by Brea Viragh
She refused to think of herself in terms of being the key. Years of being a magical mistake made it hard to think otherwise. If anyone were the Harbinger witch, it was her brother. It made sense. The Claddium had seized him for a reason.
An itch began along the back of her neck like ants crawling under her skin. The crystals near the front door flared to life in a warning. She didn’t need to see them to know. Someone was outside. Could be anyone. Door-to-door salesman. Pizza delivery at the wrong address. Maybe even one of her sisters. The gems gave her no clue, only an alert.
She let her gaze drift around as if checking to make sure nothing incriminating was out in the open. On second thought, she gathered her research books from the coffee table and quickly slid them under the couch.
Padding down the hallway, she wondered who it could possibly be. A part of her—a part larger than she wanted to admit—hoped it was Leo.
Her surprise could have drowned a blue whale when she opened to door to see Orestes Voltaire standing in apparent wait mode, the tip of one polished loafer tapping impatiently on the stoop.
Oh, shit. And why hadn’t her gems alerted her to the real danger there? This wasn’t just some innocent visitor.
Astix pushed down the wave of terror and tried to ignore every instinct begging her to run. Adrenaline thickened in her veins, fingers tingling. “What are you doing here?” she asked cautiously.
Not just the local head of the Earth elementals, but also Leo’s father. The similarities were immediately apparent, in the set of the shoulders and the gold of the hair, but with Orestes it was tempered by age and bitterness.
Orestes gave a slight bend at the waist that could have passed for a bow in better company. He kept his eyes trained on her the entire time and saw the way she trembled. The way she shifted her balance on her feet as she tried not to bolt in the opposite direction.
“Miss Cavaldi. At last we meet in person.” His voice rolled over her in a saccharine-sweet way, oozing false sincerity in a tone only used by royalty and con artists. “It is a pleasure, I must say.”
“Somehow I doubt it.”
Backing away would do no good. There was nowhere to run where Orestes could not find her. The fact that he watched her now, from the doorway of her own home, was beyond imagining. This was worse than the crows. This was certain imprisonment staring her in the face. Could she conjure enough magic to stun him and get away?
Hs eyes narrowed, as if he’d read her thoughts. He gestured behind him with a sweep of his hand and offered a greasy smile. “If you would please come with me. A beautiful afternoon awaits and there are things to discuss. Grab your coat.”
Astix shook her head adamantly, pieces of hair falling across her eyes. Her fingers tightened on the wooden frame as her body refused to move. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“I beg to differ. And I’m not inclined to wait.”
“I’m not inclined to humor men with a bloated sense of entitlement.”
The doorframe became gelatin as her fingers sank in deep and loosened her grasp. The floor beneath her feet bucked, throwing her off balance and forward. His arm looped around her shoulders and pulled her close before she had a chance to run.
“Now, see? There’s nothing to worry about. We have several things to discuss, you and I. Important things.”
He smelled of mint, fresh and insidious. The scent wound through her senses and lightened her head, sending her mind skyward. Judgment clouded, she let him lead her away without so much as a word of protest. Her blood turned cold and any kind of power she had was frozen. Along with her arms. She’d forgotten her coat. In January.
Run. Move. Please, move.
Astix spared a glance at his face. Although lines spread out from the corners of his ice-blue gaze, the rest of his face remained immutable. His age may have been anywhere between early forties and late fifties. The stern set of his mouth dissuaded conversation until he was ready to initiate it.
He made an imposing picture as well as the embodiment of her worst nightmare. Having him show up at her door was bad enough. Having him lead her down the street, alone, was worse. Bands tightened around her chest and head until it became hard to draw air. Why wasn’t someone stopping them?
Together they walked in silence away from her house. Several blocks over, a little public park ran wild, untended for lack of funds. Astix prayed Orestes turned left, away from the privacy, toward civilization and witnesses. Instead, he turned right and the dense trees seemed to grow taller. They loomed ahead with naked branches that looked sinister.
Orestes eased her along until a decrepit picnic bench and table came into view. “Please sit, my dear.” He released her, the motion so abrupt it had Astix stumbling into the rotting wood. “We have much to discuss. This is quite a day for me. I’ve watched you for years but this will be the first time we’ve sat down face to face.”
The soft lumber gave way as she strove to right herself. He’d been watching her? It made her skin crawl. “What do you want with me?” she asked, surprised when her voice held steady. “I’m assuming this isn’t a social visit?”
Orestes considered her. He was dressed casually, not at all what she’d expected. Khakis and a green polo shirt beneath a black jacket were at stark odds with the fierceness of his person. It almost looked as though he’d borrowed the outfit from someone else. His son, perhaps.
“There’s always an ulterior motive. Good to know you have enough sense to recognize it.” Orestes straightened his back and moved to sit across from her.
It was only then Astix noticed that his feet made no sound when he moved.
“Tell me why you’re here.” Astix scooted down the bench despite the threat of splinters, all to put distance between her and this man. “I was certain you’d have bodyguards.”
“The eyes are there, my dear. All around us, in fact. What surprises me is that you haven’t taken the time to pinpoint their location. Your lax attention may be your downfall yet,” Orestes stated. “Let me cut to the chase. You have occupied my mind more than a person of your stature warrants.”
She couldn’t help bristling a little at that. “Because of my father’s magic.”
He did not deny her words. Instead, Orestes turned slightly, leaning close as if they were two friends sharing a particularly juicy piece of gossip. “There has never been a woman like you. In my opinion, there may never be again,” Orestes told her. “That intrigues me greatly. You understand, of course.”
“If you try to take me, I’ll fight. I won’t spend the rest of my life in the Vault.” Astix loosed the reins on her darkest fears. She felt the hot burn of moisture behind her eyes and told herself to get it together. No good could come of crying, especially not in front of a man like Orestes. “I won’t let you dissect me or keep me in a cage.”
“I have all the information I desire on you, so no, I will not need you to decorate the halls of my house from behind iron bars. Thank you for the wonderful visual.” His face contradicted the encouraging words as he sent her a quelling look. “Now, while I appreciate your willingness to hear me out—”
“There’s nothing willing about it.”
“—you will kindly sit here without attempting to flee while we have our discussion.”
There was nothing she wanted less than to be seated and have a conversation with the infamous Claddium leader. Astix could literally think of ten other horrible things to have happen to her, any of which were preferable. Root canals and broken toes came to mind. Maybe bamboo shoots under her fingernails. Physical pain versus emotional torture…she’d take it.
“We have been watching you. We’ve seen what you do. We see what you can do, what you haven’t dreamed possible of yourself.”
“Let me guess. You’re here to talk to me about the eclipse. The…” She couldn’t quite bring herself to say the word. The Harbinger.
Her brother.
Orestes inclined his head but neither agreed nor disagreed. “I’m here t
o see where you stand. And to tell you to keep away from my son.”
She scoffed. “I have no designs on your bouncing baby boy.”
“A lie, from what I’ve noticed. I will tell you right now, between us, Leo needs to focus, to stay true to the course. He has a bright future ahead of him.”
Glass surely shattered under his intense gaze. No wonder Orestes had risen to his position of power at a younger age than most. Power crackled off him in charged particles.
“Leo is an amazing man,” she heard herself say.
“Indeed he is. And it is women like you who have caused the downfall of many amazing men.”
Women like her, as though she were a worm or a snake. Not a real person with real feelings.
“At this stage of his life and career, the last thing he needs is to be swayed by a pretty face and a nice figure. A pretty package, but one that hides the worst disgrace of magic seen in our community in centuries.”
She couldn’t control a tiny smirk. “If you really thought this, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” His bringing up Leo had the opposite effect on her. Instead of taking the threat to heart, it just pissed her off. “You want something from me. Don’t try to deny it.”
“What could I possibly want from you?”
“Information. It’s what you trade in, right? You have a lot of nerve coming here, pointing your greasy finger in my face and threatening me when you have my brother in custody.”
“Your brother is free to leave at any point,” Orestes said.
“So then why isn’t he home?”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to be.”
“Bullshit.”
Orestes angled his head toward her, eyes stern. “You bite your tongue. How dare you speak to me like this?”
“Get over yourself. I’m not afraid of you. Not anymore.”
“Pity. You should be.”
“Give me my brother.”
“Stay away from my son,” he countered.
If Astix wanted to insult him, she was on the right path. She lifted two fingers to her forehead in a limp salute. “You got it, boss. I would rather keep my distance than risk your wrath. Trust me. I’ve been outrunning you all my life.”
“And for nothing.” Orestes clucked his tongue at her. “Like a rat in a maze.”
Her mouth flapped as a pithy remark caught in her throat.
“I’ll find the Harbinger,” Orestes continued. “The real Harbinger. And I’ll find out what she knows before the eclipse. Before the veil rends. Mark my words.”
“Good luck with your search. You’re looking in the wrong direction.” She tugged the edges of her sweater tighter.
Orestes inclined his head. “I prefer to keep my eyes and ears open. You know, it’s surprising.”
“What?”
“How a woman who claims to have been on the run for half her life can be so oblivious to the world around her. Observation is key, my dear. You have been running with blinders on. You’ve forgotten how to see,” he commented.
“I’ve been running because certain unmentionable parties have been chasing me. The metaphorical bogeyman at my door.”
“No one has been chasing you except your own demons. I can assure you, my organization and I are the least of your worries. From what I understand, someone has targeted your family.”
“Then help me save them,” she replied, “if you’re so concerned.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
Orestes stood, a sleeping giant awakening from a long slumber. His frame unfolded until he blotted out her vision of the rest of the world. Not as tall as his son, and not nearly as muscled, but comparable enough. He was the picture of intimidation and his craft was an art form. If he so desired, he could turn the calcium in her bones to stone.
“We are watching you, Miss Cavaldi. Moreover, whatever you choose to do, you will bring change. Whether peace or fire.”
She wanted to ask why her? Why now? She hadn’t wanted to be born with a different sort of magic, and she certainly had not asked for anyone’s attention. Responsibility hung heavy on her shoulders, causing a physical stoop.
“I bid you adieu, Miss Cavaldi.”
Orestes sent her one final look over his shoulder before driving his hands into the depths of his pockets. With a light whistle escaping his lips, he walked back toward civilization and away from Astix. A mirror image of his son, yet miles apart. His energy retreated like the tides of an ocean, leaving devastation in its wake.
She sat for a moment to recover from the encounter. Suddenly, being alone felt more of a sentence than a choice. A punishment rather than pleasure. When she felt the heat of eyes on her neck, she initially ignored it. Orestes may have left several guards in place to watch her while he made his exit. Anything to ensure his safety.
Finally, she let the walls of her mind slip inch by inch, and noticed the feeling around her. A familiar signature. Negative. And black.
From the corner of her eye, she discerned a figure standing in the trees. Half masked by the shade and wearing clothes designed to blend, his face was invisible. Terror stole over her. Beneath the mask of the hood were red eyes, the slight glint of an over-white smile.
My, my…
The same voice from Constance echoed in her mind.
Calm down, Astix demanded, and think. Try to remain calm. She kept her head bent and eyes trained on the ground, but kept the figure in her periphery as she rose. Her arms crossed protectively over her chest as she turned her back and walked out of the park. She was prepared to make a slow escape when she caught the crunch of feet on leaves.
She turned and peered directly into the gloom. The sensation of being watched was so creepy and invasive, she took a step backward, heart flailing.
He’d come for her.
Panicked, she made a run for it. She pushed her body on, her feet pounding against the pavement.
Faster, faster, faster!
By the time she reached the house, her heart threatened to crack her ribs. She shot through the door like a cannonball and barricaded herself inside. Quickly she reactivated the gems, hoping next time they’d give her more warning. Nausea rose as she bent to rest with her head between her knees.
All those days of nothing but violent dreams had come back to bite her in the ass. She should have never questioned the quiet. She allowed herself a moment to indulge in her misery. Stripping from her clothes, Astix rekindled her relationship with her bed and shut out the world.
It took her by surprise when footsteps echoed down the hall. Her body froze and stiffened in a stab of fear.
“Hello?” a male voice called out.
At once relieved, Astix burrowed deeper into her bed in an attempt to merge with the duvet. She kept her mouth shut, eyes closed, and breathing to a minimum.
The heavy tread came steadily closer. When Leo popped his head into the bedroom and noted the bundle of sheets on the bed, the breathing bundle of sheets, he shook his head. “Why didn’t you answer when I called?”
“I’m hiding,” she said, the words muffled.
“So I can see. I figured as much.”
“Then why would you come in?”
“Because I want to talk to you,” he said.
A weight dropped beside her on the mattress. Fingers moved like insects across the comforter before coming to rest on her ankle.
“I guess I’m super popular with your kind today,” Astix said sarcastically.
The pressure increased on her leg as Leo massaged, tracing patterns along her skin. “I’m sorry about my father. I found out too late.”
“You missed him by mere moments.” She sighed, allowing Leo to continue the impromptu massage. “You also missed the psycho in the park trying to kill me again.”
He might have missed the psycho, but he hadn’t missed the stick and burlap doll someone had nailed to her back door. The one with a lock of her hair wrapped around its throat and a pin through its midsection. Better to leave it in the back seat
of his car. Never bring it up.
She kicked the blanket aside so Leo could get a better grip on her leg. Her toes wiggled in a bid for him to continue.
“I had a bad feeling I would get here too late today. I didn’t find out he was coming until he was gone. I’m sure I wasn’t even supposed to find out. Are you all right?”
“I’ll live.”
“I can’t do much about the wizard tormenting you, but I can try to keep my father away,” he said. “I understand he can be startling at times, especially when he wants something from you. Believe me, I know.”
Astix let herself enjoy the massage. His hands felt delicious on her skin as his words caressed her. “He was a real peach. Trust me. Except for those roving hands. Gotta watch out for those.”
Leo pushed the cover away from her face. “Hello there, you.”
She blinked up at him through tired eyes. His hair surrounded his face in a golden corona. He was drop-dead gorgeous. She just felt like dropping dead.
Despite the foreignness of the gesture, Astix reached over and pushed a stray lock away from his forehead. The tenderness struck her as odd when Leo covered her hand with his.
“You have a lot of nerve, you know,” she murmured.
“Why is that?”
“You broke into my house. Must have used some pretty dark magic, too, to get by my crystals. I set them to super high alert.”
“Not dark. Just mine. I manipulated the carbon atoms. Just a little,” he said quickly, “to get in the door without frightening you. Remember, I’m an earth elemental too. You did a good job on your wards, even though they could use some tweaking.”
Vulnerability crawled up her spine, bunched at her shoulders. “Put them back.”
“I already did, don’t worry. You’re safe.”