Compounding Traumas (Artemis University Book 6)

by Erin R Flynn

  The rest of the week was chill besides McGrath trying his next attempt to get in with me. It was lame, asking about my interest in cooking as he’d heard I made wonderful curry. He loved spending time in the kitchen as it was just like potions and blah, blah, blah. It was all lies. I heard in his thoughts that he could barely use his rice cooker, which was idiot proof.

  Which made it really hard not to laugh as he lied his ass off.

  And even better when he hinted he wanted to see the expansive chef’s kitchen I must have. I shrugged and told him it was basically Irma’s now. so I left everything to her. Then, I focused back on my assignment, completely brushing him off and shutting down his well-thought-out ploy.

  Larson knew something had happened to me, but from the smirk on his face, he’d figured out what it was and I was up to. Reports were all over on Saturday that the one kidnapping hobgoblins had been killed trespassing and breaking into an estate.

  That was hysterical since all the hobgoblins were accounted for and had asked for sanctuary. Even funnier?

  When more went missing on Sunday. I wasn’t the only one who was dying when the first reports the news had gotten it wrong, and that asshole had to admit his hobgoblins were gone as well. That, and he hadn’t really killed me, no body found.

  What wasn’t funny was the press conference that came on during dinner Friday night. We all flinched and went quiet when someone put up magical screens all over the cafeteria, getting something big was going on.

  Dread filled me when Katrina Calloway came into view since we weren’t only tied together in business, but I genuinely cared about the witch and thought her my friend.

  “Effective immediately, I am dissolving my partnership with the hobgoblin co-op and all their businesses,” she announced to the supe media cameras. “My esteemed council brought me before them today and ordered me to use my relationship with them to figure out who is ‘stealing’ the hobgoblins from their owners, and to spy on Tamsin Vale.

  “It was the first time in my long life I was ashamed to be a witch. I told them no, that it broke our laws, and I had to deny their request and ask them to take the time to reevaluate what they were asking me to do. I practically begged them to pray to the gods on their path and seek guidance as they have lost their way if they ask this of me. The response I received was disgusting. I am disgusted with our council.”

  Several people in the cafeteria gasped, others looked as if their eyes might bug out, as Katrina was always careful to keep neutral as often as she could.

  “I was informed that the allowances I had as a witch had clearly made me irrational, and it was time for me to be mated to a warlock who could manage my affairs as they should be. One who would be loyal to them and clearly lick their boots and had no morals. It was also made clear to me that the fact I have breasts means my intelligence is lower than men somehow.

  “I’d like to see the science on that, but given how far I’ve come in business when other men have failed, I think I personally disprove those theories. But our councilmen have actually put it on their calendar to start working on my mating interviews as I have too much power as a woman to them. That is the world we live in. That is acceptable behavior to them.

  “They see any woman with a brain, means of her own, and a voice as a threat, and would go against our most solemn law of forcing a mating—which is a death sentence by the gods—to keep control of us. They used a rune to silence me when I tried to argue this. They tried to force me to speak on my clients and what I know already, but I have never, not ever, betrayed a client.

  “I have turned in Underground and criminals, as our society is one of order and good people who deserve to be protected. I will never betray my clients for greed, corruption, or power.” She held up her arm and pulled up her sleeve to show she had a magical memory tattoo. “And I never will. All Calloways have these tattoos.

  “The councils know this and tried to break mine today. For one woman they want to own and take everything she has, all her power. That is our council and their vast corruption. So for all of you who blame Tamsin Vale for all she’s done to our world and the problems she’s caused, hear me and listen well. She did not do this. They did. They did this to me because they want power.

  “They want her power. Today, they came for mine and are trying to take it by forcing me to mate. Tomorrow, they will come for yours if we allow this. I will not, so I’m cutting ties. I would rather burn my branch of Veritas Portas to the ground than allow some council lacky to force me to mate, and puppet me. I would give all my contractors over to the stores my family owns.

  “It is insanity to think by slapping a silence rune on me and plotting who best to mate me off to, that it was as good as done and I was handled. Order me to keep quiet all you want, but I will not stay silent on the council breaking our laws. Not ever.

  “And personally, I thank Tamsin Vale for pulling back the curtain and showing us how much corruption is in our world. It is to a level that I didn’t even realize, and I have my finger on the pulse; I have to in my business. We have all become too lax and accepting of this behavior. Instead of dismissing her that she is used to human ways and not one of us, we should have listened to her.

  “I wish I had sooner. Maybe I would have been more prepared for my own leaders to treat me like a pawn, a possession, they believe they can do with as they please because I am a witch, instead of warlock they might value. I have never been more mortified than after the way my own elders spoke down to me, and of me, today in my presence, and I have lived long enough to endure a lot.

  “There is one glimmer of hope and warning I wish to leave everyone with, that I have learned working closely with the hobgoblin co-op. The fairies are not gone forever. They believe that. They say there are signs all around, and this is why they do not fight their lot. They know the truth that most have lost faith in or hope for, so no one will restore honor to our world.

  “I would also remind people that there are lots of us who would fight to free hobgoblins from those would keep them in captivity. I saw the reports of them living in cells and cages like animals. I’ve heard it from their own mouths. Monsters who would do such things to fair folk, and when the fairies come back, those monsters will be the first they seek justice upon.

  “So maybe it’s time we stop blaming everything in our world on Tamsin Vale and start owning our part of it and taking the blinders off as to how much is truly wrong. I sincerely hope others do, as today shook me to my core as to how far over the line my own council would go for power, and to own one woman they see as fair game, no matter her species.

  “For now, my manger will be running my branch of Veritas Portas and knows how to contact me. I will be staying in Paris as a guest of the dragon royals, the Courtenays, who have long been clients of mine and my cousin’s, who owns the local branch there. I thank all my loyal customers and know—as always—I will keep confidentiality, and my honor, sacred, no matter the cost.”

  My heart ached as she thanked everyone and turned away from the cameras. Her life was totally blown up because of me and my fight, my need to stay hidden as the last fairy.

  At least the Courtenays are giving her protection. The council would have to be suicidal to go after her.

  Still, I was out of my seat and heading for a side door with my phone in my hand the moment I saw that the news clip we had just seen wasn’t live, but from an hour ago. So someone had gotten word, and it was airing during the normal dinner news broadcast.

  “Are you okay?” I asked her when she answered, a barrier already up to keep anyone from listening in. “What can I do?”

  “Nothing,” she sighed.

  “Katrina, this—”

  “My fight, darling,” she chuckled. “They were going to mate me off and take everything of mine. This was clearly already their plan and you were the lead-in they needed. I didn’t see this coming and I should have. I’m probably one of the most powerful and wealthiest unmated witches of a certain age, a
nd that worries them. They’re also making a move against my family, who isn’t elite, but powerful.”

  “I still should—”

  “You will do nothing.”

  I closed my eyes, sighing. “It’s a trap. You’re a witch and under their jurisdiction. I get involved, and they have actual legal grounds to do something real with me.”

  “Yes, as I just knowingly broke a council mandate by discussing a closed proceeding and ruling, even if it was all against our laws and about my forced mating, as I would never have agreed. They would never have considered a woman telling them no, but well, it’s still a forced mating. I will accept the consequences.”

  Dread filled me. “What consequences, Katrina? You’re with the Courtenays, right? They’re protecting you?”

  She sighed. “For as knowledgeable and street-smart as you are, you’ve never had much to lose. Yes, I’m with them, and the store is protected under a charter of my family. They can’t make a move against the business unless the business is directly involved, plus there’s not much stock there, which is why we structure our stores as we do.”

  “I don’t understand. What can they do?”

  “My house has probably already been raided by council guards for any information about you,” she admitted after a moment. “My vacation homes I have to register, I would assume as well. They will destroy or take what they want as evidence.”

  “No,” I whispered in horror. “No, we can’t let them—”

  “It’s done, darling. I knew that.”

  “I’m so, so sorry.”

  She was quiet a moment. “It’s my penance, Tamsin. I should have done more earlier. I was neutral too long, and I’ve said as much to my family. We’ve all gotten a wakeup call with this that the council is coming for our power, and we needed to take a stand with what we had instead of always riding the waves and making money off a broken system. I more than deserve this.

  “And they are just things. The important items and my files, they will never find. You know I’m too smart for that. None of this is on you, dear. This is the world you walked into, and I’m sorry those of us who are older and had more power didn’t do better, do more, so you weren’t walking into a world so dangerous for you. Take this distraction as my penance to help you buy time, but work fast, as time is short.”

  “What do you mean?” I muttered, dread filling me again.

  “They’re not men who are used to losing, and you’ve been evading them almost a year now. They first wanted you, truly tried for you, at the end of your first semester. That is a long time for you to dodge such powerful men. I would guess you have until about the end of the semester before you have a true battle and war on your hands. Get ready, because they are coming. I’m taking myself out of the way; others should as well.”

  I nodded, knowing what she meant. She wasn’t chicken and running. She wasn’t trained for this fight and would be used against me, not helpful in the direct fight. It was smart. She could do more from where she was, protected in Paris, instead of vulnerable in New York, and having another front for me to focus on.

  Which meant it was truly time to get others out of the line of fire.

  Fuck.

  I went back inside, shaking my head when the others tried to ask me what was going on, and hurried to finish dinner. The moment I was done, I headed out to talk with Dean White, knowing we needed a strategy session at a minimum. At most, we needed to hit the brakes and send up flares for security level red, or however that analogy worked.

  Instead, I found her at her office completely sauced.

  I couldn’t even hide my shock at her with a bottle of dark liquor on her desk, large drink in hand, her suit jacket tossed over a chair, and only wearing her sleeveless shell. That was fine, and women wore them all the time… Except prim and perfect Dean White.

  Hell, I barely saw her arms over the summer at my pool, and only some of her legs in proper shorts. It was simply her style and comfort.

  So this was a serious change.

  I closed the door behind me and threw up a barrier. “Anya?” I hadn’t ever used her first name before, but if there was ever a time, it was right then.

  She sniffled loudly and wiped her eyes before looking at me. “Calloway wasn’t the only one they went after. Except they made a move months ago and I didn’t know.”

  “Are you okay?” I whispered, more concerned for her in the moment than my secret getting out.

  “Men are pigs, dogs, and I hate them all.”

  I snorted. I had a quippy answer to that, even if I currently liked two very much, but then I froze, releasing something that broke my heart. “They got to your lover.”

  “Yes, yes they did, and he was all too willing to sell me out for a better position in life and a close tie to the council.” She let out a bitter chuckle. “Gods, am I glad I never mated that asshole. I’m blessed I was smart enough never to tell him my father is a fairy.”

  “But?” Because I sensed a very big but coming.

  “They know I’m more powerful than I let on. Much more. I’m on their radar now, and maybe it was because I stood up to them when you saved the Diazes—I don’t know. I don’t know much right now except my lover of five years sold me out to my council and has been trying to invade my mind in my sleep. I was so confident, so annoyed with that damn wolf, but he was right. He was so very right—”

  “Wait, who?” I cut in.

  She let out a huff and took a long drink. “Zack. That damn Alpha badgered me into getting a tattoo like the rest of them. It’s on my leg. He didn’t want to tell you how we all were getting them, but he was right, and I could have been the reason you were—I cannot even imagine. There is so much evil on our council I couldn’t see, and I have not been blind to it.”

  “I know.” I shook my head when she gave me an annoyed look as if I was placating her. “You are not Campbell who keeps her head in the sand and only sees her experiences. You pay attention. I’m saying I know, because the monsters wear masks, Anya. Some of the biggest monsters stand right before us as anything but what they shout they are. It’s all over history, so this isn’t your fault.”

  “It could have been.”

  “But it wasn’t. You did listen, and even I think Zack is too paranoid, and I’m seriously paranoid. So buy the wolf shifter a damn steak, and let’s be glad we sidestepped another landmine. I am sorry this blew up your life and—”

  She slammed her glass onto the desk and for the first time, I saw Dean Anya White truly and seriously pissed off. “Stop fucking apologizing! I’m so tired of it. None of this is your fault. I asked to help. I damn well demanded it. I knew the risks. I knew—this is my world and fight too. It’s my fucking council! It is not on you.”

  I sighed as I took a seat across from her desk. I didn’t reply a few moments, but then nodded. “I know. I do. It’s hard when I get so much blame that I shouldn’t, but mostly I’m not apologizing as if my fault. I’m saying I’m sorry you’re a nice person and this has happened to you. You don’t deserve this and have my…” I couldn’t think of the right word. Sympathy and empathy didn’t seem right.

  “I appreciate the support,” she accepted. “And the lack of judgment that I used an interrogation rune on my lover, but I’ve been feeling off, as if magic has been used on me. Given my level and abilities, I’m sensitive to that, so I’m surprised it took months for me to notice. Apparently, it’s because someone from the council gave him a magical item to aid him.”

  “Jesus Fucking Christ. How many laws are they going to break?” I couldn’t even hide my shock, and once again cursed I wasn’t old enough to drink.

  “All of them, it seems,” she drawled.

  I winced. “Didn’t you break one doing that?”

  She smirked at me. “Have more faith in me than that. He won’t remember it. At. All.”

  “Nice.”

  She bobbed her head and finished her drink, smoothing back her hair. “They are not going to be happy that Cal
loway and I are sidestepping their moves. We need to get the others out of the line of fire.”

  “I was thinking the same,” I sighed. “Izzy, Natalie—all of them. Even I never thought they’d go this nuclear. Forced matings? That’s like your guys’ most sacred law.”

  “Indeed. And from what Calloway says, it was flippant and a given, so it was not a first time, but default on how to handle witches with power. She was truly sickened to see a dirty underbelly she hadn’t realize existed. Pressure and pushing from families? Sure, we all know that. But a council setting it up and ordering it all as if we’re theirs and they own us? That’s so far over the line of corruption, she’s sickened.”

  “Yeah, I talked to her,” I muttered when she started to ramp back up, the booze setting her up for Mel-level tirades probably.

  Or I heard most adults were like that.

  “I already spoke with the Diazes, and they will help the Higgenses,” she told me after a moment. “They will be working jobs for them in the foreseeable future and helping on Cherrywood renovations down there.”

  That had me raising an eyebrow. Her council was global, so being in South America wouldn’t help them, like Calloway staying in the dragon royals’ castle.

  She smiled behind her glass. “My council pissed off several shifter groups in South America a few years ago, and they hold grudges. It was made very clear, very loudly that the next time they or council guards step foot in South America, that it had better not involve any other supe groups, or they will get eaten.”

  There it was! “And the dragons own Cherrywood with me and we employ lots of supes, even more now that they’re hiring more with the expansions instead of humans. Yeah, it was a lot of jobs for a few shifter groups, if I remember from my summary reports.”

  “Yes, lots. And renovations and expansions of existing resorts will bring in more income, and possibly more jobs, to those groups, so they will protect that and the people on the project. The council has started a lot of shit—all of them have. That is what has kept balance.”