Atohi finally broke his own silence, his voice small and so unlike him. “Is it true? Is your son Zella's?”
The car swerved just slightly as Johannes stiffened. It was the first time I’d seen something truly give him pause, and it was convincing enough to make me think that deep down, he actually did care for his brother.
“Yes, but he was hidden from me until her magic began to wane. It was lovely to discover she’d kept a newborn in a stasis for nearly a half century. And in a mausoleum, no less.”
I glanced back to see Atohi close his eyes and press his head back against his seat. His pain was clear. I was beginning to realize, even though Zella and Atohi had never been more than friends, maybe Atohi had loved her more than that. Maybe Atohi had wanted more. And not only had Zella fallen in love with my grandfather, she’d had a baby with Johannes.
I knew there wasn't much I could say to make him feel better in that moment. But I still had something of Zella’s no one else did—not my grandfather, not Johannes.
I had her journal.
And I’d already made up my mind to give it to Atohi. I wanted him to have the closure he’d never gotten.
~~~
A high-pitched, girlish squeal flooded my ears as soon as we entered Johannes's home. A petite woman with buoyant dark curls and sun-kissed skin bounced on her heels.
“Atohi, my darling, it's been far too long!” Her voice was thick with a French accent.
His dark eyes went wide. “Francesca?”
“Johannes, you didn't tell me Atohi would be here.” She squealed again, embracing Atohi, before finally seeing me.
“Hello,” I greeted somewhat hesitantly. I was a little wary of anyone at this point.
“Ah, cherie, it's so nice to meet you. My name is Francesca, but please call me Chesca. I attended school with the trio back in the day. I look good for someone in their nineties, right?” She giggled as she put a hand to her chin to pose. And she did look good—she could have passed for my age, maybe even younger.
“Female Arachnids age differently than other Magi,” Atohi offered to me.
Francesca nodded. “Correct. If we take a male mate, we wither and die.” She placed the back of her hand on her forehead and pretended to faint against the couch. “No love lost, trust me.”
I couldn't help but to laugh at her dramatics.
She rubbed her hands together. “All right, let's get started. Johannes, I'm doubling my fee for the added person. Now, please be a dear and make sure the curtains are drawn.”
Chapter Fourteen
My heart pounded heavily in my chest as I took in the image of the Arachnid Magus before me and her many arms. Her whole body was now black as night and her eyes, now a total of four, were like liquid gold. I had never been very good with spiders, and certainly not five-foot-eight ones with eight arms, no matter how much ethereal beauty her face held.
She smiled as she circled me, fangs dimpling her bottom lip where her incisors had lengthened. She tapped a single finger to her chin.
“Ah, cherie, you are so beautiful. Why do you hide behind all of this clothing?” A hand came up and pulled on an end of my hoodie.
“That's because she was breaking into my home earlier,” Johannes quipped from where he leaned against the wall near the kitchen, a playful smirk stretching his lips.
Chesca stopped to stare at him before shrugging. “You probably deserved it.”
Johannes’s face fell into a pout. I giggled and looked back at Atohi from his spot in one of the armchairs.
“So, you were wanting three outfits for her, right? When are they needed?” Her French accent was thick and wonderfully pleasant to listen to.
“Are you up for a challenge? You have an hour. I suppose you could throw something in for him, too.” Johannes casually waved his hand in Atohi’s direction.
She glared at Johannes. “You are lucky I was even in the area. I was about to catch a flight back to Paris. I'll be sending the bill for my canceled ticket.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever you'd like, Francesca. I'd just like it done. Actually, I do need a new nightshirt as well. Someone ran off with mine.”
I avoided the pointed gaze he threw me. If he was that worried about it, maybe he shouldn’t have locked me in the room. And, well, it was extremely comfortable…
“I'd waive my fee entirely for a night with you,” she purred at me, leaning in close enough that I could feel her breath on my face and smell her undoubtedly expensive perfume.
“No.” The simultaneous answer from both Atohi and Johannes caused a chuckle to leave her lips.
“Ooh, I feel like there is a story here I'd love to know. But there will be time later. For now…”
She pulled a thread from thin air. It glimmered, made entirely of magic.
“All right, everyone strip.”
I sputtered. “What? No!”
She sighed. “Fine. It’ll take all of the fun out of it, but you may keep your underthings on.”
Atohi met my eyes, looking as awkward as I felt, before beginning to strip. Johannes followed shortly. This was the first time I had seen him without the majority of his clothing. His body was lean, but still covered in muscle. He looked smug as my eyes raked over his form. I scowled at him, returning my gaze to Atohi.
I inhaled sharply. He was standing there in all his nude glory. The sunlight that was filtering in danced over his skin, making him look like a god standing at his alter. And, boy, was I ready to make an offering.
“I have no underthings,” he said, voice dripping with a smug pride at his naked body.
“I thought this would be a treat for you, Alice. You’ve always wanted a piece from Ma Belle Francesca, yes?” Johannes asked, making it obvious he was utterly ignoring Atohi.
I was so focused on Atohi’s offended expression that for a moment, it didn’t click. But then it did, and I gasped so loudly Chesca jumped. “You—You’re—”
She flashed me a fang-filled grin. “At your service, cherie.”
“That’s so amazing. I see your name all the time—oh my gosh, your Met Gala gown was incredible. I almost actually drooled over it. Your work is so—it’s just so impressive,” I gushed. I couldn’t believe I was getting out of my old hoodie and into a custom-made Ma Belle Francesca piece.
“Ooh, I just love you, cherie, keep with the praise,” she giggled.
After getting everyone's measurements, she got to work. She began pulling the gossamer strings from the air that she threaded into a large needle. They glimmered with her magic before turning into the cloth she desired. It was absolutely fascinating to watch her work. Chesca blocked out everything around her, both sets of eyes remained unblinking.
Atohi sat back in the armchair, his sweatpants now back on. He reached forward and pulled me into his lap, my legs dangling over the side.
“It's amazing, isn't it?” he asked as he pressed an elbow into the arm of the chair with his chin in his hand.
I nodded. It was another thing I’d never thought possible, happening right in front of me. “Are there many types of Magi?”
“All sorts. It matters which Ancient you are descendant of.”
“And all of them—us—have another form?”
“There are some who don't. They go by Mage instead of Magus, though.”
“But, if they don’t have another form, how can you tell they’re a Mage?” I looked up at Atohi.
Johannes swiveled around from where he was watching Chesca work. “Mages are harder to find, as they have the magical potential inside of them but don't have the ability to access it without the right conditions.”
“Essentially, if they don’t want to be found, it’s near impossible,” Chesca added. “They’re the lucky ones…”
I nodded in understanding. There was such complexity in their world. If I wasn't living it, I wouldn't believe any of it to be true. But, it did seem that Mages had the advantage of hiding from both the Collectors and Hecate.
“W
as it hard? Learning to control your magic, I mean. I didn’t really feel in control when I used mine, even with this ring.” I rubbed my thumb over the smooth stone.
“We’re given learning tools at first until we can develop our own style,” Atohi said, his chest rumbling against me as he spoke. “Like this ring.” He grabbed my hand and held it up, causing the light to catch in the jewel. He smirked and shot a look to Johannes.
“So, does that mean that wands are a thing too?” My face burned in embarrassment at what felt like such a juvenile question. It tumbled out before I had a chance to squash it down.
Johannes barked out a laugh that only made my face burn hotter. “Aw, don't make that face, sweetheart.” He squeezed my chin.
“We begin by learning magic with a wand but graduate to no longer needing it. Some do still use it, either for aesthetics or as a focusing point,” Atohi tried to reassure me. “But, from the sounds of it, you’re doing amazingly well on your own.”
“Yes, someone had his wand for the longest time,” Johannes teased.
Atohi glared at him over my shoulder.
This was the car all over again. I tapped his arm. “You said you’d show me how to use magic once we got you out.”
“Of course. Johannes, I’m sure you have a wand around here, right? I seem to recall you being a bit of a hoarder.”
Johannes? A hoarder? That seemed so hard to believe when I looked around his pristine home.
Chesca snorted. “That’s an understatement.”
What? Is this real life? The perfectly kept Johannes was secretly a hoarder? I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Was that why all the doors were locked?
A tingling sensation caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end. I looked around just as Ben wrapped a tiny hand in the fabric of Atohi’s sweats. Benjamin stared up at us with his wide baby blues. His gaze wavered between us; he seemed nervous.
I held my breath. This was the first time Atohi was meeting Benjamin, Zella and Johannes’s hidden child. My eyes darted over to Johannes. It seemed we were both nervous for this first-time meeting.
“What do you have there, little guy?” Atohi asked as he leaned forward, one hand on the small of my back, the other on Ben’s shoulder. I released the bated breath I had been holding as Ben gave him a huge, toothy smile.
“Um, this is my old wand. Papa taught me how to use magic with it. But, I’m too big for it now. I’m not a baby.”
I snorted and reached down to grab him to put him in my lap. “You can do magic without it, huh?”
He nodded his head. “I'm a big boy, so I don't need it anymore.”
“A big boy? But what if I want you to be a little boy and snuggle me?” He squealed as I ran my fingers down his side and gave a little raspberry to his cheek.
“Big boys can do those things, too.”
“Promise?” I stuck my pinky out for him.
“Promise!”
He gave me the wand before he slid from my lap. The wood felt heavy in my hand, though it was slightly warmed from his body heat.
“Benjamin, why don't you retrieve your training blocks?” Johannes suggested.
He nodded before he ran off. He was so full of enthusiasm.
I looked up at Atohi. He was still look in the direction Benjamin had disappeared. I put a hand on his cheek and directed his face back at me. “Are you all right?” I asked him in a quiet voice.
Atohi gave me a small smile, his hand gripping me a little more tightly. “Let’s talk later, okay?”
Johannes cleared his throat. I sighed but pulled away from Atohi, standing next to the chair he still sat in.
“So, you said ‘training blocks’?” I asked with a quirk of my brow.
“I used them to help teach Benjamin magic and mathematics.” He puffed his chest out in pride. “He picked them both up quite quickly.”
“He’s just the cutest,” Chesca said as she continued to weave her magic. “I could have perished from how sweet his little face was when he showed me he had learned to use his wand.”
“You come around often?” Okay, so not only did they know Ma Belle Francesca, but she came here often?
“Don’t you remember our first coffee date, sweetheart? I told you there was someone I wanted you to meet.” Johannes smirked.
“Yeah, you said ‘someone;’ you didn’t say super-amazing-gorgeous-fashion-designer.” I waved my arms in exasperation.
Atohi covered his mouth in a weak attempt to cover his laugh. I scoffed. “What’s so funny? I really love her, okay?”
“Aw, I love you too, mon cherie.” She winked half of her eyes and blew me a kiss. It was slightly unsettling, but whatever; one of my all-time favorite designers had just said she loved me too. I didn't even care that she was a giant spider right now.
Ben came running out from the hallway, his little cheeks red from exertion. A block tumbled down. He bent to pick it up, successful, only to drop another. I tried to stifle my own laugh as I went over to help him pick up the fallen blocks. He thanked me with a heavy puff of breath.
A glance Johannes’s way revealed he was watching Benjamin with a raised brow, a small smile playing along his plush lips. There was something in his expression I hadn't seen before—something obviously reserved only for sweet Ben.
He set up the wooden blocks on the coffee table before turning to face me.
“You have to concentrate real hard, okay?”
He was giving me such a serious look. I definitely needed to be a dedicated student for such a diligent teacher.
“Point your wand at the block you want and move it to the middle.”
I held up the twisted piece of wood. I'd be lying if I didn't say a part of me felt so stupid pointing a wand like Harry Potter at a bunch of children's blocks. I could feel the performance anxiety creeping up my spine to settle deeply into my brain. Oh God, was I going to be a Ron and break this wand?
Taking a deep breath, I focused on moving the block closest to me. At first, nothing happened. I felt a wide hand on my back and looked over to see Atohi smiling at me in his usual warmth.
I shook off my nerves and tried again. Think Hermione. This time, it was hardly a second before the end of the wand glowed, then popped and fizzled as the magic burst from the end as if it were a sparkler. Oh God, I was the Ron! I dropped it, screeching a noise I would deny even if someone had video evidence.
Ben and Atohi giggled from behind me. So that was why he’d put his hand on me. The utter betrayal…
I turned and narrowed my eyes at him. “Oh, you just think you are so funny.”
Atohi reclined in his seat, arms folded behind his head and legs spread out before him to bump one of his feet into mine. “You just needed to loosen up a little. Let the magic flow through you.”
Benjamin leaned over the armchair to whisper to Atohi. “Will you teach me how to do that?”
He grinned. “I'll teach you all sorts of things you can use on your dad.”
Ben's eyes lit up. “I’m so excited,” he squealed.
“If you're done corrupting my child, let's get back to the lesson,” Johannes grumped.
Chesca snickered to herself as she continued her work. “Loosen up, Johannes.”
“All right, let's try this without interference.” I threw a look at Atohi. He winked back at me.
I scooped the wand from the ground and tried again. Okay, deep breath. I am a strong woman. I am going to be a strong Magus. I pointed the tip toward the blocks again as I thought about all of the times I had summoned my magic.
As an electric-like warmth spread from my core to my arm, the tip of the wand glowed. I squeezed the hand at my side in excitement before I forced myself to calm down. I was doing it; I was really doing it! One of the wood blocks trembled before it started to scoot along the glossed surface of the table. I couldn't believe it when it finally reached its destination.
“I did it!” I shouted triumphantly, my arms in the air.
“Papa, you hav
e to do the thing,” Ben whispered to his dad while tugging at his slacks.
“What thing?”
“The thing you do when I get a right answer...” He twiddled his thumbs and looked away shyly.
Johannes ran his lithe fingers through Ben’s thick brown hair before cupping his chin. “You can't be serious, my little darling.”
Ben broke out the largest, roundest puppy-dog eyes I had ever seen. It was then that I realized Ben could do anything, anything at all, and I would forgive him as long as he looked at me with those big blues.
After a brief staring contest, Johannes sighed with resignation. He waved his hand, and tiny magical fireworks danced from behind the block.
I was doing well biting back my laughter until Atohi started full-on belly laughing. My face hurt from how wide my smile stretched my lips and cheeks.
“Oh, ha ha, get your laughs in,” Johannes said dryly.
A snort of laughter from Chesca made the room quiet for a beat before everyone started up again even louder.
I let myself go for a moment. For once, everyone was happy and smiling in the room. For a moment there wasn't the looming threat of the Collectors, or my father's abandonment, or this feud between Atohi and Johannes.
Suddenly my knees wobbled. I dropped down to sit on the couch.
“You've used too much magic today, Alice... You should take a break,” Johannes said, voice soft as he looked at me with kind eyes.
I averted my own gaze and nodded in agreement. It caused a strange stir in my chest for him to give me such a look. Johannes went to get me a glass of water.
“I'll be right back! I have something I want to show you,” Ben announced before scurrying out of the room too.
“I've never seen him with this much energy before,” Johannes remarked after handing me the glass. The cool water felt amazing.
“As someone that's around children a good percentage of the time, Ben is pretty low-key.” I laughed and put the glass on a coaster.
“He gets that from you, brother,” Atohi said, fist pressed against his face as he leaned on the arm of the chair. “You were the calm, stoic type the entire time I’ve known you.”
“So, you mentioned the Ancients are part of why you both call each other brother, but who are they?”
Eyes Like Autumn (Seasons of the Magi Book 1) Page 17