Entangled Darkness

by Brandy L Rivers

  One tiny bit of hope swirled through her. “You swear my child won’t have to suffer as Tremaine or I did?”

  “He’ll have other trials, but he will never bear the pain either of you carried.”

  “How am I supposed to trust you?” Liz turned to Robert. “Can we go?” She gazed at Tremaine. “Please.”

  “Until you decide, be careful, Liz. All of you.”

  Liz glared at Draecyn. “Were you really stuck in that rift?”

  He nodded. “If I could have come to you, I would have. Once you learned the truth, there was nothing that would have kept me from being there if you wanted me in your life.”

  “And if I can’t forgive you now for keeping me at a distance?”

  “Protecting you was worth the risk. At least Amalie is getting to know you.” A tear trailed down his cheek. “If I had known where you were sooner, I would have found a way to protect you better. I moved as fast as I could, knowing I had to remain a secret.”

  “I need to think. You’ve had years to decide what to do. I found you, lost you, and thought you were dead. Now you’re standing before me, telling me you wish things were different, but that’s not good enough. I don’t know what to think, or who to trust. I need time.”

  She reached for Robert, who took her hand.

  Tremaine wrapped his arm around Liz and took Robert’s shoulder. He nodded at Draecyn and Ceridwen. “We’ll be in touch.”

  Chapter 19

  Draecyn stood in the room, heartbroken. Robert had taken the book. He could only pray they would find the answers they needed to come back and talk to him.

  As always, the secrets threatened to tear him apart. He never could share it with Amalie. That alone, always twisted him in knots. He left to save her from the heartache that would only come if they had another child.

  “You could tell her,” Ceri told him.

  He turned to her. “Who?”

  “Amalie. She should know. Someone needs to take the mantle for the druids, and who better than the woman who should have been there all along?”

  “Liz has her stubbornness. Why not bring her in years ago instead of forcing me to keep secrets.”

  “I wasn’t completely sure how she would recover after losing her child. I never imagined she would handle it as well as she did.”

  “Did you know from the beginning we would lose our daughter?”

  Ceri shook her head. “Yes, but I can’t always predict all the moves of all the players. Free will often keeps me from accurately figuring every outcome, but I do get most things right, and I am often capable of repairing the damage through other means when I can’t.”

  “Is Liz right? Could you have saved her?” Draecyn asked.

  She drew a slow breath. “Not without changing all of our paths drastically. As soon as I learned where they held her, I went to her and sent you word. I couldn’t remove her without blowing my own cover. Sinclair was far enough outside of the whole ordeal that I was able to keep my identity a secret. If the HARP’s core ever learned of my whereabouts, they would have taken me in the same way they have taken many of the other mystics from my world.”

  “Can we protect them if they don’t come to us?”

  “They will. Give them time. I can’t say for sure how long it will take. They are all rightfully hurt by our secrets, but in time, they will understand. I just hope they choose to bring Preston and Christian with them. Emily should be safe, only because she’s a healer who doesn’t show outward signs of being a mystic. Once she heals from her twin’s torment, she’ll be able to learn.”

  “Did you know what James was doing to her?” Draecyn asked bitterly.

  “My focus was on Elizandra at the time. I felt her pain so acutely it drowned out Emily’s suffering, and everything that caused James to become so twisted. Perhaps if I had been with them from the beginning, I could have done something more. I can only do so much. I cannot carry the burden of guilt for something I was too late to prevent.”

  “What guilt do you carry?”

  “So much, Draecyn. So much. You know the stories. I tried to do a lot, and people blindly followed because of what I’m supposed to be in their minds. However, I’m not that different from anyone else in this realm. I want to help, but I can’t solve everything. Soon after the Silver Council was created, I learned it was better to hide who I was and allow everyone to make their own decisions. I’m no god and never wanted to be worshipped as one, but you’ve seen how crazy the zealots can be.”

  “There are still so many mages who pray to you. Tremaine was one, thanks to his mother.”

  She sneered. “His mother was weak. He deserved a better life than he had, but she couldn’t break out of her family’s prejudiced mold to follow her heart and go to a man who would have treated her like she truly deserved.”

  Draecyn nodded. He had tried many times to convince her the druids would provide a better home. The woman refused to believe.

  Druids were accepting of nearly everyone. Mages were the ones with a problem. Part of their fear of Rift Benders and other mage hybrids all started because they didn’t want to admit that mages weren’t the strongest casters.

  Somewhere along the way, mages took an elitist attitude and alienated the rest of the Others, especially anyone half-blooded. That’s why the mystics who wanted to bring back their old world gained momentum and formed HARP.

  Drastic changes needed to be made, but it meant a lot of things had to happen. Mages, as a whole, needed to learn to accept the world is big enough for everyone. They needed to let go of the inane notion that they were better than anyone else.

  Ceridwen stepped in front of him with her hands on her hips. “Draecyn, are you even paying attention at this point?”

  “I’m sorry. My thoughts are running away with me.”

  She sighed heavily. “You need to be the one to talk to Amalie.”

  “She has no reason to see me, let alone listen to me.”

  “I’m urging you to tell her everything. All of it. You need to be the one to tell her.”

  “If she’ll see me.”

  “Foolish man, listen to me. She will see you. She will talk to you. Stop doubting my words and go to her.”

  “Not sure how much telling I’ll do. More like falling at her feet and begging for forgiveness. I did watch Robert’s world crumble after Elizandra left. They managed to mend their broken relationship. Perhaps there is hope after all.”

  Ceri smiled fondly. “As I’ve told you all along, trust your heart. Now rest. Drink the tonic I left in your room. It should mend you the rest of the way. Then sleep. Tomorrow, I’ll find a way to either bring you to Amalie or her to you, depending on how long it takes Liz and Tremaine to accept what we’ve told them.”

  “You’re sure they will?”

  “I can’t fathom another outcome. However, you can’t blame them for taking time to come to us. Eventually, one of HARP’s minions will find someone close to them and set events in motion.”

  “I worry about their nephew. Christian is certainly an innocent. He barely knows what he is.”

  “Ah, but soon he’ll have guidance. I look forward to the challenge of training a new mystic.”

  Chapter 20

  Robert watched as Liz stormed to the window to stare outside. She wiped at her face and wrapped her arms tight around herself.

  He tossed the book onto the counter. No one stopped him from taking it, and Draecyn watched with vague curiosity. They needed answers, ones apparently in that book. It only made sense that they attempt to piece together the facts and make a decision.

  The truth could wait. Liz was beyond hiding her emotions and clearly trying to hold back a meltdown.

  Robert took her into his arms. “Tell me how to help.”

  Tremaine joined them and gripped Robert’s shoulder but offered no advice. They’d been given too much information to easily take in.

  Liz’s brow pinched as she closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. When she opened
them, she snorted. “How could Wilhelm not tell you what he was? Or explain about being part of some secret organization? I don’t understand.”

  “Wasn’t our time.” It sounded lame to his own ears. He wasn’t any closer to understanding anything they’d learned.

  Tremaine slumped onto the bed. “I got nothing. I don’t get how they could keep so much from any of us. Wilhelm was my closest friend, and he kept as many secrets as Draecyn. Only difference, I knew Draecyn was holding back.” He stood and paced the room. “I can’t understand.”

  “Yeah, neither can I.” Robert’s father wasn’t the man he believed. That memory made more sense. “I never questioned what that man in the woods shouted. I was only five.”

  “What are you talking about?” Liz asked, turning to him.

  “You know how I’ve always been afraid of storms?”

  Liz moved back to him and took his hands. “Yeah. I gave up asking. You never answered.”

  Tremaine watched him cautiously. “He never told me either.”

  Robert sighed. “I was five. It wasn’t long after Emily and James were born. Father took me camping.” Robert shifted side to side and shrugged. “The storm woke me up. Father told me to run. I started to, but then I went back. A man had attacked my father. The storm came with him.”

  “When you were five? That was shortly before I was sent to HARP.”

  Liz nodded, crossing the room to both her men. It was after I was abducted. Maybe Draecyn was trying to prevent more of their children from being taken.”

  “What would they want with mystics?” Liz asked.

  “When they’re powerful enough, they can travel anywhere at any time.”

  “Time travel?” Robert shook his head in disbelief.

  “Theoretically. Though I do know Old Lady Murdock will caution against using it without it being completely necessary.” Tremaine snorted.

  Robert caught Tremaine’s face and looked deep into his eyes. “Worried I might take us back to before James tore everything from Liz?”

  One corner of Tremaine’s lips quirked up. “No, because then you wouldn’t have me, or our baby now.”

  “I told you. I can’t live without you in my life.”

  Liz took their hands and leaned against Robert. “Can’t have one without the other.”

  “Agreed, Love.” He met Tremaine’s gaze. “We’re whole together.”

  Tremaine caressed her face. “Neither of us is letting you go, or each other.”

  “So what do we do about Draecyn and Ms. Murdock?” Liz asked.

  “You’re the one most upset. You tell us,” Robert asked.

  Liz smirked at him and then Tremaine. “I was hoping you two could talk some sense into me. Convince me one way or another what I should do. Part of me wants to hug Draecyn, and the other part wants to punch him and Ms. Murdock. What’s the right decision? How do I forgive him? It sounds as if they have legitimate reasons, but it still tears me up knowing how much could be different, better.”

  “Do you want it different?” Robert asked softly.

  “No. That’s not it. They knew and let me go through hell. I would never change where we landed, but how do you let your child go through the shit I went through when you could have prevented it?”

  Robert shook his head slowly. “They seem knowledgeable about a lot of things. Maybe he knew what would happen if he came for you or told Amalie about you when you were young.”

  “Probably.”

  Tremaine sighed. “I’m sure that’s why. He searched for you for a year, Liz. He did everything in his power to keep searching before he finally broke down, sending Amalie away. All because he believed he was a failure.”

  “He didn’t even try to be my father after that.”

  “I’m not suggesting it was right. I’m simply saying that he knew there were greater risks, especially if he was part of the Branches of Emrys.”

  Liz glanced at the book. “Wilhelm was often mentioned. So was Branches of Emrys. I think the book was meant to introduce us to everything. I’m not even sure I want to look at it now.”

  Robert let out a strained laugh. “Yeah, well, I’m having just as much trouble with this. My father never told me what I was. I became an enforcer. I must have been such a disappointment.”

  “Don’t do that. You were never a disappointment to Wilhelm. He was very proud of all you accomplished. And maybe it was the same as Draecyn not telling me. Think about it. Maybe in your position, it was better you not know until later.”

  Robert shook his head. “I wanted to make him proud. I strived to do everything I could to prove myself to him. He never told me about any of this. Maybe I wasn’t good enough.”

  “You were. He wanted to protect you. Wilhelm couldn’t translocate as you can. Maybe he worried if anyone found out about your abilities, you would be at even greater risk.”

  “It never sat well with me that he died of natural causes. My mother wasn’t as powerful, and her magic couldn’t sustain her.” He shook his head. “My father, even if he stopped casting to pass with her, deteriorated far too fast.”

  “Maybe Draecyn has answers,” Liz suggested.

  “Or Ms. Murdock.” Tremaine half-laughed. “Ceridwen Mystra, and she’s still around. I don’t know if I take that as a good thing or bad. Why is she still attempting to help if she doesn’t really do anything significant enough to affect change?”

  “HARP cropped up within a decade of the Silver Council starting. All because of disagreements between the mages and the hybrids.”

  “What?” Tremaine asked with caution.

  Robert smoothed his hands down his front. “In the documents and books you gave me, there are some early cases. They date back to nearly the beginning of the Silver Council. By then mages were sliding into an elitist thought pattern and shunning hybrids, which were more common back then.”

  “They were?” Tremaine shook his head. “I didn’t see anything that jumped out at me when I went through those files. Details, at the time, hardly seemed important.”

  Robert nodded. “Makes sense Ceridwen would notice a pattern with her involvement. Explains why she would fade away and help from the sidelines. That’s why Merlin so famously disappeared. Though if Maverick is Merlin, and he’s still around, just under an assumed name—”

  “Only, they said he was well and truly captured this time,” Liz pointed out. “Maybe that’s why they need us. Maybe he’s trapped somewhere only Rift Benders can get to.”

  “If Ms. Murdock wanted us to do that, I would imagine she would have had us release him much sooner.”

  “Unless there was a reason to keep all of this from us for the time.”

  Robert took her arm. “If she’s thousands of years old, she’s mastered patience. Until we get answers from them, if we can, we shouldn’t agree to anything. Still, I’m curious to know more about mystics and what else I can do.”

  Tremaine smirked. “Translocation is one. Though you have an advantage. You’re able to take people with you. True mystics cannot. It’s one of those skills mages sometimes have. Then again, if they’ve been here all along, maybe all the translocating mages are part mystic.”

  “Maybe.” Robert rubbed at his face. “It is a rare talent. And if they’ve been having children with us all along, it makes sense.”

  “Shit, Christian,” Liz stated, her eyes going round. “If you’re a target for being a mystic, so is he. We need to talk to him.”

  “Who would he tell?” Tremaine asked. “He’s not big on chatting about his visions or anything of that nature.”

  “No, but there are people around here who might know. He may have asked for advice. I know it’s been mentioned a couple times to other people. He may have gone to someone not so close to him to get unbiased advice.”

  Robert gripped his own shoulder. “I can’t imagine him talking to anyone besides Delilah.”

  Liz shook her head. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean someone hasn’t overheard the conversation.
He needs to only talk about it at home, with Delilah or one of us, from now on.”

  “She has a point,” Tremaine agreed. “All we have to say is that HARP is looking for mystics, and talking about it anywhere there might be someone to overhear is bad.”

  “We should speak to him first before we talk to Old Lady Murdock. I need a day to process. That’s it. We can confront her shortly after.”

  “Sure you’ll be ready?” Tremaine asked, doubt written on his face. “Liz, you cut them both deep, and I’m not saying you were wrong, but you were a bit harsh.”

  “They hurt me. You. Robert. All of us… by keeping secrets. And fine, maybe they had a good reason to, but I’m human too, and finding out your life is full of even more lies hurts. Doesn’t it?” she asked Tremaine.

  “It does. But we need answers, and I don’t think we’re going to find them in a journal. Not enough anyway. Let’s check on Christian and tell him to be careful, then we can talk to Draecyn and Ms. Murdock.”

  “Can we wait until tomorrow? Sleep on it?”

  Robert nodded, though he was tempted to take them back and demand answers. Of course, Liz wasn’t ready, and she seemed to be taking the news the hardest.

  * * * *

  Tremaine, Robert, and Liz appeared in the bookshop. A feminine gasp made Tremaine chuckle. Christian ducked around the bookshelf with a blush on his face. Delilah followed close behind wearing a sheepish grin.

  They all knew Delilah came in to flirt and make sure an old frenemy left her mate alone. Being a werewolf, she obviously sensed their arrival.

  Seeing the two, young and in love, put a smile on Tremaine’s face. Christian’s visions and empathy often made him seem awkward. His gifts tended to make most people nervous. However, Delilah had never been the least bit bothered by them.

  Tremaine had never expected to find love, much less with two people. Watching too many relationships crash and burn, or start off toxic and only grow worse, had killed his hope of finding love. Witnessing a handful stand the test of time, infused his faith in the future.