Logical Magic (Academy of Modern Magic Book 3)

by Maggie Alabaster

  "Did you know they put me in a lab and wanted to use me for breeding?" I planted my hands on my hips to keep from wrapping them around her throat.

  "That was my fault." Her voice lacked any emotion.

  "Your fault?" My stomach lurched. "You arranged to have that happen to me?"

  "No," she replied. "I should have explained the purpose you were made for."

  What the absolute stone cold fuck?

  "Made for?" I echoed. "I'm a person. I decide what happens to my life. I'm not a piece of technology, to be tweaked and thrown around."

  She sighed. "Get in the car. I'll explain everything when we get there. You will understand fully and when you do, you'll happily cooperate."

  "Doubtful," I retorted. "Right now I trust you as far as I can throw you." I frowned. "Actually if I use magic, that would be pretty far. Forget throwing, I don't trust you as far as I can spit you." I was babbling, but mostly because the rug had been yanked out from under me, yet again. This, though, this was different. I both had no choice, but also a bad feeling that if I got into the car, my life would never be the same. Whatever happened now, there would be no coming back from.

  Lucinda shrugged. "That's up to you, but if you won't trust me, then trust your father. He adores you. Do you think he'd let you come to any harm?"

  The mention of him left me breathless. "What has he got to do with this?"

  Lucinda quirked an eyebrow. She actually seemed amused at the question. "Why everything, of course. You didn't think I was doing all of this behind his back, did you?"

  I shook my head slowly. "I have no idea." Honestly I couldn't be sure if she was lying right now or not. My father and I were close. If he was involved then maybe she really wasn't so bad. The idea burned inside my head, but I came to no conclusions. I needed to see him, to speak to him, for myself.

  "I didn't," she said firmly. She moved aside to let Corinne and Blake heft Kane into the car.

  I shot them both a dirty look. Corinne looked as cool and calm as ever, but Blake at least looked uncomfortable.

  "He did well, wouldn't you say?" Lucinda nodded toward Blake. "Your bond will be very helpful."

  I shot her a scowl, then turned it on Blake. "If you fucked me over, I'll never forgive you."

  "You should get in the car," he said without meeting my gaze.

  Yeah, fuck you too, I thought. Tears prickled at my eyes again. I climbed into the car and scooted over closer to Kane.

  "Did you get it?" Lucinda asked as she climbed into the front passenger seat.

  Corinne held out her hand, palm up. She uncurled her fingers and I gasped. On her palm, she held the stone Leo stole from Zeta, the stone which sucked magic from witches and wizards.

  "How did you—"

  "He should have kept it in a better place than his pants pocket," Corinne said.

  I looked into her eyes, but saw no sign of regret. She played me and felt no remorse whatsoever. Had she played Blake as well, though? I still didn't want to believe he would betray me. Especially choosing to bond me when he knew this would happen. Had he known? Was he as complicit as Corinne and Lucinda? If he was, I was taken in, hook, line, and sinker by that curly hair and those dimples.

  My heart ached.

  "It's good to have Zeta property back in our possession." Lucinda took the stone from Corinne and tucked it away in her pocket.

  I consoled myself with the knowledge that at least it wasn't a bonding stone. That only made me feel better until I realised Lucinda probably knew about those already.

  "You arranged it so I'd bond Leo," I said, directing the question at either of them.

  "The demon wasn't part of the plan," Lucinda said. "You weren't supposed to miss your train."

  I frowned. "But I was with—"

  Blake slid into the seat on the other side of Kane.

  "You," I finished. "That was meant for you."

  He flushed slightly. "I didn't…it wasn't…" he stammered.

  "Of course it was," Corinne said sharply. "You were away from Matt, Nash, and Kane. The timing was perfect, until you missed the train." She sounded as if she blamed me for that.

  "Well, lucky for you we bonded anyway," I snapped. "You must be delighted I fit into your plans after all." I directed my icy gaze to Blake.

  "It's not that simple," he muttered.

  "Why don't you enlighten me then?" I suggested.

  "When we get there," Lucinda said.

  Corinne started the car and we pulled out of the carpark. In the back of my mind, I felt the guys looking for me. I assured them I was okay, but then pushed them aside. As much as I wanted them to come after me and Kane, I didn't want them to get hurt, or worse.

  I took hold of Kane's hand and held it loosely in my lap. At any other time, he'd have his fingers between my thighs in moments. Now, he just lay still, face pale, breathing slowly.

  "It is just tranquilliser?" I asked. "If you've done him any lasting damage, I'll be much less cooperative."

  "He'll be fine," Lucinda said dismissively. "He'll stay that way if you don't do anything stupid."

  "When have I ever done anything stupid?" I asked ironically. "Surely I was raised better than that." Putting the blame on her if I did anything rash might be childish, but it felt good. That was until she responded.

  "I would have thought so too, but it seems we have some gaps to fill."

  "Are you regretting not having me raised in a lab?" I asked. I meant it as a joke of sorts, but once the words were out, I wanted to know the answer.

  "Perhaps that would have been best," she said, as if it would have been the most normal thing in the world. "Your father didn't want that for you. In retrospect, I might have insisted."

  "Gee, thanks. Don't do me any favours, will you?" I wanted to curl up in a tiny little ball and cry. Even though she was always distant, both physically and emotionally, she did give birth to me. Surely some part of her cared about me? Loved me even? This woman in the front seat of the car didn't seem to have a drop of feeling for me.

  Lucinda let out a frustrated exhale. "It might have been a favour, Peyton. Then you wouldn't be so ignorant about so many things. You wouldn't feel the need to fight me. Don't think I don't know what's going on in your mind. It's written all over your face and I know you better than you know yourself."

  "Says you," I muttered. "I don't think you know me at all. It's not like you took the time."

  She was unfazed. "That might be right, but your friends here will help to fill in the gaps."

  I bared my teeth and Corinne's back, but she was focused on driving. I couldn't bring myself to look at Blake. He could certainly tell Lucinda a lot about me.

  I gritted my teeth and forced a breath in and out. "So where are we going?"

  "You'll see."

  "When do we get there?"

  "If you start asking ‘are we there yet,’ it won't end well for your shifter friend," Lucinda growled.

  "I wouldn't dream of it." I slumped down in my seat and held Kane's hand tighter. I planned to do just that, if only to get under her skin. I wouldn't risk Kane's hide just for my own amusement. That would take petty a step too far and achieve nothing.

  "Good. Now you can be quiet and wait patiently while we travel."

  "I thought you knew me," I muttered. If she really did, she would know I didn't do patience well. For Kane, I would keep the peace. For now.

  Deep down, in the very back of my mind was the all too real fear we might not get out of this alive.

  20

  We pulled up an hour later. I might have expected an abandoned warehouse, or some sort of industrial looking complex. Instead, we drew through the gates of a huge beachside mansion. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Hemsworth jogging around the grounds, or swimming in one of the enormous swimming pools. My inner kid delighted at the sight of not one but two waterslides which spiralled down toward one of the pools. Real ones, not created by magic.

  "Do we get a cocktail upon entry?" I tried to keep
my awe out of my voice, but I was pretty sure I failed.

  "Once you've heard what I have to say, you can have whatever you want," Lucinda replied.

  "Freedom?" I asked.

  Her hesitation was all the answer I needed. The gate clanged shut behind us with a finality that made my heart sink. Realistically, I could shift and leave at any time, but my relationship with my mother would be over. Was it already? I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure her behaviour wasn't normal for a parent. Not a loving one anyway.

  I willed Kane to wake up, but he was blissfully asleep, even as a giant descended the front steps of the house and hefted him over his shoulder. Okay, I don't mean a literal giant, but he was at least seven feet tall and almost as wide. I might have been impressed, except the whole working-for-my-potentially-evil-mother thing. All right, maybe I was a little bit impressed anyway. He'd probably be able to walk around with a Hemsworth under each arm.

  "It'll be okay." Blake went to touch my arm, but I jerked away. The look I gave him should have melted stone, but probably looked like I needed to use the toilet.

  "None of this is okay," I snapped. "I should have known I couldn't trust you or your cousin."

  He looked stung, but nodded. "I understand. So will you. Very soon."

  "Sure." I turned my back on him and marched up the steps behind Muscles. He didn't even look like he broke a sweat.

  "Put him down on the couch over there," Lucinda instructed.

  "Aye." Muscles nodded and did as he was told. Did I catch a hint of a Scottish accent in the single word he'd spoken?

  He lowered Kane to the couch and tucked a cushion under his head like the owl shifter was some kind of doll.

  "So what are you?" I asked. Muscles or no muscles, I still had sufficient power to hurt him. I craned my neck to look up at him and arched an eyebrow. "Demon? Blue whale shifter? Oh wait, let me guess, cyclops?"

  Muscles smiled in response. "Name's Macintosh." Yes, that was a Scottish accent, but from the way he turned and walked away, all the answer I would get.

  "Well, he's a friendly fellow," I said sarcastically.

  "I apologise for not rolling out the red carpet," Lucinda said dryly. "I'll be sure to be more hospitable next time."

  "Skip it," I replied. "There won't be a next time." I glanced around and tried not to be impressed by the opulent surroundings. "This doesn't look much like a laboratory."

  "No," she agreed. "That's downstairs. If you're cooperative, we won't have to take you down there." The look she gave me convinced me she meant every word.

  I flopped down beside Kane and winced when he bounced slightly.

  "Sorry, babe," I muttered. Louder, I said, "If he doesn't wake up soon, it's going to put a dent in my goodwill." That was already pushed to the very edge.

  "It won't be much longer," Lucinda sat in a chair opposite me, looking like a cat curling themselves, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey. "We have time to talk."

  I glanced toward Corinne and Blake, who both hovered near the door. Corinne's face was unreadable, but Blake seemed anxious. So he should.

  I looked back toward Lucinda and crossed my arms. "I'm listening. You have until he wakes to convince me. Otherwise I'm taking Kane and getting the hells out of here."

  Lucinda rolled her eyes as if I was a stubborn three year old who stomped her foot to get her way.

  "By now, you've learnt of the existence of hybrids," she stated.

  "Yeah. Thanks for the warning I might shift someday." I wasn't going to tell her what I could shift into. If she didn't already know, she wasn't going to find out from me.

  "It wasn't assured. You're one of the first ever second-generation hybrids. For all we knew, you'd lack magic, much less the ability to shift. You could have been a mule, magically speaking."

  I blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

  "A mule," she repeated. "A species, when bred back onto itself, can become sterile. At some point the tinkering might produce—" she grimaced with distaste, "—regular humans."

  I snorted. "That would have been ironic." Of all the witches in the world, Lucinda was one of the most powerful. For her child to be lacking in magic would have been a huge slap in the face for her.

  "Indeed. Your friend Jess is a good example. Very embarrassing for her family." Lucinda clicked her tongue. "Still, she'll be taken care of."

  My jaw dropped. "You can't mean…"

  Lucinda gave me a dry look. "We don't condone murder. Besides, her children may be a throwback. We'll be watching carefully. Our little lesson last year will have ensured she keep her mouth shut. She knows our reach is long."

  "You had her kidnapped?" I asked, horrified.

  "Not me, personally. The decision was made by someone else in the organisation. I was only aware of it after the fact. Still, it served its purpose."

  "To catch me. Why didn't you just talk to me?" I asked.

  Lucinda sighed. "I would have preferred that. Others in the organisation tend to get overly dramatic about certain things. I'm also aware some individuals might have convinced you Zeta meant you harm."

  I lowered my arms and sat forward. "An agent named Fitz tried to rape me. What conclusion would you draw from that?"

  Lucinda flinched. "There are bad apples in every bunch. That particular one was taken care of—"

  "Yeah, I killed him. I also met a girl there who said forced impregnation like that was normal."

  "Some girls don't understand what Zeta is trying to achieve." Lucinda's tone was as stiff as her back.

  "That includes me. Why don't you enlighten me?"

  Lucinda sighed and waved toward Corinne. "Get us some tea."

  Corinne hurried away to do as she was told, like a good little lackey.

  Bitch.

  "As you know, paranormals are superior to normals," Lucinda declared.

  My eyebrows shot up. "Do I know that? I don't recall being tranquilised, kidnapped, assaulted, attacked, or threatened by any normals recently. Paranormals—sure. I'm really starting to think paranormals suck."

  "Some paranormals—"

  "Oh please," I interrupted. "Don't start with hashtag not-all-paranormals. They were acting for you, with your blessing. I only have your word for it they acted without your full knowledge. Maybe you wanted Fitz to rape me. To break me."

  Lucinda shifted in her chair. Blake made a choking sound. I didn't even glance at him.

  "Was that the plan?" I asked insistently. "To break me down until I had no fight left? To drive all of the spirit out of me so I'd go along like the dutiful broodmare you seem to think I was born to be." I bit back a sob.

  "If that was what it took," Lucinda said softly.

  I gaped at her. "Why? Because you knew I'd never go along with any of this?"

  "You always were a stubborn brat."

  Her words left me breathless for a long moment.

  "Just like you," I said finally. I remembered something else then. "You took part in the breeding program. Did they make you take part?"

  She averted her eyes. "I was young. I didn't understand the significance."

  "And so you decided it was fine to put me through that?" That revelation cut me through and through, more than anything she could ever have said. She experienced the nightmare, but threw me in anyway. What sort of mother does that?

  "Paranormals are dying out," she said finally. "We need to increase our numbers. In a generation, there will be only a few thousand left. Normals outnumber us terribly already."

  "I wonder why," I said sarcastically. "Maybe we should stop killing each other."

  She hesitated. "The Academy of Modern Magic was an unfortunate casualty in the power struggle between Zeta and the Paranormal Council. The council doesn't agree with our methods."

  "Neither do I," I replied stiffly.

  "The council would prefer we all die out," Lucinda said as if I hadn't spoken.

  "I'm with them." In the corner of my eye, I caught Kane twitch.

  "Nevertheless, you wer
e born to help grow the population of paranormals. Now we understand more about the bond, we can extend that to all of our breeders. Running away, for example, will be more difficult."

  I glanced toward Blake. He was listening as intently as I was.

  "Is that why you wanted me to bond him?" I jerked a thumb toward Blake. "So he could keep track of me?"

  "Exactly. In addition, when you two breed, he'll be in tune with your cycles. All the better to impregnate you at the right time."

  "What makes you think I'll let him lay a hand on me again?" I asked. I swallowed to keep from throwing up on the expensive-looking carpet.

  Lucinda sighed. "You can't really want paranormals to go extinct?"

  "That was all you wanted me to understand, wasn't it?" I asked. "That and you think I have no choice in the matter. You'd let him force himself on me."

  "There's always a choice," she said. "You bonded several other paranormal men. Any of those would be suitable." She waved toward Kane. "Him, if you must. If you can't choose, we'll choose for you."

  "As long as I have a pile of babies, you don't care who fathers them."

  "Precisely." She looked relieved, as if she was finally getting through to me. "I blame myself for not explaining this to you sooner. You've wasted a good few years. No matter, you can catch up." She waved a hand as if it was all that simple.

  "You're sick," I stated. "Fucked up in the head. If I didn't know better, I'd think you believed all of this shit."

  Anger flashed in her eyes. "Don't take that tone with me, or I'll knock you flat myself." She drew magic from the environment around us and held a glowing ball on her hand.

  I drew magic of my own, but she reached into her pocket with her spare hand and pulled out the black stone.

  "Try it. I'll suck you dry before you take another breath," she hissed. "Then I'll throw you into a cell and leave you to the mercy of the worst of Zeta. By the time they've done with you, you'll beg to be allowed to do your duty." Her eyes were filled with cold fury. I never saw this side of her and it terrified me.