn’t take over, but from the tension in his ass as my hands rested there, I could tell he was holding back.
Wanting to make it good for him, despite my obvious lack of skill, I tried to recreate all the things I loved that Aris did. I bobbed my head as I slid him in and out of my mouth, stopping at the tip, only to push back down. With each thrust, I teased him with my tongue, the sounds that spilled from his pouty lips, making me more confident. Unable to stop myself, I slid my hand around my own cock, stroking myself in time with each bob of my head.
The moment I felt his fingers pull my hair tighter as he tried to pull away, I picked up the pace on both of us, my orgasm tingling over my spine and coiling in my belly, ready to explode any second. As he thrust in further, I gagged around him but held his ass firmly, not letting him pull back as he spilled down my throat with a low, satisfying groan. I swallowed him down before pulling back, my own release following as I let out a shaky breath and rested my head against his thigh. The fingers that were once fisted in my hair stroked my head as I caught my breath before pulling me to my feet.
“That was amazing, Caspian. Thanks for sharing that with me,” he whispered, placing his lips against mine. The kiss was slow and sweet but still left warmth in my chest. When he pulled away, we cleaned up and moved to the bed. Snuggling in his arms felt right, and I felt the calm of the night keep going. I still missed Aris, but at least we could miss her together for tonight, knowing she was safe, and we’d see her soon.
Don’t worry, Cupcake, we’ll be together again tomorrow.
December 2nd
Monday Late Afternoon
Aris
If he makes one more comment… The day had been long, trying to walk through the winter weather, including flurries, and dealing with random comments or mumbling from Xan’s dad. We were tired, in pain, and wanted nothing more than to finally get there, but I was not the appropriate outlet for his frustration. If he continued, I wasn’t sure I would be able to hold back the snappy responses dancing on the tip of my tongue. Or even want to.
Thankfully, everyone was free from handcuffs, that being the one positive of our trip. Bernadette and Seamus had a friend who was a runesmith, specifically one who worked with security devices. Though he tended to work with door locks and fences for farmers and gardeners, it worked out in the end. Walking over the border from the center of Akasha to Ignis territory was an adjustment and being sweaty with metal rubbing against wrists… not a fun time.
The Volcanic Forest was a part of Ignis I’d never seen… and I’d lived here my entire life until Aether.
I guess when you live as a dirty little secret, you miss a few things.
The ground was cracked and dry, with small weeds trying to sprout out of the parched soil, but they were already withering. The air held an acrid quality, even before we entered the thick of the trees, far different from the forests I’d traveled through with the guys.
The closer we got to the forest, the more I was able to see how this place got its name. The trees looked like they were made of compacted ash, even the leafless branches were coated in charred black. The trunks looked volatile with angry red lines etched into the surface like pulsating veins.
Worst of all was the heat, the sun beating down on us until I felt like I was going to melt. When it became unbearable, I called water to my hands and ran them lightly over my skin, giving myself temporary relief and taking some of the dusty grime with it.
“How far?” I asked, bringing my hand up to block the sun from my gaze and glancing over Gabriel’s shoulder at the map he had pulled up. Reading over it quickly, I announced the distance. “Perfect, about a quarter of a mile, and we’ll be there.”
“Thank the Gods and Goddesses,” Lyra huffed breathlessly. “I didn’t realize how out of shape I was. I have no idea how the six of you were able to do this with packs and familiars.” At the mention of Mr. Stripes and the others, my chest squeezed painfully. I knew it would just make me sad and worried to think about the others, about where they were or what they were doing, and until her reminder, I’d been doing pretty well. Shaking myself mentally, I pushed the feelings away.
I can work on a plan to find them once we get settled.
“When it’s about survival…” I trailed off with a shrug, struggling to come up with what to say. “You do what you have to.”
“Very true, Aris, though I’m pretty impressed Xanthius was able to keep up. He’s never been an outdoorsy boy,” Josephina added with an amused smile. Little by little, the prim and proper exterior she had when we met was falling away, and it was nice to see such a warm expression on her face. Now, she wasn’t the wife of a councilman, she was just Josephina, Xan’s mom. I liked this version a whole lot more.
“I’m not surprised.” I laughed. “Xan much would rather be with his canvas and paints than outside… well, unless he was painting outside.”
“He still paints?” she asked quietly, her brows drawing down. “I hadn’t heard him talk about it in recent years. I thought he had given it up.”
My lips curled down slightly. What kind of parent doesn’t kn
ow what their own kid loves to do? Other than mine, obviously.
“I’m sure they’re even more amazing than before. I hope to see all of them someday.”
“He would love to show you,” I murmured with a reassuring smile, the disappointment I had with her original statement disappearing with her soft words.
It’s never too late to try to reconnect. Xan would probably love it if his mom showed some interest in him beyond how he represented them in public.
Breaking through the line of burnished ash trees, we finally reached the edge of the property for the museum. It was large, almost like a castle in the middle of the dry, cracked ground. Two turrets flanked the wide steps leading to a double wooden door. Black and gray stones stretched impossibly high, and the museum seemed to rise several stories in the air. It looked so out of place, even covered in a thick layer of dirt and ash. The windows were made of stained glass that depicted different runes and symbols, likely protecting the building from the harsh environment. It was oddly beautiful in a gothic way, a stark contrast to the surrounding area.
“What about you, Aris? What do you love to do?” Josephina redirected the conversation after a long moment of all of us taking in the abandoned museum.
“Uh, I love things from Aureus. I find them fun and quirky, so seeing the world firsthand was amazing. We went shopping, even went to a museum so I could show Xan some famous artists,” I rattled off, but my scowl returned when Edmund huffed under his breath.
“Why would you care about things from the human world when there’s magic and great things here in Akasha?” he bit out.
“Probably because I didn’t get to enjoy much of Akasha since I was always swept under the rug or hidden away like the Calistos’ dirty little secret.”
“Councilman Calisto is an honorable man. He’s always done well by Ignis,” he countered.