Clara and Claire

by Lindsey Richardson

  “Elias, my friend, sit down. No one questions your loyalty,” Jhase replied calmly. “However, if your daughter threatens Clara, under Claire’s identity, it can’t be ignored. I called this meeting because we’re limited on time. Clara’s mother approached me today, and I promised her daughter’s return within a week. We need to prepare for Clara’s inevitable departure.”

  Elias’s eye twitched. “I have supported you since you first sat at the head of this table. I’ll support you until your final breath. Can we agree it’s time to reveal Clara’s other secret?”

  I held my breath. My other secret? There were a lot of secrets I hid from the Council. What did Elias and Jhase both know about me? I could not stop the truth from leaking out if I did not know its nature.

  Elias slowly sat down, though his lips drew back in a snarl. I avoided any eye contact with him. I feared what secret he had uncovered about me. Jhase had mentioned Elias as one of the councilors who had known about Mother’s past. He had been in the Council when I was a newborn. Was this what he sought to reveal to the others? Or did he know something darker? I stole a glance at Ezra, whose face showed less color than before.

  Dorian raised his hand, gesturing he wanted to weigh in on the conversation. “Some of us recognized the familiar face at the festival…”

  Jhase stood up and lowered his head. “It’s true, the woman at the festival, Clara’s mother, is Nina.”

  He continued by explaining the story as he had to me. They believed my Mother to be leaving our world and thus created a lie to protect her and me. Now everything was laid out on the table. My relation to Jhase and Claire was no longer a secret, though this was only news to Alec and Gemma. Bellona, Dorian, and Elias and been present years ago when I was taken away from my home. I watched faces change from surprised to panicked. Perhaps they shared the same concerns as me. What was the next logical move to make?

  With no one else offering to speak, Elias said, “I still stand by our decisions from that day. A father must protect his legacy, and Clara is now as much a part of it as Claire.”

  “But,” Alec chimed in. “The Council upholds the law. We’re meant to protect the people, not lie to them. Now that Claire’s an adult the decision is hers. Either she is named as Jhase’s legitimate child or she lives under a false name for the rest of her life.”

  Bellona huffed. “It’s late, and I’m tired. Can we discuss this web of lies in the morning?”

  Jhase agreed with her, though I remained in awe at her reaction. She remained silent on her daughter’s position. Was I the only one who saw the seriousness in Vanessa’s threat? She had gone against her family in the past, and this would be no different. Nothing foretold what she might do to gain her parent’s attention.

  Everyone filed out of the room quickly. Jhase mouthed the words “I’m sorry” as I stared at him one last time before I stood up. Hiding the truth about my identity from the entire Council had been a fool’s errand. Four out of the eight councilors had already known the truth. By now it could do no further harm. If Claire’s kidnapper had known about me they gained nothing from this news.

  I rushed behind Ezra, who was second to last leaving. I glanced back at Jhase, though he remained preoccupied staring down at the table. The meeting had not gone as planned for either of us. If Dorian and Elias recognized Mother older locals on the island might determine her importance too. Her arrival and Vanessa’s threat haunted me and the alliances I had built. I could not afford Elias to turn against me when he remained my best chance of finding Claire.

  “Ezra!” I shouted modestly before he continued any further down the hall. The other councilors glanced back, but they continued on their own paths. Everyone seemed eager to return home to their families. Ezra quickly stopped and allowed me to catch up to him. I stood beside him, looking over the railing. Sighing, I leaned over the railing and stared at the floor below.

  “She didn’t hurt you, did she?” Ezra said. He leaned against the rail to look directly at me.

  “No, but I fear her every action now. Did she threaten you? She could use you against me.”

  “Bellona holds a lot of power over Vanessa. She felt obligated to speak with me, and I had no reason to treat her poorly. Don’t let her words break you. Speaking death threats and actually following through with them are two very different things,” he said.

  Crossing my arms, I pushed back the hair hanging over my shoulder. “No one seems to realize how dangerous she’s become. She’s acting strange.”

  “You will need more than words to prove her guilt. Vanessa’s family can protect her for longer than you can stay in Ninomay. It’s too dangerous to throw her name in the mud without suffering her family’s rage.” He leaned in, and in a whisper he added, “I watched you walk on thin ice today, Clara. If I had stepped out to save you, I risked your life. Instead I’m forced to stand at a distance and watch. Step carefully, because every step is another crack. The further you go, the less likely it is I can help you.”

  “And who forced me to walk on the ice? She’s threatened me, and who knows what she will do next?”

  He pressed his lips together. “Do you think I doubt your judgment? I’m a gentleman, and Vanessa isn’t someone I can push away easily. You see how Elias is. I’m not seriously considering anything with her, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  He rested his hands on top of mine, and for a moment I allowed it. The majority of servants I assumed would be downstairs cleaning up and preparing for tomorrow. Ezra’s hand offered warmth and sent a chill running up my arm. Thinking back to Vanessa’s threat, I backed away.

  Ezra lowered his glance to the ground. In a whisper he said, “Nia told me someday I would know what it’s like to love someone enough to give your whole life to them. When my uncle prepared for me my position in Council, I still wrote to her everyday. She told me she was married. But then one day the letters stopped. I kept writing until I finally received a response—this time from her husband. He said Nia died in childbirth. I didn’t write back.

  “I thought about her letters everyday, knowing I had not found the kind of love she spoke of. I considered many women more for my uncle’s approval than my own desire. I thought about her funeral—the real one, the one I didn’t attend. I wondered about her son and widowed husband—the ones I did not have the strength to meet. I watched Claire fall in love with Declan, a man she had been arranged to marry. Meanwhile I knew nothing about love. I knew nothing but what I had felt for my sister... And now the only woman I truly desire I cannot have. Please stop reminding me.”

  Ezra turned, bid me goodnight, and walked down the hall to his room. I remained with my jaw hanging open. Though I wanted to address our feelings, we could not chase after forbidden desires. His words held significance, and at the end of this I intended to consider our chances as a couple. Claire’s dignity and pride needed to remain intact while I played her role. I did not desire for her to be found and then angry at me because of how people perceived her. Rumors were unaffordable at a time like this. Ezra reasoned that I walked on thin ice, but he was not as far from me as he thought. In order to save him or myself I needed to build a case against Vanessa. With hard evidence no one would be able to deny Vanessa’s guilt.

  With Ezra gone, I decided to search for Jhase. Not only did I need to speak with him, but he would also ensure I kept my mind and heart focused on Claire’s case. Since we had not seen him, it was safe to assume he remained in the meeting room. I turned around and approached the room with hopes of devising a new plan.

  The door remained opened from the departure of other councilors. I entered and gained Jhase’s attention for a moment, though he slouched over in his chair. Sadness overtook his face, and I imagined this had been an even harder day for him. He had finally been reunited with his former wife only to send her away again. The last time Jhase saw her she was a new mother, but today she seemed like anything but that. I doubted I could trust she sought me out for sincere reasons. Countless
secrets had remained buried in Ninomay for years.

  Tapping his finger on the table, Jhase said, “I remember the day I lost you. Nina... your mother was convinced she had to take you with her. Her lack of concern for Claire horrified me. No one had ever foreseen her decision that morning...”

  I sat down in the seat beside him and listened closely. Judging from the confusion about my appearance, I doubted he had ever told anyone else this story. Undoubtedly there would be parts of the story he would never be able to reveal. Mother carried those with her, and she showed no signs of wanting to share them. Whatever truths Jhase gave me now were for the greater good. Perhaps I could not forgive him for the lies, but he opened the door to my hidden past. Such memories of my first days of life would never be within grasp. Only he and Mother could tell the stories and leave the rest for interpretation.

  “There were rumors of a seer in the distant lands. Nina has always been a traveler, and she left for several months to see if the rumors were true. Seers are so rare we believed their species to be extinct. When Nina returned, I knew I had not been so fortunate. She met a woman who foresaw her future.”

  He opened his mouth to continue, but I quickly interjected. “Mother took me with her because of a vision? Seers were cast away from our lands with good reason. They’re unreliable; everyone knows that.”

  Despite how quick I was to judge seers and their professions, Mother had a hand in that too. Whenever I read stories or overheard gossip about seers she always shot it down. She said they were “fools” and nothing but a mocking of our trades. While mages had earned their place through wisdom and battle, seers were often the ones to send men to war. Perhaps it was easier to believe their powers as misleading than consider someone hold the key to such knowledge.

  Jhase’s eyes lowered to the table, staring at the mess of papers. He shrugged and shook his head. Wrinkles covered his forehead as his eyebrows lowered. “I was never a believer in their craft, but your mother was. Whatever the seer told her caused her to lose all reason. The moment she held you in her hands and told me goodbye, I lost my wife forever. I lost you...”

  I glanced over at Jhase, looking for the slightest of signs. His hands remained motionless as well as his eyes. His calm and serious voice led me to believe he spoke the truth. If this was brutal honesty I hardly knew how to accept it. It seemed like these stories would be easy to tell without the other narrator. What would Mother have to say to defend herself? How cruel were we to talk behind her back without giving her a chance? Regardless, I believed Jhase and had no one else to blame but myself. I had wanted Mother to leave as soon as she arrived. Her presence in Ninomay was more unsettling than Claire’s enemy being nearby. I sighed and tapped my fingers against the table. I wondered how many times Claire had sat at this table if at all.

  Jhase stood up and pushed his chair in. He advanced toward the door, but he turned around and faced me. “You’ve listened without yelling at me. I never thought we would have conversations like this. Believing me is a choice you must make alone. Alas, I must burden you with another choice.”

  I stood up, listening carefully. Choices jumped out of the shadows more frequently with the passing days. As of late I was not a fan of the decisions I made affecting other people’s lives.

  “The Council won’t agree to another illusion. It’s too risky, and I can’t push the councilors any further than I have. You can stay until the end of the week, and Ezra will see to your journey home. Or if you wish to stay longer... I can declare you as my legitimate daughter. Take what time you need. This could change your entire life. When you’ve decided let me know, and I will inform the Council.”

  He turned back around and left through the opened doors, leaving them ajar. I watched him leave with the weight of his words on my shoulder.

  For years I had demanded to be treated like an adult. Now a decision lay in front of me that I did not feel mature enough to make. Returning home had always been my plan. Jhase’s second option offered me acceptance into my true bloodline. His family, unlike so many in Rajoor, would be remembered because of their status. I would have the choice of living in Ninomay or Rajoor. If we found Claire she and I could be reunited under the same roof. The nausea in my stomach was nothing new, but it was more toxic this time.

  I held my hand against my stomach, wincing. Jhase reasoned my decision would change my life, but he had already flipped it upside down. No matter if I stayed or left, I would not be the same woman who had arrived. A woman with knowledge of the truth was dangerous to challenge.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Scorched

  Cold, scared, alone. This was how they would find Claire. Confused, betrayed, and misunderstood. Somewhere not far from her home Claire battled for the pieces of her life. They seemed fragile unlike anything she had experienced before. The lives of her loved ones at home did not seem as important as hers in the moment. She was raised by her father to fight first and only surrender with her final breath. Alas fights were destined to meet their fate someday. I needed to find Claire before she met this fate.

  I opened my eyes, and the thick scent of scorched wood filled my nostrils. It filled my lungs, and I coughed as I struggled to sit up. A red and orange glow filled my room, and a fire blazed against the back wall. My first thoughts rushed to escaping. Without hesitation, I jumped out of bed and ran to the door. Smoke filled the room, and the fire continued across the walls. I bolted out of the room and nearly fell head first into the hallway.

  “Fire, fire!” I shouted, panting.

  The fire charged toward the hallway. Keeping my distance, I narrowed my eyes on the flames. Voices filled the hall, but I focused on the untamed evil. In these moments of urgency I did not panic over what control I might have. Magic came easily when my life depended on it.

  Water blasted from my palms, slowly calming the flames. Ezra rushed to my side to join in stopping it from spreading. Servants also offered their magic, until at last it seemed to die down. One servant advanced into the room to check that it had ceased.

  Other men and women rushed past me, but their faces blurred with the commotion. Ezra’s hand fell on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. I winced and backed up as more bodies came to aid the situation. Smoke engulfed everything, and I coughed from the scent.

  Several Watchers rushed down the hallway toward where I stood. Ezra grabbed my hand, pulling me aside so we were not in the way. Lukas was amongst the Watchers and glanced at me as he passed me. The castle seemed more full than ever before with servants and Watchers filling the hallway.

  “Clara,” Ezra whispered. “When I stepped into the hallway you were not alone. There was... something dark, like a spirit, next to you. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  I scanned the hallway, but the spirit Ezra spoke of was no longer present. Instead Jhase ran down the hall, pushing past anyone in his way. My only hope now was that Ezra would respect my privacy. What he witnessed was not something that could become common knowledge. I faced Jhase, prepared for a long list of questions.

  “Thank Circe you’re alive! I came as quickly as I could. What happened? What caused the fire?” Jhase embraced me, though he quickly pulled away. Despite the blood we shared, I was not prepared to hand him the title of father. If he wanted the title he had to earn it. We had only recently been reunited, and many untold truths laid between us. Even now I hid a secret from him.

  “I woke up and rushed out of the room as soon as I noticed the flames. I can’t explain it,” I said. Safety was nothing more but an illusion as false as my appearance. Jhase had chosen to believe no harm could befall us while in his home. Had someone with motive tried to kill me tonight? The locals had no reason to harm Claire, but someone aligned with the Council did. A friendly and familiar face would not have been questioned. Anyone in the Council could have snuck into my room. Vanessa, though not a councilor, was also amongst the list of “trusted” people who walked these halls.

  Jhase looked at Ezra with a grave fac
e. “Take Clara. You know where to go. I’ll find out what happened, but don’t leave her side until I return. Let no one stop you. A deadly threat will not go without punishment.”

  Ezra nodded and grabbed my hand, leading me away from the bedroom. Declan called out my name from behind, though Ezra urged me to continue. If the fire had not been intended to kill me, it succeeded in causing mass chaos. No one bothered to call me by Claire’s name, and I doubted it mattered. Whatever great scheme we thought had worked, someone topped us today. Everything I worked for here seemed to have gone up in flames.

  “Clara, Ezra... Please!” Declan cried. Though we remained a distance away from servants, Declan sounded closer than before.

  I stopped walking and glared at Ezra, tugging him back with me. He sighed but did not argue against my decision.

  “I heard the commotion. Are you hurt? Do you need anything?” Declan asked. His eyes were wide, but I approached him and held his hands. They shook, almost causing me to question whose room had been set on fire. I was not Declan’s great love, but his actions were more than something done for politics. It seemed he remained in the castle, despite not sleeping in Claire’s room as usual.

  “I’m unharmed, thank you. I’ll find you later, but Jhase gave us strict orders.” I slowly released his hands.

  Declan accepted my reasoning and turned around to return to the crowd. I tried to look for others in the Council amongst the crowd, but they remained too distant to see them clearly. Ezra grunted and gestured for me to follow him. Though he did not hold my hand, I was far from being a free woman. We descended the staircase, and I wondered what awaited me. Jhase told Ezra he wanted me somewhere “safe,” but tonight’s events proved I was disposable. Someone had the means and determination to kill me.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, expecting no response.