I stared at his silver round frames and pondered. It seemed unfair for us to keep Claire’s disappearance a secret any longer. Jhase’s illness was nothing I wished to take advantage of. Though I did not know the details, no father deserved this treatment. He had already lost one daughter, and I would not allow another one to slip from his hands. Despite the group’s opinion, I wanted to tell the Council sooner rather than later. Once I had time to speak with several people tonight, I would spend the morning arranging plans with the Council. Without the numbers or power we might fail in seeking out Claire. I did not want to go into a meeting empty-handed. I needed an idea of who might be behind this mystery.
“Once I have everything for the meeting, I will schedule it. Do you think... Gemma and Declan are involved in Claire’s disappearance? They threw me into this...”
Ezra paced back and forth, lowering his eyes to the floor. I hoped my question did not seem like an insult. Ezra seemed close to Gemma and Declan, despite their differences. I refused to trust either of them, but perhaps Ezra would recognize a change in their attitude.
Stopping in front of me, he said, “Gemma is Claire’s best friend. She might treat you differently, but I assure you we do not want her as an enemy. And Declan loses everything without marrying Claire. Leave them to me. They will cause you no further harm.”
“Very well... I leave to meet with Jhase.”
Ezra grabbed my hands and pulled me closer to him. He withdrew an item from his pocket, revealing the necklace I returned. Carefully he clipped it around my neck and let go. “I still have my promise to uphold. As long as you wear this, know that I will return you home safely. And no matter what illusion conceals your real beauty, I will always see you for who you are.”
His hands dropped, and I continued ahead without him. I did not argue against keeping the ring this time. Rarely did anyone stay true to their word, and Ezra willingly chose to give me his dearest belonging.
A large task awaited me, but Ezra seemed confident that I did not need any help with Jhase. It proved difficult to act like Claire while knowing limited information about her. Today was another day I needed to fight to survive. I turned the corner and walked through the doorway. Ezra’s footsteps did not follow me, and I suspected he would wait several minutes before leaving.
I walked through the rooms quietly without indication on where to go. Two men in elegant cloaks ascended the staircase, greeting me as they continued on their way. I waved and forced a smile, trying to contain their image in my head for later. With cloaks like that they were bound to be someone important. I had yet to meet everyone in the Council, but hopefully before nightfall that would change.
“Claire! Claire!”
I turned around to see Vanessa rushing up behind me. I hoped Ezra’s guess about her identity was correct. It was fortunate we ran into each other, as I needed to speak with her more anyways. Alas, she chose the worst time to catch me.
“Can it wait, Vanessa? Father is waiting for me...”
Her wide smile quickly faded. “Of course he is, and my family will be there too. Did you honestly forget about us already? Since when do you call me ‘Vanessa’? You’re sounding like my mother...”
Though we walked together, I remained silent and stunned by her words. In an instant I had nearly ruined my cover, and I needed to make up for the mistake. I forgot Vanessa was yet another person who would realize if I did not act normal.
I noticed the large rings decorating Vanessa’s hands and wondered if she had ever moved on from Claire. None of them appeared to be a wedding ring. I suspected I would need to maintain a defensive wall while around her in case she still held a grudge.
An older man passed us with his head held high. He was the first person to ignore my presence altogether.
“Who was that man? He seemed... rude,” I whispered.
“A business man most likely. No one treats my family with respect anymore,” Vanessa replied. I wondered about digging deeper into Claire’s past with her. If their relationship had ended, it seemed curious that Jhase invited her family to lunch.
Vanessa approached the door on our left and opened it. A long, wide table awaited our company, but no one appeared to be in the room. Vanessa turned around and gestured for me to follow. I gulped as I noticed she headed directly for a pair of double doors. The last pair of doors like this had led outside. Though I could not hear the rain anymore, I feared journeying outside with a stranger.
“Shouldn’t we wait inside?” I asked, tugging at her sleeve.
She shook her head. “Come on, let’s play with magic like we did as girls.”
I hesitated, moving slower than usual. I did not know how skilled Claire was as a mage. Mother always told me the mages in Ninomay were more powerful than us. Vanessa suggested we ‘play’ with magic like it was a toy. I did not know how to control my magic, much less entertain with it. I was certain I would not be able to participate. The last time I used magic, my father went to jail.
It was not as if we would be in trouble for using magic during this hour of the day. However, if Vanessa noticed any hesitation or difference, she might determine my secret too soon. I needed an escape, but I saw no opportunities to abandon her.
She opened the doors and stepped outside. I covered my hair quickly with my hood and peeked out to look at the weather. It only drizzled lightly now, but I did not know if this would affect the illusion. Earlier the rainfall had been enough to destroy the illusion altogether.
A bead of sweat dripped down my forehead, and nausea filled the pit of my stomach. I could not go through with it, and I questioned Vanessa’s motives. What if she was responsible for what happened to Claire?
“I think I hear Father. We should go back inside...”
“Too good to use magic now, eh? Come on, Claire, this isn’t like you at all.” Vanessa eyed me boldly, and I did not dare attempt another lie. I had to play along and pray for Jhase to arrive before it was too late.
I stepped outside and crossed my arms. I did not feel any change, and shaking my head, I noticed my hair remained the same. The light drizzle did not affect the illusion, but I had only won half the battle.
Chapter Eleven
Second Daughter
Where I came from, magic was a means of survival. Did mages in Ninomay truly use magic for fun instead of work? I did not want to find out, but Vanessa left me with no other choice. The time for choosing between acting or not was gone. This was my moment to shine and prove myself as the true mage I was supposed to be. Alas there was no way to fake magic. My mask lowered, and my guard raised higher than ever before. If nothing else this was a reminder I could not trust anyone in the castle.
I advanced to where Vanessa stood, and she directed me to stand in front of a tree. During Ivan’s reign mages had used their magic solely for survival. They fought against each other in an attempt to force only one practice of magic into our world. Nowadays, wars were history, and mages amongst the three islands practiced magic differently. Though Shadowland remained the center of “black” magic, the mages there made peace with everyone. The marriage between Claire and Declan would strengthen the treaty. Despite the variety of magic in our lands, Mother had always treated mine as something deadly and unpredictable.
“Never speak of this again, Clara. No one must know your true power. If the Council found out they would send you away to Shadowland,” Mother said. She found Isaak that day, but nothing she said could stop his arrest.
I gritted my teeth and straightened my position. Isaak’s days of terror were behind me. Timing and accuracy were crucial to a mage’s success in using a spell. Every mage either relied on an object to use their powers or hand gestures. Sign language specifically related to spells had been created centuries ago. A flicker of the hand could harness magic, and I hoped I could force myself to rely on this method.
Glancing back, I yearned to see a sign of an ally. Anyone, even Gemma or Declan, could stop this disaster from breaking out, yet no
one came to aid me, and I accepted this task as one I faced alone. It was not impossible to do, but it would require control, which I had yet to master.
Vanessa advanced forward and withdrew a short staff from her belt. She aimed it at the tree, and a green spark of magic struck it. She threw the staff up in the air, grabbed it, and waved it to the left and right. Two more sparks flew out of her weapon in quick repetition. She anchored her attention on me, and I gulped. Without having a staff, I had no choice but to use my hands or words.
Casting spells with words was something I had learned from my spell book, but I had forgotten a majority of them. Mother never stressed the importance of them. Her solution was to hide my magic no matter the cost. Relying on my hands seemed like a more viable way to deceive Vanessa.
Staring down at my palm, I clenched it in a fist and focused. I allowed the world around me to fade out of my mind. I focused only on my fist, commanding the magic to come forward. I dug my nails into my skin, feeling my own heartbeat but something else too. The magic coursing through my veins lit up my skin with shades of purple. It felt as though something slowly withdrew from my body, but the key was to not let the magic release with the proper hand technique. Vanessa would question me if my magic activated before I finished.
A battle between my mind and power tugged at my energy. I closed my eyes, refusing to allow my magic to run freely as it had in the past. With the release of my palm, a sigh of relief overwhelmed my body. My muscles loosened, mind eased, and with my thoughts I commanded the power. I opened my eyes again. Purple shards emerged from the tips of my fingers, though they had no effect on my own body.
I aimed my hand, shaking with even the slightest of movement. Cautiously I lowered my fingertips. The shards burst into the air, flew across the yard and struck the tree.
“Well done!” Vanessa cheered. Her voice echoed in my head, but I held my index and middle finger to my temple. My knees shook, and despite the consequences, I could not continue forward with any more games. Years of neglected practice in magic weakened my body and powers. While pleased with my performance, I was not confident enough to test my limits again. At home I had never learned to fully focus my magic; it always released without command.
Sighing, I said, “I must rest...”
Vanessa’s eyes met mine with puzzlement, but pleasing her was not worth my own health. I sat down on a bench and crossed my arms, tapping my foot impatiently. The headache would pass with time, but while waiting I planned to test Vanessa.
“Write your name in the ground,” I ordered.
Her brows knitted in a frown, but she did not question my directions. She seemed like a loyal dog, willingly obeying her owner. I almost wished I had asked politely, but she already gained an advantage over me. My time alone with her would not be for naught; her loyalty would be challenged. Cautiously with her hands she moved them in the air to write her name. It appeared green in the dirt, and upon her completion I observed it was nothing like the cursive in the letter Ezra and I discovered. Though she might not be the mysterious writer, she gained no trust from me. Without another word, I stood up and advanced to the castle doors. By now I suspected Jhase and our company awaited us.
Vanessa’s footsteps rushed up behind me. “Claire, you seem so distant. I can’t read you anymore, and you’re out of practice with your magic. Is everything alright?”
I clenched my fists. Turning around, I faced her and said, “The Council, my wedding, and our island’s future... These are my priorities. I have no time for games. Perhaps it is time you give them up too.”
Though she opened her mouth to respond, I ran ahead and threw open the double doors. They remained so long enough for Vanessa to make it through after me. Less than an hour into my time here I risked damaging Claire’s life. I did not know where she and Vanessa stood after their breakup, though I recalled her apologizing to me upon our first meeting. It seemed Claire wanted distance from her former lover, but someone remained attached to the idea of their closeness. Was it reason enough to commit a crime? I quickened my pace at the thought, remembering all too well how quickly a lover could turn into a fighter.
I sought out the dining room and opened the large doors again. Upon entering we greeted our guests and a table full of plates and glasses. Jhase sat at the front of the table, and another man sat at the opposite end. Two other seats remained occupied by a younger man, closer to my age, and an older woman.
I sat next to the man while Vanessa took her place by the woman, opposite of me. The man’s hair matched the woman’s, whom I assumed to be his mother, and shared the facial features of the older man. Meanwhile Vanessa only resembled her mother. Though Jhase’s cloak remained the most decorated with jewels, Vanessa’s family wore cloaks with golden embroidery.
Wine was served and another servant placed chicken soup in front of us. I grabbed my glass and drank it while the others stirred their soup. The table remained silent, and I did not know if this was customary. Vanessa’s gaze caught my attention, but I focused on my meal. Hopes of keeping her as an “ally” lowered with more passing time. My conscious continued to remind me everyone was a suspect, including the people at this table. Someone sitting with me might know about Claire’s disappearance.
Jhase cleared his throat and wiped soup away from his beard. “It will bring the islands great joy for the Pavlou bloodline to unite with ours. The wedding is only a month away, and Claire assures me babies are in the near future.” His eyes traced a path to me and he asked, “Isn’t that right, daughter?”
Everyone’s attention turned to me, and I nodded slowly while forcing another spoonful of soup into my mouth. Though I knew about Claire’s approaching wedding, I knew nothing about this arrangement. However, I recognized the Pavlou name, recalling Ivan Pavlou and his reign of madness. It seemed his family lost their high standing in the Council after the war and sought after it again. Perhaps Claire’s future children would be forced to marry someone in their bloodline. In Rajoor we had no reason for arranged marriages.
“Oh, how you remind me of myself, Claire. Elias and I started our family very quickly after the wedding,” the older woman said. I gulped down the remainder of the wine, and a servant returned to pour more into my cup. While this might not be normal for Claire, I could not stop myself. No one had prepared me for this lunch to hold importance to Claire and her children’s future. Years ago the Pavlous had great power, but I could not weigh in on connecting their bloodline with Claire’s.
Servants retrieved the bowls, and another round of food started. They placed bread on the table and filled our plates with slices of chicken and corn. Everything appeared delicious, but my appetite weakened with the topic of conversation.
“Lukas will have a wife by the time of Claire’s wedding. If I have to arrange the marriage myself I’ll do it,” the older man, Elias, said. He glared at the gentleman sitting next to me. I chewed on the chicken, remaining as silent as possible. I did not want to offer too much input in fear of being asked for further details. Declan and Claire’s plan was as much of a mystery as her location. Instead I took note of what was said and decided to ask Declan about it later.
“Not this again, Father…” Lukas groaned, though Elias ignored his remark.
I sipped from my cup again, and a hand tapped my leg. I glanced at Lukas, who raised his brow at me as if to question my drinking consistency. Was this an attempt to warn me? He did not know me to be an intruder, but I dared not risk ignoring his actions. I tried to refocus on the people at the table to distract myself. No one mentioned Vanessa, and she remained oddly quiet. Though she also seemed a valid candidate for marriage, no one included her in this arrangement.
“Declan seems like a lovely man. Our children would do well to follow your lead,” Vanessa’s mother said directed to me.
Calmly I asked, “Do you have anyone in mind for Vanessa?”
Vanessa coughed and held her hand against her mouth. The silence returned, and I feared I had misspoken. I
n Rajoor everyone lived too close to maintain privacy with their relationships. It was a shock Mother had held onto Isaak’s secrets as long as she did. I did not know the guidelines in Ninomay. I offered a wide smile in hopes of saving the conversation.
The woman returned my gesture. “It certainly won’t be easy after what happened between the two of you. Anyone with Declan’s qualities will do. Ezra would make a fine husband if only he’d ever show interest in marriage.”
“Bellona, watch your tongue.” Elias snapped. For a moment the couple glared at each other, and everyone at the table remained quiet. I did not know if a fight was about to break out. Then with weak smile, Elias looked to Jhase and me. “I apologize for my wife’s candor. We are very grateful for your kindness to our family. Without you we would have no honor or pride.”
Bellona shook her head, seeming more fueled by her husband’s warning. She glared with disgust at Vanessa. “We know it to be true, and nothing hides the truth forever. As you have learned from your mistakes, Claire, so will our daughter.”
Elias slammed his hand on the table. The plates shook, and Bellona trembled in her seat. I looked to Lukas and Vanessa, but they continued eating without any reaction. Was this normal behavior in the Pavlou household?
I lowered my gaze to my plate, hoping to conceal my surprise. Bellona offered no support for her daughter, and this family seemed to be falling apart before my eyes. It reminded me all too much of the arguments Mother and Isaak had, though they became violent very quickly. My appetite was lost with how quickly this family judged their own blood. Perhaps this treatment broke Vanessa and forced her into doing the unthinkable: hurting a woman she once loved. Would she take Claire away from her family to ensure she suffered like Vanessa did now?
Jhase’s stern voice broke through my thoughts. “Please, friends, let us not argue today. Bellona, be grateful for the daughter you have.” He took a sip from his cup, but his gaze wandered to me. “My second daughter was taken from this world too soon. We lost Clara as a baby... I would do anything to have her back.”
Clara and Claire Page 9