Risk (A Mageri World Novel)

by Dannika Dark

  Evening finally rolled around, and it was time to face the Council.

  “You should be a personal shopper,” Ella remarked, clutching his arm as they traversed through the dark woods.

  Simon hooked his arm around her narrow waist and lifted her up when she nearly stepped into a hole. The sun had recently gone down, but the smell of sunshine and greenery was still heavy in the air.

  Instead of holding hands so she could hear him in the darkness, they hooked pinky fingers.

  “Let me do all the talking,” he said.

  “Great. I guess that means I can look forward to the death penalty.”

  “You’re a cheeky lass, but don’t toy with these men. They’re used to my humor, but don’t attempt to be a smart-ass. You’re still a Learner, and you don’t want to give them the impression that you’re going to bite the hand that feeds you. Regardless of how dim-witted a person is or how ridiculous the situation, always speak with your head and not your emotions. Anger makes you appear less in control.”

  “I get it. I’ve noticed when you fight other men that your laughter makes them uneasy. Your confidence makes them afraid. Don’t think I haven’t been paying attention during our lessons.”

  Stop talking out loud, he thought to her. We’re getting close. When the Council measured you, did they know about your gift?

  You mean being a Jumper? Yes.

  It seemed like a dumb question, all things considered, but Simon had to ask. I mean about our connection. Did they find this potential in you or see any foreshadowing that you might have mentalist abilities?

  No. They thought I made good use of combining my flashing abilities with fighting, but no one mentioned this. I didn’t know until we touched.

  He stopped, out of breath. Yes, but sometimes they can sense things you can’t. If you had touched one of them and they felt you poking around in their head without your realizing, they would have added this to your file. Do me a favor and keep this private.

  Ella tilted her head to the side. Why?

  Because everyone should have an ace up their sleeve. Let’s go before they call a search party.

  Simon couldn’t help but find it amusing that she was a Toucher and he was a Feeler. When they reached the clearing, everyone present was basking in moonlight.

  “Fashionably late?” Silver murmured as he waltzed past her.

  Justus smacked him on the back of the head and looked at his watch, which Simon had always found amusing since the bloke just wanted to admire the gold.

  He took a position with Hannah on his right and Ella on his left, the Council before them and his friends behind. Simon felt like a gladiator going to battle inside the arena.

  Everyone on the Council was present, minus the Ice Queen who now stood on the opposite side of the law.

  Novis folded his arms, his hands disappearing beneath the wide sleeves of his white robe. “This is a formal meeting,” he said, directing his gaze at Simon’s leather pants.

  Simon gestured toward himself. “I wore a jacket.”

  “Leather?”

  Simon shrugged. “I wonder if cows get this much criticism at the farm for wearing leather.”

  Accompanying Novis were Sasha and Samuel. Sasha’s long blond hair and youthful appearance made up for her haughty demeanor.

  Barely.

  Samuel was an easygoing chap—much older in appearance than the others with his grey beard and ghostly eyes. Samuel had always been a fair Councilman, and Simon had no quarrels with him. He also didn’t have any personal relationship with him, which would make his opinion harder to sway.

  Novis spoke first. “We have invited those who have come in contact with Ella over these past few weeks to shed light on what they know. All have been questioned privately in order to compare information.” He then addressed Justus. “We’re good friends, are we not?”

  Justus inclined his head.

  “I’m aware you are withholding something from me. Since you are only a voluntary witness, I cannot hire a Vampire to charm you for information. Just know that if you have committed a crime, our friendship will not work in your favor. I am bound by law in all situations to obey the Mageri.”

  Which wasn’t entirely true. Novis had bent a few rules along the way for the sake of good, but these were merely verbal formalities. Justus must have done quite a tap dance at the meeting to avoid questions that would raise suspicions about the Mageri records he had access to and his agreement with Simon.

  Justus remained silent.

  Novis looked irritated that Sunny was involved. Silver and Logan had come along with Kane, Caroline, Levi, and a couple of Hannah’s servants. According to the call he’d received earlier, Boris’s remaining Learners were under observation until the Council decided if they could be rehabilitated.

  Simon shifted nervously when Levi nodded at him. He wondered how much of their interlude had been revealed to the Council.

  Samuel sleepily pinched the corners of his eyes. “I do not appreciate someone waking me up in the middle of the night to report a murder. Normally we don’t get such calls, but this involved one of our own. The cleaners reported everything they found on the scene, and we believe Hannah was forthright with the information.”

  Simon lifted his chin. “And what makes you certain she didn’t lie?”

  Novis flashed him a look of irritation. “Because she implicated herself.”

  “Works for me.”

  Novis called Ella forward with a crook of his finger. She took a few steps and gripped the sides of her dress.

  “Now that we know about Hannah’s involvement with her descendants, we have a clearer understanding as to why she chose to make you an immortal. Unfortunately, that fact will be for public consumption as we intend to make her an example of why cutting ties is so important. Do you understand this?”

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “Were you aware of your relation?”

  Ella’s hand moved up, and Simon knew she was touching her throat to feel the volume of her voice. “I found out last night. Before then I didn’t know.”

  Novis clasped his hands in front of him. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to give me an honest answer. You have my word this will not have any negative repercussions on you, but it will help us decide if there will be further action taken against your Creator.”

  “I understand.”

  “Were you forced into our world? Did Hannah give you free will to choose?”

  Ella’s hair was in a circular braid, and it allowed Simon to see some of her profile. Her eyes skated to the right as if wanting to look back at Hannah.

  “I don’t know how to answer that,” she finally replied.

  “Please elaborate.”

  Ella cleared her throat. “I don’t want to say anything that could result in my Creator’s death.”

  When Novis looked at Hannah, Ella immediately turned to see if she was speaking.

  Simon leaned closer to Hannah and quietly said, “She must have inherited nobility from her father’s side.”

  Ella quickly returned her gaze to Novis, steering the conversation. “I have no love toward the woman, but I pity her more than I hate her.”

  “We have no plans to execute Hannah. Speak freely.”

  “I think she played with my emotions at a vulnerable time, but I wasn’t forced. I didn’t understand what I was accepting, but I don’t regret the choice I made.”

  Sasha put her left hand on her hip. “Novis, we need to discuss this.”

  “We’re not discussing this,” he bit out. “It’s decided.”

  “She’s unstable. We can’t trust someone like that in our world.”

  Novis took a step forward, his expression enigmatic. “On the contrary, I think she’s quite adept and intelligent. Despite her situation, she showed exemplary behavior by saving Hannah’s life when she could have let the Mage kill her. I don’t see a woman before us filled with spite.”

  “I taught her well,�
� Hannah said.

  Simon whirled to face her. “You’re glib without a slice of remorse for what you’ve done.” He looked back at Novis and folded his arms. “This woman isn’t fit to care for a goldfish, let alone look after her own progeny. Given her careless, reprehensible behavior, I motion for Ella to be granted her independence.”

  “This isn’t a human court,” Samuel said. “You don’t get to make a motion.”

  “See here,” Simon said, so bloody irritated he wanted to storm off. “You have all the information, and I don’t really give a damn what you do with pinhead over here. I’ve trained Ella these past weeks—I can attest to her skills. She has an uncanny ability to learn everything you teach her in a short amount of time. I’ve never seen anyone like her. Not without centuries of refining their craft.”

  Novis looked between them. “I can see your attachment, and while I agree that she’s been given sufficient time to learn the ways of our world, there are unusual circumstances involved. One that has—”

  Ella cut him off. “Because I’m deaf?”

  Murmurs sounded from behind, and Justus shook his head at Simon to say that it wasn’t he who’d given up her secret. It must have been Hannah.

  The wench.

  Novis inclined his head. “We respect your privacy and did not intend to share that which you did not disclose yourself. But yes, your injury sustained years ago has resulted in neglect and perhaps mental instability—no different than someone placed in solitary confinement.”

  Infuriated, Simon glided forward and stood beside Ella. “I know you’re not blind. Does this look like a helpless woman who can’t take care of herself? She has more common sense and fighting skills in her pinky finger than a previous member of your Council who betrayed you all those years ago.”

  “Fight me,” Ella challenged Novis.

  Simon’s jaw slackened.

  Novis gave her a closed-lipped smile. “As you wish.”

  When he turned away to remove his robe, Simon gripped Ella by the arms. “Are you deranged?” he hissed. “You’ve finally lost your marbles. You can’t fight a Councilman!”

  “Why not?”

  He shrugged, his voice returning to normal. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because they can lock you up until the end of time or cut off your head?” He flicked her on the forehead. “Think!”

  She flicked him in the balls and he winced. “Don’t do that again.”

  “If you lose, he’ll see you as weak. If you win, you’ll bruise his ego, and who knows what he’ll do.” Simon rested his hands on her shoulders, actually struggling not to laugh for something he’d wanted to do for decades—fight Novis. “You can’t do this.”

  She gave him an elfin grin. “Watch me.”

  Simon took a step back, his voice falling to a soft murmur. “Attagirl.”

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Justus murmured.

  Simon laughed. “Worst idea ever conceived. I just regret we don’t have any popcorn.”

  Novis had on a pair of dark pants and a slim black V-neck shirt, making him harder to see in the darkness. He bent down and pushed a dagger into the earth. When he stood up, he ran a hand through his dark hair so that it stuck out in every direction.

  “Your challenge is to pull the dagger and put it in my chest.”

  Justus covered his face with one hand.

  Ella and Novis faced each other. At least her skirt had slits in the sides to allow her to move, but Simon kept thinking that he’d made a shopping blunder that could result in her defeat.

  “Do you want to take off your shirt?” she asked.

  Novis furrowed his brow. “Why?”

  “It’s nice, and I’m going to hate putting a hole in it.”

  Novis barked out a laugh and widened his stance. “You may begin, young Learner.”

  The first thing Ella did was casually walk right up to Novis and bend down to pick up the knife. She gave him a wide-eyed look and smiled innocently, making it hard for any man to consider striking her.

  She made a move for the knife, and Novis knocked her right arm away and reached for her plaited hair, but she weaved out of his grasp. Without missing a beat, Novis gripped her arm and then hooked his right leg around her left ankle to throw her off-balance. Then he twisted her around and shoved her away.

  Ella stumbled forward, her hands balling up into fists.

  Simon lightly nudged Justus with his elbow. “This is the part where it gets good.”

  She executed two back handsprings, and just before reaching Novis—vanished.

  Novis remained calm, his fingers splayed as if picking up fluctuations in the energy around them. He scanned his surroundings and spun around to block Ella’s attack as she flashed at him from the woods behind.

  Their moves were a mix of martial arts and street fighting. Each time she dodged his punches and spun out of reach, her long dress whipped around like a ribbon.

  Novis bent his knees, positioning himself in an orthodox stance with the left leg in front. Ella switched to his left side, making his position less effective. She tried to sweep his leg and throw him off-balance, but he was too quick. Novis grabbed her ankle and flipped her onto her back.

  “She’s good,” Justus murmured. “She won’t beat him, but she thinks fast.”

  Instead of getting up, Ella kicked Novis in the shin since she was close enough. Novis grimaced as she rose to her feet and paced around him. He held his position, the knife still at his feet. She circled him like a predator and looked him over, an air of authority in her gaze.

  “Attagirl,” Simon whispered. “Make him think you’ve got an ace up your sleeve.”

  She reached out to grip his wrist, but Novis delivered a swift kick. Undeterred, Ella continued pacing out of range, recognizing that he wasn’t going to give up his position by the dagger.

  It dawned on Simon why she kept reaching out to touch him; she was trying to read his mind. Could she? Maybe the real ace was that Ella could read anyone if she tried but chose to keep it a secret. He suspected he might never know the truth. Good for her.

  On her second attempt to touch his hand, Novis glared. He must have realized she was trying to do something, so without knowing all her gifts, he kept his hands out of reach.

  Simon was mentally strategizing, trying to figure out the best way to go after Novis. As tempting as it was to just charge and knock him over, Novis would expect that, which was why he’d changed his stance. Novis had centuries of fighting on her that would make it difficult to execute any maneuver without him knowing the right countermove.

  Ella flashed to the opposite side and struck him with a quick blow to the back of his jaw. Novis swung his fist and made contact with Ella’s eye. This time the fight was brutal. The punches were direct, the moves savage, and no one held back. Ella weaved left and right, dodging every swing and returning each strike. When Novis tried to use his long fingers to wrap around her wrists, she would twist out of his grasp and use nails, teeth, and knuckles to fight back.

  Simon’s heart raced. “Come on, you can do this. Stay focused.”

  “Don’t waste your breath,” Hannah said.

  He glared to his right. “Put a cork in it, wench. If she fails, it’s your fault.”

  “And I suppose if she wins, you’ll take credit?”

  He didn’t dignify that with an answer.

  Of course he would.

  Novis reached for Ella again, but she spun out of his grasp. In a motion too fast to track, she vanished and reappeared behind him. Ella hugged his waist, dropped to her knees, and then…

  “Oh my God!” Silver exclaimed in a burst of laughter.

  Justus shielded his eyes with one hand.

  Ella had pulled down Novis’s pants in front of the Council and all the witnesses. His cheeks bloomed red, and before he could react, she reached between his legs, grabbed the dagger, and slid it up until the edge met with his testicles.

  Simon smirked, knowing where she’d learned that move.


  Novis lowered his head and laughed silently. “I concede defeat.”

  When she stepped back, he bent down and pulled up his pants. After everyone’s chuckles died down, Novis turned to face Ella, and she offered him the dagger, holding it by the blade.

  He took the knife and cocked his head to the side. “Why didn’t you go through with it?”

  “I don’t have a death wish.”

  “You caught me off guard. You had time to put it in my chest.”

  She gave him a coy smile and averted her eyes. “It’s a nice shirt.”

  Ella played a good game and had made her point. Even though Novis had set the rules, she didn’t want to risk getting on his bad side. The win was implied without taking it all the way.

  Novis buttoned his pants and then raked back his hair. “I think I’ve seen enough.”

  Simon took a few steps forward, and Ella joined his side.

  Sasha rolled her eyes, whispering something to Samuel. Novis joined their huddle, and they conversed for a few moments.

  Ella’s voice entered Simon’s mind when she touched his hand. What do you think they’re going to do with me? Maybe I should have done what he asked. I’d already embarrassed him enough. I had to end it that way.

  Simon glanced down at her. Why?

  She kept staring straight ahead. If that had been a real fight, I would have cut off his balls and finished the job, but I can’t do that with a Councilman. That’s the kind of thing that bruises a man’s ego.

  Simon snorted and quickly swung his gaze up at the stars when Novis looked back at him.

  If I’d reached around or tried to move in front of him to put the knife in his chest, he would have taken me down. He knows it, and maybe he’s going to think that’s what I would do in a real fight. Stupid, stupid, she said, chastising herself.

  Or well played, he replied. Let’s find out.

  Simon broke contact and played with the zipper on his coat. He glanced over his left shoulder and noticed Logan had his back turned to everyone. Chitahs had a problem with watching a woman get hurt, and if he’d actually had to turn around, that meant he must have been close to flipping his switch and going primal.