by Amy Manemann
Chapter 13
I snuggled into the downy softness of the bed, my sleepy gaze finding Braeden’s. The shower had relaxed my strained nerves enough so Braeden could leave for a short time to grab a shower, though he hadn’t gone far. A doorway connected my room to his, which he’d left open, so I had a clear path to his bathroom should I need anything.
“Are you comfortable?” he asked, peering back at me.
We were laying side by side on my king-sized bed; me tucked beneath the comforter and Braeden lying on top. Since I came with no clothes other than the ones on my back, I’d borrowed one of Braeden’s t-shirts to sleep in, the soft material falling just below my knees like a nightgown.
“I’m good. How about you? Lots of room under here,” I offered, yawning widely.
Having run on pure adrenaline for the past hour, exhaustion was finally beginning to set in. My body felt like heavy, like it had leaden weights attached, and though he didn't show it, I knew Braeden couldn’t be fairing much better
He smiled, brushing a wet lock of hair from my forehead.
“Probably not a good idea. I don’t trust you’ll be able to control yourself.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, making me laugh.
“Ha ha, very funny.” I swatted him playfully. “Seriously though, aren’t you cold? This is a huge bed. There’s plenty of room for both of us. I feel bad for making you sleep in here when you have your own room next door.”
The thought of sleeping alone in a strange room wasn't all that appealing, but I'd already asked so much of Braeden that I had been reluctant to ask him to stay with me. He made the offer, suggesting we would both sleep better this way. I knew he was saving me from having to ask, but I adored him all the same for it.
“If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be. Now, go to sleep, Willa. I promise you’re safe,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
He didn't have to tell me twice. With a contented sigh, my eyes drifted shut as I succumbed to sleep.
I awoke with a start, the tendrils of my nightmare still clawing at me. With the glow of haunting red eyes fresh in my memory, I sat straight up in bed, scanning the darkened room for any vampires out for my blood. Seconds ticked by and nothing jumped out at me, and slowly my heart rate returned to its normal rate. I sighed in relief, eyes falling on Braeden’s sleeping form next to me. It was just a nightmare. We were safe. That’s all that mattered.
Braeden stirred, eyes cracking open. “Willa? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing, just a bad dream. Everything’s fine,” I whispered, unable to resist running a hand through his sleep disheveled hair.
Braeden curled an arm around my neck and drew me into his side, snuggling my body against his. My heart found the rhythm of his steady one, and I snuggled closer, closing my eyes and breathing his scent in deep.
“You promised to tell me if something was upsetting you,” he murmured sleepily, burrowing his nose into my hair before pressing a kiss to my brow.
“I thought that only applied to old girlfriends,” I teased.
He chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest and vibrating my body. “It applies especially to old girlfriends, but I also need to know if there’s something I can do to ease your worries.”
I smiled, letting my fingers unfold to splay across his chest. The light blue t-shirt and pajama bottoms he wore did little to hide the hard-muscled body underneath, and I reveled in the feel of him under my fingertips.
“It was just a nightmare, nothing more. You’re already easing my worries, so relax. You being here is enough to make me feel better.”
His hand traced a lazy pattern on my shoulder, and I shivered, very aware of the fact that I only had on a t-shirt under the covers, and Braeden’s heated body felt sinfully good against mine. Aunt Sadie would definitely have a cow if she could see me right now.
My brow furrowed at the thought, worry filling me. I hadn’t heard my phone ring since we’d been here. Was Aunt Sadie all right? Was she hurt? What if she needed my help, and I wasn’t there?
“We haven’t heard from Aunt Sadie. Do you think she’s okay?”
“She’s safe. She sent a text while you were asleep saying she was fine and that the Covens pushed the Underworlders back past the borders. They’re working on repairing the damage done to the town and the shields.”
“They backed off? Just like that?”
“I’m assuming they felt your power leave the minute we left Salem, so there was nothing to draw them in.” Braeden rubbed a silky strand of my hair between his fingertips. “They’ll regroup while they formulate their next plan of attack.”
“They’ll go after Addison and Riley.” Even I didn’t need a crystal globe to guess that one.
He slowly nodded. “Yes. The Council is working on location spells to find the two women, so there’s a chance they’ll get to them first.”
I frowned. “And what if they don’t, Braeden? What then? We can’t just leave Addison and Riley out there like that. They need our help.”
Braeden shook his head. “We aren’t going to do anything but stay at the Council and work on your training. You won’t be much use to anyone if you aren’t able to control your powers, and I need to know you can protect yourself before we leave the sanctity of these walls.”
My jaw tightened. “Then teach me what I need to know and make it quick. I can't sit here and wait while they’re out there facing Goddess knows what. It’s just not going to happen.”
“You're not giving up on this, are you?” he asked resignedly, though a shimmer of admiration shone in his eyes.
“Not a chance. Now, when do we meet with the Council?”
I paced the confines of the conference room, too restless to sit still. We’d been informed the Council would be there to meet with us shortly by a stiff mouthed Ella. That had been thirty minutes ago, and I was beginning to wonder if she was purposely making us wait for her own enjoyment.
Braeden watched me from his seat at the conference table, reclining easily back in his chair. His look of ease bothered me. Did the man ever lack confidence?
“You’ll wear a hole in the carpet before they arrive,” he drawled, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing his ankles.
I stuck out my tongue. “How can you sit there and be so calm?”
Braeden shrugged. “I’ve been in far worse situations than this. The Council isn’t here to be an opposition. They’re here to help us.”
The doorknob turned before I could voice a reply, and I whipped around, heart climbing into my throat. I don’t know who I was expecting to walk through the doorway, but the people who filed in left me feeling slightly disappointed.
“Ah, Braeden. It’s good to have you home,” the boisterous voice of Lord Lancaster boomed, making me cringe in its volume. He was even louder in person. Dressed in a grey business suit which did little to camouflage the portliness of his large frame, had had ruddy cheeks and a rounded belly that, oddly enough, brought to mind a poem I remembered reading once about jolly old St. Nick. A man and a woman accompanied Lord Lancaster into the room, closing the door behind them.
Braeden pushed to his feet, greeting Lord Lancaster with a firm handshake. “I apologize for the sudden arrival. We ran into a bit of trouble in Salem and needed to get Willa immediately out of the area.”
Lancaster’s interested gaze fell upon me, and uneasiness slithered over me. “Yes, well, the trouble in Salem could have been avoided had you brought her here to begin with.”
I raised my chin, refusing to allow him to intimidate me.
“As you’re already aware, it was my decision to stay in Salem, not Braeden’s. He’s done nothing wrong.” It surprised me how steady my voice was considering my knees were shaking.
“What’s done is done, my lord. I see no sense in bringing this up again,” the woman spoke softly, her voice familiar.
I swung my gaze to hers, taking in the softly curling dark hair that fell to her chin, deli
cate features and small frame encased in a flowing, golden gown. She was familiar in a way I couldn’t quite put my finger on, making me curious who she was.
“You’re right, Evanore. And my apologies, Miss Devries, I don’t believe we’ve all been properly introduced. My name is Lord Edwin Lancaster, head of the Light Council, and this is Evanore Maberly and Lord Devin Kensington. Please, let us all take our seats to better discuss the current situation,” Lancaster said, gesturing towards the table.
I took the seat next to Braeden’s, drawing on his comfort. As if he sensed my unease, his hand found my mind beneath the table and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance.
“As you’re already aware, Underworlders breached the shields around Salem. We’ve already sent forces to erase any signs of the Underworlds influence so our world does not come under suspicion. The Covens in Salem are on sight to assist our crew in any way possible. I believe your aunt leads the group,” Lancaster spoke, directing the last bit in my direction.
My heart swelled with pride at the mention of Sadie, and I lifted my chin.
“Before Willa and I left Salem, we spoke with the Coven heads. Everyone feels perhaps it may be time to use the golden amulet,” Braeden spoke.
Lord Kensington shook his head, frowning. “Out of the question. The amulet is only accessible to Council members. No one has possessed the amulet since…”
“Since Arianna Devries,” Evanore supplied, cutting Kensington off.
The room spun at the news. That probably would have been useful information to know. I shot Braeden a glance, trying to gauge his reaction. Was he keeping things from me?
“Arianna Devries was the last keeper of the amulet? Why was I not aware of this?” Braeden sounded genuinely surprised, which eased my suspicion that he'd been keeping information from me.
“Because it is not common knowledge,” Lancaster answered stiffly, eyes flickering to me, "and we wish to keep it that way, especially now that Arianna's daughter is behind our walls."
Braeden ran a hand over his jaw. “My Lord, perhaps it’s time for the amulet to come out of its resting place and see if Willa can use it.”
“The amulet will only open to one whom the Goddess has chosen. It’s not on display for every magical being who wants to try their hand at unlocking its secrets,” Kensington scoffed.
“But my mother was the last keeper of the amulet. Shouldn’t that count for something?” I asked, my free hand curling into an anxious fist in my lap. We needed the amulet to find the bloodstone. Without it there would be no hope of controlling my powers when I combined them with Addison and Riley’s.
Braeden’s thumb rolled over my knuckles in a soothing pattern, letting me know without words he was there with me.
Evanore cleared her throat. “This isn’t a game, Willa. The power of the amulet is very strong, and you are yet untrained.”
I laughed bitterly. “Trust me, I’m well aware of how this is all not a game. You do realize the significance of me using the amulet, right? Without it, I die. Game over.”
“And, if left untrained, and you attempt to use the amulet, you will also die. It’s not something as simple as picking it up and harnessing its powers, Willa. The amulet is ancient, forged by the great Keeper of Light. Other than your mother, there has never been another Lightkeeper in existence able to withstand the amulet’s power, and even then it was nearly too powerful for her,” Evanore continued quietly.
I swallowed, her words sinking in. “Did the amulet kill my mother?”
The words slipped out, yet I wouldn’t have taken them back. I could tell my question made everyone in the room uneasy, judging by the looks being cast around the room at one another. The only one who didn’t appear uncomfortable was Braeden, and, like usual, he was a steady as a rock.
Evanore eyed me for a beat before lowering her gaze. “No. At the time of your mother’s death she had already put the amulet in its current resting place behind Council walls.”
In the few seconds our eyes connected, I knew there was more to her story than what was being said. Which made me wonder. If she was going to such lengths as to leave out details surrounding my mother’s death, was the truth really something I was ready to know? While I wasn’t certain I was ready to know all the details of my mother’s past, I knew I had a right to know what I was walking in to, especially if they were expecting me to be this all powerful Lightkeeper everyone keeps claiming I’m supposed to be. If that meant playing by their rules and finishing my training, then so be it.
“All right, if I need to finish my training before we can test the amulet then I’m willing to hold up my end of the bargain. Where do we go from here?” I forced down the million questions swimming in the back of my mind. I’d have my answers soon enough. First things first.
“It’s a waiting game, I’m afraid. While you train, we’ll wait and see where the dark forces turn up next and strike them down where they stand,” Kensington replied indifferently.
My jaw slackened at his callous words. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Did they just assume because a person was an Underworlder it automatically classified them in the ‘to be killed’ section of their training manual?
These people needed a serious lesson in civil rights.
Chapter 14
“What Lord Kensington means to say is that without a trail to follow, the only thing we can do is sit and wait,” Evanore interjected. She was obviously the pacifist of the group, though why she was sticking up for a narrow-minded person like Kensington was beyond me.
“Yeah, and jump them when they make a move,” I muttered, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
“The Underworlders are dangerous, Willa,” Lancaster sneered. “They do not belong in this world. It is our duty to see them sent back to where they’ve come.”
“You mean only if they’re posing a threat, right?” I asked, surprising the man by my question.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Well, that is what the Light Council does, isn’t it? When a rogue group of Underworlders gets out of line they send in the troops to take care of the problem. But what if they aren’t causing any problems? What if they’re just hanging out like the rest of us?” I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but something didn’t feel right here.
Braeden’s hand tightened on mine in warning. I ignored it.
“What you’re saying is blasphemy against the Council’s creed. We are here to see that the human world remains untouched by the darkness of the Underworld. If left to roam free, this world would have perished under dark powers long ago. This line of questioning is bordering on treason,” Lord Kensington accused, anger lacing his voice.
My jaw tightened, shocked by the accusation. “Is it so treasonous to consider the thoughts and feelings of another living being? I thought the point of the Council was to protect the innocent from harm, not just go around killing people because of where a person comes from. What if there are groups of Underworlders who aren’t the bad guys? Have you ever stopped to consider that?”
Lancaster and Kensington exchanged an undiscernible look that left an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. That was weird.
“She does not know her place,” Kensington spat, sparing me a look of disdain. I returned his stare, surprised when I saw a glimmer of fear also reflected in his gaze before he averted his eyes from mine. What was Kensington afraid of?
“My Lords, I do not believe Willa intends for her concerns to sound treasonous. You must remember, she's not used to our ways, and does not understand how things are done.” It was Braeden who came to my rescue, though I was a little confused on what I needed rescuing from.
Since when was it considered treasonous behavior to ask for consideration for another living being? While I felt justified with my questions, judging by the glares I was receiving from the pompous lords, I could also tell I was on shaky ground. “I apologize if I’ve offended anyone. I meant no disrespect.”
I could tell by the look on Lord Lancaster’s face I definitely hadn’t won him over by any means, but he inclined his head in acknowledgement of my apology.
“While the Council is always open to new ideas, we do not tolerate such talk behind Council walls,” he informed me briskly, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“And I will be certain to incorporate that into her training,” Braeden said fluidly, squeezing my fingers when I opened my mouth in protest.
“See that you do. I see no reason to detain your training any further. Braeden, you know what needs to be done.” Lancaster placed his hands on the table as if to stand.
My jaw slackened in surprise. Wait, he was dismissing us already? We hadn’t even discussed Addison and Riley and he was just going to leave it at that? I caught Braeden’s eye, hoping he could read my pleading look.
“My Lord,” Braeden began slowly, giving me an imperceptible wink, “might I inquire as to the progress of retrieving the other two Lightkeepers? Though she hasn’t completed her training, it is Willa’s desire to be a part of the search.”
Heck yeah, who has the best Guardian around? This girl, that’s who.
Lancaster sat back in his chair, a frown on his face that matched Lord Kensington’s. I could already tell what their answer would be, and I already didn’t like it.
“Training or not, the Lightkeeper must remain behind Council walls until we find the other two keepers. If she should fall into the wrong hands…,” Kensington’s voice trailed off, I assumed, to leave the rest to my imagination. I shuddered at the possibilities.
“It’s absolutely out of the question, Braeden. She knows nothing of the magical world, and there is much she has to learn. She comes into her powers in less than a week. Each day that passes, her powers will grow stronger, which will draw more dark entities to London. If she is to venture beyond the Council’s protective walls, they will find her in a matter of hours,” Evanore spoke.
