He hung up and put the phone down.
“Dad, what the hell?”
“He’ll phone back. We have nothing to lose—he has everything to lose.”
“He isn’t thinking straight. We’re not dealing with the Marick he was ten years ago, Dad. He’s not going to phone back.”
Sebastian got up and stormed out of the room, but he paused as Luke’s phone rang again.
“I don’t have time to play games. I’m not that stupid, Marick.” He kept quiet for a while and Luke closed his eyes. “I’m willing to take that chance. The question is, are you?” More silence came from Luke.
It was Marick. What did this mean? That he believed them? Was I part of this world?
Eva looked like him.
That was why Luke and Sebastian were so certain, because if Marick didn’t believe me, Eva could prove Marick was her father.
“I doubt that blue blood will give us a visit, so if you want to see her, you suggest a place and how as we can’t leave this hellhole. The only one that can is Sebastian, and after what you told him the last time, my son is not going to face you alone.”
More silence.
“I’ll wait for your call.”
He put the phone down and smiled.
“He’s listening?” asked Sebastian.
“Yes, he didn’t say why he took so long to call, but I think he was contemplating. She looks different than the last time he saw her.”
“Of course she does. She’s older, Dad.”
“But there had to be something about her. He was adamant. He will find a way to get all of us to see him, son. You’re not going alone. I know you think Marick will never kill you, not now. But I’m not going to gamble with your life. He’s still irrational. It didn’t even sound like him.
“I doubt that he’s coping.”
Luke nodded. “We’re going to go home. I promise you all. It’s just a matter of time.”
Everyone looked at each other.
“He was surprised that we found a way to survive this long. And he said he would call me soon.”
Sebastian nodded. Luke smiled at everyone, and Darius lips were thinned. He was always angry.
“What did he say when you told him you are willing to take that chance?” Darius asked.
“What you always fear: he said if it isn’t her, he will kill us all.”
I swallowed hard.
“And you’re gambling with that?”
“She has Eva. We have more evidence this time, Darius.”
“What if this Eva isn’t his, Dad.”
“Danielle said she looks like Marick. She’s Danielle, son, not a doppelganger. Get that in your head.”
“You are a fool.” He turned around and stormed off.
“Francine?”
“Oh no, even I know when to stay away from him. That will take at least a few hours to cool down.”
She got up and took Eric, who was sitting in his wheelchair, back to his room.
I didn’t like this.
He was going to kill all of us if I wasn’t his Danielle.
The next evening, Luke’s phone rang again.
“Marick,” Luke said into the phone. Everyone was surprised that he called back so fast.
“I’ll try,” he said to Marick. He got up and walk straight to me, holding out the phone.
I stared at it. I don’t know who this Marick was.
“Please, take it, Danielle.”
“I don’t know who he is, Luke!” I said. “I can’t remember a fucking thing. How is this going to prove anything? I can’t help you. I told you this is a stupid idea. I’m not who you think I am.” I babbled and yelled at him. Stupid idiot.
He smiled and put the phone against his ear again.
“Someone gave her the Forgotten potion, Marick, but even you can’t deny who that was. I’m not a monster. We’re taking good care of her.”
I gaped. He wanted proof of life. He doesn’t believe him—or maybe a part of him does.
“Okay,” Luke said after a moment of silence. “I’ve got all the time in the world. You know how to get hold of me.”
“He seriously believed we were going to hurt her?” Francine asked.
Luke huffed with a small smile. “Trust was broken, not just on their side but ours too. He’s going to struggle getting over banishing us if he discovers the truth. Deep down, he is still the same Marick, and I promise you, Francine, this time he is going to listen. I could hear he is struggling with this already. Danielle doesn’t know who he is—that can’t be easy for him. He’s angry, but he doesn’t know who to be angry at anymore.”
I went to bed. I couldn’t stop thinking about Marick and what was going through his mind.
I didn’t want to sleep, but I didn’t want to be awake either.
Marick sure wasn’t someone to mess around with, but the fact that he kept calling Luke made me believe that this could be my past, not the horrible one with Brolin. I can’t even explain the resemblance that Eva had to Marick—I haven’t even seen him in real life.
Where was home? They all sounded American. Was home America?
I couldn’t be his Danielle, could I? But so many other clues were showing me otherwise.
Luke and Sebastian were so sure. Dead sure.
What if I didn’t pass? Then all of us were going to die.
I couldn’t call my mother. She wasn’t supposed to know about anything. She was never going to stop searching for Eva if I just take her away.
Sebastian said that she belonged behind the veil. In four years, she was going to show the signs.
I thought about our family line again. Those journals all claim they were witches. What if we were?
I sighed. This was so hopeless. Useless. I didn’t believe the way Sebastian and Luke did. I was like Darius.
We were going to die.
A few days later, Luke’s phone rang again.
“Marick, with all due respect, you are making a huge mistake.” Luke put the phone on speaker so Sebastian and I could hear him.
Marick’s voice was deep, with a slight Scottish accent. I closed my eyes. I must have been a sucker for him because I loved Scottish accents.
“I made up my mind. I can’t.”
“Marick,” Sebastian said. “I know you don’t want to speak to me, but you are making a huge mistake.”
“Sebastian, stop.”
“No, I’m not going to stop. This is Danielle. I’ve never lied to you. We didn’t do what you think we did. Someone else did to get your guard down. And they succeeded. Stop being a fucking pussy and meet her.”
“I don’t give a fuck what you think,” Marick said. I flinch. “I don’t want to meet your imposter. You knew her the best, just as well as I did, and if anyone can pull a fake Danielle off, it’s you.”
“You really think I would do that to you? I mourned her the same fucking way you did. She was my best friend. You’re making a huge fucking mistake, Marick.”
“I made up my mind. You will stay in that hellhole.”
“There’s more evidence, you stupid fuck.”
Silence lingered as I shot daggers with my eyes at Sebastian.
“What evidence?” Marick’s voice came over the phone.
“Not over the phone. I am betting my life that this is Danielle. You can kill me if it’s not.”
He huffed. I closed my eyes.
“Marick, I’m looking straight at her. She really doesn’t like what she is hearing right now.”
“Then take me off the fucking speaker.”
Sebastian picked up the phone. “You know, you know this is her. What is stopping you, Marick?”
My gaze snapped open and back to Sebastian.
“Who?” Sebastian demanded.
A long silence followed, and Sebastian closed his eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that, but I promise you, it’s not going to end like that this time.” Sebastian looked at me. “When I saw her in Paris, I thought I was looking at a ghost. She had no
idea who I was. Someone is behind all this Marick, and they are behind something bad. I can feel it. Please, listen. Just meet her.”
Not wanting to hear anymore, I walked away. Sebastian called after me, and I didn’t stop.
This was wrong. All of it.
I would’ve remembered him. He had a Scottish accent, he was beautiful, and I had a child with him. I found Noir on my bed. I picked him up and put him on my lap.
I was so confused.
Should I believe the nightmare or the fairytale?
I wanted the fairytale, but it felt so wrong. The nightmare was easier to believe.
Chapter 8
A knock came at the door. Sebastian entered.
“How could you mention the other evidence?”
“He has to know, Danny. Eva is all the evidence we need, even if he refused to believe that you’re not dead.”
“What if she’s not his?”
“You said she looks like him.”
“She does, but….”
“You didn’t live in that basement. You were loved, so much that a crown prince gave up his throne to be with you.”
“I’m terrified to meet him.”
“I know you are—I see that. I’m sorry, but I must know how he truly feels about all this. Saying that confirmed it. Marick won’t be able to live with himself if he knows you fear him.” Sebastian huffed. “He was always a sucker for you, Danny. He didn’t even want to try to live in a world without you. It’s why he gave up his throne when his father told him to choose.”
I didn’t know what to say about that. I still couldn’t believe he did that. Nobody would.
“Our laws are different. It’s banishment and death if you break laws. We didn’t do what they think we did, but there is someone in that court that is behind all this. I don’t know who, but I have a funny feeling, an inkling, that maybe yours and Eric’s situations might be linked.”
“What?”
“They gave you the Forgotten potion—made Marick believe you are dead because they wanted his guard down. He’s not the same since you were gone. He’s not alert. He’s half a man, even less. They are succeeding at whatever they have been plotting for the past thirty years. So please, don’t give up. They wanted you gone, but they couldn’t kill you. It gives us time to find out who is behind all this. A part of him believed it’s you. He just couldn’t trust himself. He said that his father said no more. This happened a few times in the past ten years, and a shifter almost succeeded pulling you off, but Minaut saw straight through her and ratted her out. Death became the punishment. Death, Danny, for trying to pull you off. I’m willing to bet my life on you because I know you’re his Danny. Don’t give up.”
He pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
“So, Eli made the decision.”
Sebastian nodded. “But he changed his mind when I said there is other evidence.” He smiled. “She’s part of this world, Danny, whether you like it or not.”
I nodded.
“He’s father is the only one that can bypass this place, give us all a safe exit, and banish us back with a wave of his hand. Eli isn’t someone to be messed with. We all know that.”
I swallowed hard.
“They all loved you as if you were their own. The decision will not be easy, but they won’t harm any of us if they aren’t sure.”
“It’s going to be scary, isn’t it?”
“It might, but not painful. Marick won’t put you or anyone that looks like you through it. He’s scared to hope again, Danny. He found a corpse that wore his ring in his father burned down study. For a man to think his wife is alive after that, it’s a hard pill to swallow whether you are a witch or a human.”
He got up and left.
I really didn’t like the way he yelled over that phone. He scared me, and the Marick in my head was someone I really didn’t want to meet.
But I had no choice.
* * *
MARICK
* * *
“I can come with you, son.”
“No, I’ll take Minaut. You’ve had enough of this as I have. It doesn’t just break me, Dad. It breaks all of us. Minaut is the only one who doesn’t see her the way we do. She saw the fakers for who they were.”
“Just be careful with her, please. She’s one of four left.”
“I know. I’ll protect her with my life.”
“You don’t have to. Give her a few seconds so that she can disappear. She will be fine. I’ll call Luke with instructions. Maybe this is a way to right a wrong. I should’ve never banished him. They killed the love of your life—I should’ve killed them. I’m sorry that I failed you, but Minaut will let justice happen.”
I nodded. He cupped the back of my neck. “I’m sorry that you have to go through this again, son. Find out if there is evidence, which I doubt there is. Sebastian will say anything to see you face-to-face.”
“He knows I’ll kill him.”
“Listen first.”
I nodded.
I took a deep breath. I’m going to meet her soon. She sounded like Danny, my Danny, but they all did.
It never was her.
Eli was going to lift the burden so they could bypass the entire system and enter the human world. Guards were going to be waiting for them to transport them to a warehouse where Minaut and I were going to find out who this imposter was.
The fact that he could exit the banished world and entered the human one without harm told me that he could do this.
I was sure that he wasn’t bargaining on Minaut coming with.
You can’t lie to a wisp—well, not that I have seen before.
I didn’t know how Minaut marked Danny, but she showed me that it never can vanish, fade, or disappear—even in death.
My mother didn’t like it one bit that we had to cut the vacation short. But I finally found my distraction from this horrible time this year.
Shania was also quiet lately. She hated that my hopes would always go up—or maybe she was jealous, I don’t know. Witches tend to be vain.
She wasn’t going to lose me as a part of me knew this wasn’t Danielle either.
Danielle died ten years ago, but I could prove that they were the betrayers of ten years ago—that my once blood brother was a fraud, and to right my father’s wrong. That was why he couldn’t be present. He still loved Luke like a brother.
Even after a decade, he wouldn’t be able to kill him. But I would.
Minaut and I left for Paris through my ring. She immediately disappeared when we arrived in a dark alley. I knew she was with me still when I took a limo to the Peninsula where I booked our stay. I felt her emotions—she was as angry as I was that we were going through this again, but glad that I wasn’t doing this without her this time, that my final trust lay in her.
We didn’t communicate in words. We communicated through emotion and touch. I could feel her presence close by—that’s how I knew she was with me.
Check-in was easy, and Minaut appeared again once when we were alone in the room.
It was a beautiful room looking over the Eiffel Tower. I promised myself I would never come back to the place where she was born. It reminded me too much of her.
She was in everything that yelled France. And the fact that Sebastian said he found her in Paris made my blood boil. His words were hollow to me. I once believed them, treasured them, but now, I didn’t trust them one bit.
I typed out a message to Luke to make sure that she would come wearing a dress as my fourth mark was close to her right butt cheek.
I didn’t know if Sebastian knew about that that mark.
The last shifter had that mark, which was why I believed that Danny didn’t die and that she truly came back to me. But I had to admit that even that Danny wasn’t as good as Sebastian’s Danny. Still it can’t be her.
Minaut was as restless as me. She lay on the carpet and stared at the Eiffel Tower.
I drank an entire bottle of cognac, and then around two, I
went to bed.
The next day I did some work on my laptop. I wasn’t going to be fooled this time as I was with the other lookalikes. Theo and a team of security was going to fetch that wretched family I once thought was our greatest allies with their imposter.
I was already hoping, the way I was already treating her, not wanting her to hate me. It was wrong, it was as if I wanted that safety net, but I knew the minute I was going to see her, I was going to be gentle with her. Because of what she looked like and Minaut was going to have to deal with her.
I felt glad, and I knew it came from Minaut. She wanted to deal with this imposter, and she would show me what this person truly looked like.
It would be the last thing that they were going to regret.
At five, we ate. I got Minaut a raw steak from the deli (a few actually), and I ate in silence in the restaurant.
My phone rang. “It’s done.”
“What is?”
“Theo told me that they know there is no turning back to the banishment. When they exit, I destroyed that world in front of their eyes. So, they will die tonight, son.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Are you ready?”
“Not really, but Minaut is.”
“I’m sorry, Marick. I wish I could spare you from seeing Danny again.”
“I’ll call when it’s over.”
I disconnected the call and went straight to the limo that was waiting for me and Minaut. She was silent. No one could see her, not even me. She could feel my heart beating. She tried to comfort me. She will know the truth. I felt it.
Not once did she feel that she wasn’t certain, that maybe Danny was alive, and she hated that I was thinking it.
Like I said, our communication was broken, just like we were, but it worked the past six years years.
The limo turned off in the industrial part of Paris, and the warehouse came into view.
Theo was waiting. He opened the door and Minaut appeared. He took her on her leash, and I told her to wait until I had my proof. If the Danielle lookalike was going to try to fool me, the decision was Minaut’s, but she will get the chance to kill her.
Playing With Fire Page 26
