House of Cards

by W. J. May

  “He hated you!” Kraigan roared.

  Rae clenched her hand and the ball fizzled out. She refocused and began forming it again, stalling for time. “How do you know? How much time did you spend with dear ol’ daddy? I grew up with him. He tucked me into bed at night, read me stories, and played with me. If he hated me, why didn’t he kill me himself?” It was at that moment that several details clicked into place in her mind. She sucked in a sharp breath when she realized she had been the leverage her father had used against her mother. Just a pawn in one of his plans. The knowledge neither hurt, nor affected her much. She had never particularly wanted to connect with him, not since she had learned he was the monster of the Tatù world. However, the realization did also give her insight into his strategy. He had wanted her alive, to see her tatù and learn what she would be able to do with it. She smiled at Kraigan as she said the final thought out loud. “He never wanted me dead.”

  Kraigan’s face burned crimson red. “Yes, he did!” His shoulders rose with each angry breath he took.

  Rae slowly shook her head. “You’ve been jealous of me since you were a child. You wanted to be the first born.”

  “I was!” Kraigan jabbed at his chest. “I’m the son! He wanted a boy. I’m the first male born!”

  “You’re not the first.” Rae actually felt sorry for Kraigan. He, too, was just another pawn in her father’s schemes. “I am, and you will never replace me.” Rae tilted her head and stared at him. The knowledge swelled inside of her, giving her power. “Who do you work for?”

  Kraigan blinked and stared at her. “What?”

  “You’re with the Xavier Knight’s aren’t you? Do they want me dead?” By the way his eyebrows furrowed together and his face turned another shade of red, she knew she had hit a nerve. “There’s no hit out on me, is there? You’re the one who has the personal vendetta against me. The Xavier Knights want me alive. You don’t even hate the PC’s. You just hate me. I took your father, your family, even your tatù. I took everything away from you.”

  A deep, guttural growl erupted out of Kraigan’s throat. He raced toward her like a bull charging a matador. “I never lost my tatù, you idiot.” He raised the crow bar high over his head with both hands.

  Rae threw the lightning ball at him and began to run toward the door she’d come through to find an exit. Her body automatically running through tatùs to find the best one.

  She watched in horror as Kraigan easily ducked away from the burning yellow and blue ball she’d thrown. It hit the ground and burst into flames. The old, dry wood floorboards cracked and snapped in protest from the heat and fire.

  The flames spread quickly, as if rushing madly to steal the wood and air. They raced toward the door Rae was heading for. The flames licked up the doorframe and door.

  She stumbled as she changed direction and used Jennifer’s tatù to race to the other side of the room to the only other door. Smoke filled the air. Rae covered her mouth and nose to avoid inhaling it. Kraigan seemed unphased. He laughed as he chased after her. He was a madman.

  Something tangled underfoot and she lost her balance. Pain shot up her leg from her ankle as she tumbled to the floor. The crow bar flew across the room and landed in the fire. Kraigan had thrown it at her feet and caught her dead on. At least she’d sent it flying out of reach as she fell

  Using her healing tatù, she focused on her ankle and tried to push herself back up. The sprain heeled but the healing ability disappeared as Kraigan grabbed her and wrapped his hands around her neck. He dragged her away from the heat of the flames into the middle of the room.

  She clawed and struggled against him. Using Riley’s tatù, she used the cheetah strength to force his hands off her throat. The fire had made a square around them, trapping them in. “You want me dead,” she rubbed her neck, “but you’re stuck here too. You’re going to end up killing yourself as well.” She heard sirens far off. As she felt Riley’s tatù disappear, she immediately switched to Jennifer’s. They were the closest match at the moment but she had a slight advantage, until Kraigan stole it from her.

  Kraigan coughed and stepped back from her. Smoke streamed heavy above them. He bent low to try to avoid inhaling it. Ironically Rae didn’t taste the smoke or feel it in her lungs. She still lay on the ground and assumed it was the best spot to be.

  She rolled onto her stomach ready to sprint for the door. She froze when she realized she had ended up nearly in the fire. Yet it didn’t burn or hurt. She felt its warmth, but no hotter than a bath. She glanced down at her foot and lurched to the side. Her foot had been standing in the fire! What the heck?

  Kraigan may or may not have noticed. In that freakish moment, Rae had forgotten all about him. Until he slammed her to the ground face first, his hands grasping her backpack.

  Rae struggled against him and thrashed on the floor. She managed to free herself by slipping out of the straps on her shoulders. She scrambled away from him, terrified that he had touched her and would steal her tatù.

  She waited, unable to look away from him.

  Kraigan stooped low and angrily drilled her bag directly into the flames.

  “Nooo!” Rae screamed as she watched in horror. The bag instantly caught on fire. Rae didn’t think, she ran straight after it.

  Kraigan stepped in front of her blocking her view of the bag and ready with his hands out.

  Rae skidded to a stop just out of his reach. “You idiot!” she shouted. “The journal was in there!” It was too late. She knew it. Whatever secrets were inside that book had been licked away by the flames.

  Kraigan straightened and glanced behind him.

  Rae didn’t miss the opportunity. She hissed at Kraigan, “Tell our father I said ‘Screw you’ when you see him.” She turned on her heel and using Jennifer’s tatù, sprinted through the flames. She held her breath, terrified of the pain the inferno would bring to her. She no longer had her healing tatù and if she survived, would have to bear the pain until she could mimic it again.

  She kicked the blazing wooden door apart and jumped through. The fire had started down the hall in both directions. She panicked, unsure which way to go for a moment. Clenching and unclenching her fists she looked both ways. As she recognized the way she had come, she noticed something else. The flames danced to the movement in her hands.

  I’m controlling it? Impossible. She heard a shattering crash from inside the room. Kraigan must have broken the window to escape. He couldn’t have come through the fire the way she had. No one could. She was using Jennifer’s leopard tatù and she didn’t have a fire resistant tatù to do that.

  As she jogged toward the stairs she thought furiously. She didn’t know anyone who had this ability, and even if she did, Rae couldn’t use two tatùs at the same time. She knew that for sure. But how was she able to resist the burning?

  Flames began to reach the stairwell. She swiped her hand in the air, partially hoping it would send the blaze back.

  It did.

  It actually worked. She laughed out loud when it worked. It didn’t kill the fire but her hand was actually keeping it at bay.

  And she still had Jennifer’s tatù. Fire trucks pulled into the yard. Rae heard the fire begin to sizzle as the hoses from the trucks were turned on it. There were shouts from outside, one clearly stating that they had seen a boy jump from the burning building and race away.

  Rae didn’t wait to hear more, she tore through the abandoned building back to where she had entered on the opposite side. No one was around there yet. They were too concerned about the front part of the building.

  She forced the door near the kiln open and sucked in the cool night air. Glancing back to make sure no one was around, she raced through the shadows, scaled the fence and abruptly stopped her mad dash.

  Shoving her hands into her pockets, she tried to keep her breathing slow and walked back to the shopping market with her head down. People walked by her, too engrossed in the dying fire to pay any attention to her.


  Rae smiled to herself, feeling exhilarated that she had made it through, and very happy that she had the good sense to shove Julian’s car keys into her pocket instead of into her backpack. She dug deep into her jeans and pulled the keys out as she entered the parking lot. Kraigan had most likely taken off in the other direction. They would meet again, she was sure of it, but not tonight.

  She opened her hand clutching the keys and realized there was one more resting against her palm. She stared with wide eyes at it as she stood under the parking lamp.

  Her mother’s key.

  It slipped from her hand when Rae gasped. Not because she had the key, but because of what else she had.

  Chapter 24

  Sun

  She had her mother’s tatù.

  Just the thought sent a burning sensation against her lower back, exactly where the sun and its rays were on her fairy tatù. She knew it instantly. Her lungs could handle the smoke; her skin, the flames. Because she had her mother’s fire ability.

  Rae dropped down to find the key, and clutched it tight in her hand, close to her chest. Tears poured down her cheeks. She was only a few feet away from Julian’s car, but couldn’t force herself to stand from her crouched position to sit inside it. She closed her eyes as misery and loss filled her. She didn’t want the tatù, she wanted her mother.

  “Rae!”

  Her breath caught at the sound of her name. She jumped, half expecting to see her mother in that moment. She turned in the direction of the sound.

  Jennifer raced toward her and wrapped her in her arms. “Are you okay?”

  Rae collapsed against Jennifer’s strong grip and let the tears fall against the soft leather of Jennifer’s jacket. “I have…” she hiccupped and tried again. “I have my mother’s…”

  Jennifer pushed her away and held her at arm’s length. She shook Rae. “What? What do you have?”

  “Her tatù.” Rae stared at Jennifer, waiting to see the shock enter her face.

  “What?” Jennifer’s eyebrows shot up and together, clearing not understanding what she meant.

  “Julian asked me if I could do two tatùs at once. I knew I couldn’t. But this… this is completely different. I’m not trying to mimic two tatùs at the same time, I have my mother’s ability along with my fathers! I can use hers.” She raised her right hand and rubbed her thumb over her pointer finger. A small flame burst forth.

  Jennifer jumped back slightly.

  Rae grabbed the flame and squashed it in her hand to prove her point. “I can control it. It can’t hurt me.”

  “You started this fire?” The disbelief was clearly evident in her tone.

  Rae glanced back behind Jennifer. Only smoke filled the sky now, no flames were left to fight. “I had to.”

  “What?” Jennifer’s arms crossed over her chest and she began tapping her foot.

  “Kraigan came after me.”

  Jennifer’s hand went to her hip. “He still here?” She sucked in air that made an “oh-no” kind of sound. “Is he still in there?”

  Rae shook her head. “I think – I’m pretty sure he went through the window.” What was she going to say about the journal? “He… He… He had the journal! I managed to get it from him and hid it in my backpack. When I tried to escape, he ripped the pack off of me and threw it into the fire. The journal’s gone. Up in flames now.” She squeezed the key tight in her fist, its metal cutting into her skin. She tried to casually put her hand into her pocket, leaving the key inside it as she pulled her fingers out.

  “The journal?” Jennifer looked back, as if considering going into the factory to try and find it. “Oh hell, Carter’s not going to be happy.”

  Rae tilted her head. “How did you know I was here?”

  Jennifer nodded to Julian’s car. “He’s got GPS tracking on it. He told Carter you had gone off in it. Carter sent me.”

  At least Julian hadn’t been killed by Devon, or vice versa. “Is Devon alright?”

  Jennifer gave her a weird look. “He’s fine.”

  “Good. Can we get out of here?” She was missing a few tatùs and wanted them back.

  Jennifer held out her hand. “Give me the keys, I’m driving.” She coughed and covered her mouth. “I heard about you behind the wheel,” she said behind her hand.

  “Where’s your car?”

  “Doesn’t matter.” She unlocked the car doors and opened Rae’s for her.

  Rae wondered if she’d used her tatù and just ran there. It wouldn’t surprise her.

  “Let’s go. I need to let Carter know what’s happened.” She started the car and revved the engine. It purred like a kitten. She gave Rae a warning look. “I hope you’re ready.”

  Chapter 25

  More Secrets

  Rae sat quiet throughout the drive. When they first started driving she grabbed her phone to stall having to talk with Jennifer.

  Julian messaged to apologize for what had happened and asked if they could talk. He messaged again half an hour later asking where his car was and then began calling. Scrolling through the list of missed calls, she noticed after Julian’s third try Devon had called.

  Nervous fingers and heart beating slightly erratic, she put the phone to her ear and listened to her voicemail. The first one was an apologetic Julian, then an angry one and then a worried message from him.

  Devon’s message came next.

  The anger and frustration Rae had witnessed from him in Julian’s dorm room wasn’t there. She knew him well enough to know he was very worried about her. She pressed the phone tight against her ear. “Rae, it’s me. I’m sorry about what happened. You, of all people shouldn’t have had to witness that. It was stupid and dumb. I was an idiot. I’m so sorry. I’m… I’m trying. It’s harder being apart from you than I thought it would be. I don’t know why I got so jealous of Julian. He’s always got my back and I should have trusted him instead of just acting out.” There was a pause, but Rae could still hear him breathing into the phone, probably running his fingers through his hair as he grew frustrated with himself. He sighed. “You don’t have to worry. Julian and I are good. We talked and everything’s fine. But he wants to chat with you and clarify some things. He’ll explain it so it all makes sense. Come back, Rae.” The need in his voice pulled at her heart. He tried to cover his feelings by chuckling. “Please don’t wreck Juls’ car. He’s scared you’re going to do a number on it like last time.” His teasing tone turned serious again. “Please call, or come back. Let us know you’re okay.”

  Rae stared at the passing cars on the other side of the highway. She was glad they hadn’t killed each other. She also wanted to know what Julian had to say about the drawings. She intended to find out when she got back… if Jennifer and Carter didn’t strangle her first.

  She sent him a text: On my way back. Everything’s ok. Jennifer’s driving Julian’s car. Will talk after I speak to Carter.

  A moment later her phone vibrated in her hand.

  Devon replied: I know. With Carter. Get back fast.

  His cryptic response made Rae a little nervous. Why would he be with Carter? Did he already know about Kraigan? Or the journal? Rae glanced at Jennifer from the corner of her eye. She kept waiting for Jennifer to start drilling her on what had happened and give her crap for taking off on her own, but she never did. It began driving Rae nuts. She wished Jennifer would say something – anything.

  When they finally pulled off the motorway and began driving on the smaller country roads back to Guilder, Jennifer shifted the car into a lower gear and pulled to the side of the road, keeping the engine running.

  She turned to Rae. “We need to jet but I have a couple of things to say before we see Carter. One, you were an idiot to go off on your own. Tatù or no tatù.” She poked Rae on the forehead with a finger. “You need to start using this. You’re a smart girl, but stupid. I’ve been trying to figure out why you went to Stoke.”

  “I told you—”

  “I’m not finished. I’ve been g
oing over everything you said. If I don’t get it, Carter and his council are going to be even more confused. You’re in shit for going off and not letting them know what you were up to.”

  Rae straightened in her seat and stared straight at Jennifer. “I didn’t know I had to let people know every move I made. I’m pretty sure I can take care of myself.” She tossed her phone and threw her hands in the air. “Oops. Was I supposed to tell you I was going to do that?”

  “Almost eighteen?” Jennifer huffed and then sighed. “I’m not the enemy, Rae.”

  “I never said you were.”

  Jennifer pulled on the collar of her leather jacket. “That’s your problem. You don’t say much. And then when things go out of control, you cry father.”

  “I do not!” Rae crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve never blamed him for who I am or what’s happened to me. I could, but I don’t. You’re the one who has it in for me. Like it’s my fault my mother died.”

  “Excuse me?” She tutted. “Don’t you take that tone with me, missy. I am not your equal. You speak to me with the respect I’ve earned–”

  “I know nothing about the things you’ve done! You haven’t earned my respect yet.” She knew as the words came flying out of her mouth, that they were wrong. It was frustration, fear and anger speaking. She huffed and dropped back against her seat. “You want to blame me for what happened as much as I want to blame you for not stopping what happened.”

  Jennifer opened her mouth to say something but no words came out.

  Rae shrugged. “Look. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any problems.”

  Jennifer laughed. “Girl, you’ve been causing problems since the day you were born. Why in the world did you drive to Stoke-on-Trent?”

  Should she mention the key? Rae could feel it digging into her thigh as she sat. Like a burning reminder. She had hidden the journal from Jennifer and everyone. Look where it had gotten her. Now, she was trying to hide more secrets? She didn’t have to trust everything, but hiding everything from everyone was not working out either. Time to share a little Intel and see what she got for it. “I found a note from my mother.” Somehow, telling Jennifer felt right now. Maybe it was time. “My mother had hidden it in a display cabinet with tiny little figurines. She had given it to my uncle before she died. There’s a code on it.” She slapped her forehead. “Crap!”