I have mild claustrophobia, but I wasn’t going to admit it. I could handle this.
“You okay?” She glanced over her shoulder.
“Yes. Fine.” I felt like I was overheating, and I wanted to sit down, but I could make it to wherever we were going.
“You sure?” She squinted to get a better look at my face in the low light.
“Yup.”
“Ok. It opens up a lot more soon.”
“Can you read my thoughts?” How did she know I was concerned with how narrow the passage was?
“No, but your feelings kind of jump out at me.”
“Is that normal?”
“Not normal exactly, but not alarming. My abilities are mostly tied to the elements, but I’ve found some other weird ones over the years.”
“Glad to be part of another weird one.”
She frowned. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I know. I was only kidding.”
“You have his humor too.”
“Huh?”
“James. He has this sarcastic sense of humor I didn’t get at all when I first met him.”
“He definitely has that humor.” I watched the flickering flame of one of the sconces. “How did you do that with the fire?” I was still trying to understand how it was possible, even though I knew it was magic.
“The fire is easy since there was still the remnants buried inside from the last time it was lit.” She continued walking. “I’m not sure if you’ll find this as cool as I do, but I wanted to show you.”
“Where are we going exactly?” All I could see were gray stone walls. The sconces provided some light, but the dimly lit passage was nothing like what I was used to back home.
“You’ll see soon.”
The path sloped down. “Are we going down to the basement or something?”
“Kind of.”
“Kind of?” There was no kind of. Either you were doing something or you weren’t.
“It’s just above the cellar.”
“Okay.” Just above was better than inside.
“I found this room by accident, and I’ve gone back a lot.”
“Does Liam know about it?” I got this strange feeling Charlotte wasn’t really supposed to be taking me wherever we were going.
“No. He gives me my spaces.”
“But what if you got stuck down here?” I couldn’t help and wonder as we continued down. Maybe calling my claustrophobia mild was inappropriate. My chest tightened and my breathing got labored.
Charlotte spun around. “We won’t get stuck.” She put her hands on either side of my face.
I was enveloped in a comforting warmth followed by calmness, and then I let out a deep breath. “Wow.”
She smiled. “Works fast, huh?”
“That’s crazy.”
“One of the perks of who I am.”
“Was it hard to learn?”
“I learned a lot of it naturally, but I am learning more every day. I tend to focus on the healing arts the most. They come to me naturally.”
“You’re good at it.” I felt amazing.
“I heard you went to the spring.”
“You know everything.” I laughed. Now that the walls no longer felt like they were closing in I was ready to laugh.
“Not really. Samantha told me.”
“Or that.”
She turned and started down the still sloping stone floor again. “You should be fine now, but tell me if you start feeling sick again.”
“I will, thanks.” The walk could take forever for all I cared. I’d gone from ready to pass out to ready to take on the world.
“No problem.”
We continued farther and farther down until Charlotte stopped suddenly. She touched the wall with one hand and closed her eyes.
I watched in amazement as the wall opened up. She stepped through it without opening her eyes, and I followed.
She touched a sconce and lit up the large room in the same way she’d lit up the hallway.
We stepped through into a room that looked like a mix of a laboratory and a library. There were two large tables each piled with books, plants, and strange liquids. There were several large bookcases lining one wall. Multiple shelves on the bookcases were covered in a visible layer of dust.
Charlotte spun around. “I found this place a few years ago. I think my great-great-great-great grandmother started the collection here.”
“Is the Essence always in your family?”
She nodded. “Yup. It skips generations a lot.”
“Yeah I heard about the slow aging thing…”
“Can I trust you with a secret?” Her eyes locked on mine.
“Yes,” I answered immediately. I’d keep any secret she wanted me to keep. I still owed her for getting rid of my panic attack.
“I have a plan.”
“What kind of plan?”
She touched her stomach. “To make sure this baby lives as long as I do.”
“Uh… is that possible?” Samantha had made it sound unlikely.
“Normally no, but I think I know how.”
“How to give someone eternal life?”
“It’s not eternal. No life truly lasts forever.” She walked around to the far side of one of the tables.
“Then what is it?”
She looked at the solid stone wall. I assumed she knew how to open it again. “There is a flower that only grows in one place in Energo. The extracts from it are said to give longevity, but they are heavily guarded by creatures that live longer than any Essence.
“Uh, what kind of creatures?”
“They’re dangerous, but then again so am I.” She grinned.
“But you’re pregnant. Don’t do anything stupid.” Maybe I shouldn’t have been talking so freely with her, but she was emotional, and emotions can make people do less than intelligent things.
“I’m being careful.”
“Yet, Liam and no one else on your Guard knows about it?” It wasn’t actually a question. My feeling on the walk down had been correct. Charlotte had her secrets.
“Nope. Liam would never let me try this, and the others will have to report to him.”
“Even James? He doesn’t seem like the type to report.” I couldn’t imagine him listening or reporting to anyone else even. He was so independent and strong-willed.
“I’ve considered asking him for help.”
“And?” I waited.
“What do you think?”
“About asking him?”
“Yes.” She folded her hands and rested them on the table.
“I say yes. You don’t want to do something without thinking through every possibility, and he might give advice.” And he cared about Charlotte. He’d protect her. His protective side was as big as his strong-willed one. They seemed to go hand-in-hand.
“You have to understand though, right?” Her face fell. “Or maybe not. I probably wouldn’t have understood before I was pregnant.”
“Understand your desire to give your child a longer life?”
“Yes.” She watched me with bright blue eyes. They were the kind of blue that seemed unreal, and they were at least several shades darker than my own.
“I understand it, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth putting yourself and your unborn child at risk. Also have you thought about the effect the extract could have on the baby? Side effects?”
“I’ll know. I can sense things.”
She was confident, and maybe it was appropriate confidence, but there were also limits.
“Maybe I can help you.” I wasn’t going to let her do something crazy on her own. Hopefully we’d be able to get James’ help too.
“Your company helps.”
“What’s next in your plan?” I dug for details.
“Sneaking past these creatures seems like the riskier option. I am going to barter.”
“Barter with what?”
“I’m not sure, but I have access to plenty of things the
y might want.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“What about the plan isn’t?” She sighed. “But I have no choice. I can’t have a baby knowing I’ll outlive her.”
“Her? Do you know what you are having?”
“I can feel it.” She spoke in barely a whisper.
“I guess you’ll know for sure in a few months.”
She touched her stomach again. “I already know.”
“Did you bring me here so we could talk in private, or was there another reason?”
“There was another reason. You asked about the kindred.”
“Yes, I did.” At the mention of the word I thought of James again. Would he worry when he couldn’t find me in the castle? Maybe he was still in his meeting with Liam.
“First tell me what you know.”
“Just that it’s a bond thing with a Guardian and someone else. I know about the aging link and everything.”
“And do you know why someone would be selected as a kindred?”
“They’re a good match for the person?” That was all I’d been able to come up with so far.
“Yes, but it’s more than that. There’s more than one person who would make James a good match.” There was something weighted about her response.
“We weren’t talking about James. We were talking more in general.”
“We were talking about James.”
“I’m not trying to hurt him.” I got defensive without meaning to, but I didn’t like the way she was watching me.
“I know you’re not, but I also know you have to be more than you think you are.”
“What do you mean? We already discussed this before, and we agreed to disagree.”
“I would know if you were trying to trick me. You’re not. You truly have no understanding of why you were selected.”
“Then what are you implying?”
“That there’s more going on here than you think.”
“Could you spell this out? I’m not quite catching your drift.”
“The Source always has a reason for doing things.”
“You guys keep talking about the Source.”
“Everything that happens here starts with the Source. It’s why I’m Essence, and it’s why you’re somehow James’ kindred. What I don’t understand yet is why.”
I need James. A need inside me roared its head. “Do you think we should head back up soon?”
“Are you in a rush?”
“Not really.”
“Great, then let’s start with the basics.” She gestured for me to take a seat at the table.
I pulled out a chair and waited for her to sit, but she didn’t. Instead she walked around behind me and put her hands on my shoulders.
“I’ve never tried to do this with anyone who wasn’t in my Guard, but you’re James’ kindred, so I have faith it will work.”
“What are you doing exactly?”
She didn’t answer.
“It won’t work.” She walked around to the other side. “Sorry.”
“What were you trying to do?”
“Show you everything I know about kindreds. I thought it would work.”
“Oh. Well, I’m not on your Guard so maybe it works differently.”
“I’ll have to try it on Samantha.”
“Good idea.” I need him. The thoughts came back to me. I wanted his touch. His taste. I blinked a few times. These thoughts were inappropriate for the situation I was in. I’d just seen him, and I would see him again soon.
“Are you feeling ill again?”
“No. That was in the passage.”
“But you’re sweating.”
I ran a hand over my forehead. I was.
“Yeah, I am. Strange.”
She put a hand on my forehead. “You’ve got an elevated temperature.”
“A fever?”
“Yes, but that makes no sense.” Her brows scrunched together.
“Maybe I need to get some sleep or something.”
“What were you thinking about?”
“What do you mean?”
“Right before you started to sweat more I could tell you were thinking about something seriously.”
“James.” His name slid off my tongue.
“And that upset you somehow?”
“I miss him I guess.”
“But you just saw him this morning.”
“Yeah… is this normal for a kindred?” I hoped it was. Otherwise I was entering into the obsession zone, and I wasn’t okay with that.
“Not usually. I can’t stand being without my Gerard for extended periods of time, but not mere hours…”
The spot with the mark throbbed. I pressed down on it.
“What are you doing?” She watched me.
“Nothing.”
“What is under there?” She gestured to my hand.
“The mark.”
“What mark?” She sat down on the edge of the table next to me.
“The one I got from being James’ kindred.”
“You shouldn’t have a mark.” She paled.
“What?” My stomach churned, and I needed James.
“Let me see.”
I shook my head remembering how James said to keep it private.
“Please, I trusted you, you can trust me.”
I looked into her eyes. There was nothing malicious there. “You promise?”
She nodded. I tugged down on the fabric. “You can’t see it, but you can feel it.”
Charlotte’s hand felt hot as she ran her fingers over it. “An M.”
“Yeah, for Mendel.”
“And when did that show up?’
“I noticed it this morning.”
“And you guys, you know… last night?” She fiddled with her hands in her lap.
“Yeah.” I looked down at my lap.
“And James noticed the mark?”
“He noticed it first.”
“And he wasn’t concerned?” She reached out and touched it again.
“No. He assured me it wasn’t intentional and no one else would see it. I was mad, but then I wasn’t.”
I tried to fan myself with my hand. It was getting hotter and hotter.
“You don’t look good.” She squeezed my hand. “I don’t like this.”
“Maybe I really do need to lie down.” The room started to spin. “Or could you do that thing again?”
She put her hands on my cheeks. “Are you trying to block me out?”
“No. Of course not. I want you to make it go away.”
“It’s like something’s blocking me all of a sudden.”
“I’m not doing anything.”
“Ok, we need to find James.”
“Why?” I wanted to find him too, but I wondered why she was changing her mind so quickly.
“Because he has some explaining to do.” She took my hand and pulled me toward the stone wall. She closed her eyes and touched it. The wall once again disappeared.
The walk up was much longer than the walk down. The claustrophobia was nothing compared to the tightening around my abdomen and chest.
“Ainsley?” Charlotte turned around. “Are you still with me?”
I nodded. Speaking was out of the question. Need him. We had to make it to James, then everything would be ok. It was him I needed. Nothing else mattered.
I closed my eyes and let Charlotte lead me back upstairs.
“Sit here. I’ll find him.” She helped me into a chair before dashing out of the room.
6
James
“James!” Charlotte’s voice echoed off the stone walls of the castle.
I hurried down the corridor, certain if she was calling for me and not Liam it had to do with Ainsley.
I found Charlotte standing in the doorway of the library.
“What did you do to her?” Charlotte’s eyes blazed.
“What do you mean?” I pushed past her into the library. I fell to my knees in front of the chair whe
re Ainsley sat slumped over. She was pale and her eyes were glazed over. “Ainsley?” I took her hand in my own.
“James,” she whispered my name.
“What happened?” I looked over my shoulder at Charlotte.
“You tell me. What is this?” Charlotte touched the area over Ainsley’s mark.
“She showed you?”
“Yes, only after I promised to keep it quiet. I was worried about her, and that’s why I am asking you about it now. She’s sick.”
“I see that.” I ran my hand through Ainsley’s damp hair.
“She’s sick, and I can’t fix her.” Charlotte kneeled down beside me.
“What do you mean you can’t fix her?” Panic filled me. Charlotte could heal anyone. She was incredible at it. “I know you are tired, but please try.”
“I tried. It makes no sense. Less than a half-hour before I could, but then suddenly my healing powers were useless on her.” She reached out and touched Ainsley’s face. “I’m being blocked.”
“Blocked how?”
“Blocked in that I can’t do anything. It’s like there’s a huge metal wall between us.”
“Metal?” She hadn’t chosen that description offhandedly. Metal was the only kind of wall she couldn’t break through.
“Yes.” Charlotte touched my shoulder. “Which means you need to level with me. What is that mark?”
“Did it hurt you to try?”
“No. It took some energy, but it didn’t hurt. That doesn’t mean you can avoid my question.”
Ainsley moaned lightly. “Do you think I could go lie down?”
My father’s words echoed through my head. The poison already runs through her veins.
“Of course you can. I will take you home.”
“Home?” Charlotte shook her head. “She isn’t safe in Charleston.”
“My house. That’s her home now.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” Charlotte took my hand in hers. “You’re hiding something, and I don’t care what it is or what you’ve done. If it can help Ainsley, you need to tell me.”
“Right now I need to get Ainsley home. We can talk later. We have a lot to talk about.”
“More than why Ainsley has your family mark on her?”
“I didn’t put it there.”
“Obviously not. I know that.”
“Then you need to trust me. I have this under control. We can talk later.”
Forged in Ice Page 4