Playing With Fire

by Adrienne Woods et al.

  “Heicko, thanks for making the trip.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. May you reign for a long time.”

  While Marick bowed, Heicko winked at me.

  After Heicko was what I hoped to be out of earshot, I asked, “Is he always like that?”

  “Werewolves have absolutely no filters whatsoever. They are brutally honest, whether they are joking or in a meeting. His Beta is a different story though.”

  “His Beta?”

  “Heicko has been asleep for more than a thousand years, if not longer. When they lost their sanity during the change, he went into a deep sleep as a prophecy spoke of a Beta that would keep them all sane during the full moon,” Marick said.

  “One wolf to keep them all sane?”

  Marick nodded.

  “Is he here?”

  “He is. He’s the handsome devil sitting next to the dark-haired woman, his true mate, Rue Chaperone. She used to be a werewolf hunter.”

  “There are hunters too?”

  “They are all human, sweetheart, and they live on the other side of the veil. You’re safe from them here, but they will hunt you down if you step out of line. They usually go after the necrocretors.”

  I shivered but looked at the man sitting next to the beautiful woman that used to be a werewolf hunter. I would love to know their story as I’m sure it was something like Marick’s and mine.

  “What is his name?”

  “Collin, Collin Freeman.”

  “Another American?”

  He laughed. “Actually no. I think he’s South African.”

  “Oh wow.”

  He smiled. The next leader stepped forward to congratulate Marick, interrupting our conversation.

  When all the leaders gave their well wishes for Marick’s reign, the dinner was finally about to start. The children came to say goodnight as they already ate, and it was already past their bedtime.

  “Goodnight, my princess,” Marick kissed Eva.

  I gave her a hug next. “I’m so proud of you,” I whispered.

  She was dead tired and only smiled as my mother took her away.

  Emile gave me a kiss on my cheek. “Goodnight, Mother,” he said.

  “Goodnight, my prince,” I teased, and he winked at me.

  Heicko’s table laughed. “My son is spending way too much time with you, Heicko,” he scolded the Alpha softly. The entire table laughed again. They must really have impeccable hearing.

  Joshua just bowed in front of me, not saying anything, and left.

  “He will get tired of the way he treats you,” Marick said, trying to console me.

  “When? He still blames me for the trial, Marick.”

  “He loves you, Danielle. He spent a lot of time at your grave, maybe less the past few years. But always went to talk to you at your grave when he had a really hard day. He poured out his heart, all his secrets to you.”

  Then why is he treating me like this? I wondered what I did that was so wrong for him to not even have one kind word for me.

  The first course was finally arriving. I was starving. It was served with a white wine. I sipped it slowly as it wasn’t my favorite and because of the headache that was forming again.

  I heard the whisper again and froze.

  I winced slightly as my head started to pound.

  “You okay?”

  “Just a long day, and a sight headache, but nothing to worry about.” I smiled at Marick.

  “Danielle,” the whisper came again, and I looked around.

  It wasn’t Heicko. He was having a great time with his pack at the table. He just got up to greet another warlock with a bear hug.

  At Sebastian’s table, everybody was chatting. Even Eric was here, though he was still restless. His hand was shaking a lot. I felt for him so much and could not wait for his curse to be over.

  The main course came, and my headache grew vastly. My head was pounding so much that I struggled to see, but I pretended that all was fine just as Magdel taught me.

  The main course was served with a red wine.

  I ate slowly and picked up my goblet and brought it to my lips.

  “Danny, don’t drink the wine!” The voice overpowered my mind. The goblet fell out of my hand. My head felt like it cracked open. The wine spilled, and everyone was looked at us. I made a scene—the one thing I should never do.

  The headache slightly went away, and I heard laughter.

  I helped Marick as it spilled all over his jacket, and then I looked around.

  My eyes caught Eric’s.

  He was laughing, bringing joy to Francine, and Luke touched his face softly and plated a kiss on his forehead, laughing too at something Sebastian said.

  Eric was looking straight at me.

  “Danielle,” the voice said. “Can you hear me?” It was so clear.

  “I’m so sorry.” I looked at Marick dabbing the wine away.

  He grabbed my hand softly and kissed my knuckles. “It’s okay,” he said and laughed.

  “No, it’s not. I’m so clumsy.”

  “Danielle, it’s just wine. Why don’t you go lie down?”

  I nodded.

  Did someone wanted to poison me? I shook as that thought kept running over my mind again and again.

  “Danny!” the voice still yelled. “Can you hear me?” It was more demanding this time.

  I didn’t want to look at him. Was it Eric?

  I headed to my room. I should’ve looked at whoever looked disappointed. I could’ve found out who was behind all of this.

  How did Eric know about the wine?

  Then it dawned on me. I was going to remember what happened to me. That’s why they wanted to poison me, to get me out of the way, or they were afraid that my gift was going to work soon.

  It’s someone that was close.

  When I reached my room, Minaut came strutting in.

  “What is it? What is going on with you?” Minaut asked.

  “I think—I think I heard Eric’s voice.”

  “That’s good! Understandable why you dropped the wine.”

  “I didn’t drop it because of I heard him, Minaut. I dropped it because he told me to. The wine was poisoned. Someone here wants me dead.”

  The wisp looked shocked. “You need to tell Marick.”

  “How? He would tell his dad. It’s someone close, but I don’t know who, Minaut.”

  “We will find out, Danny. But you need to tell Marick tonight so that we can test the wine on the tablecloth.”

  “They will know—”

  “Then his clothes.”

  I nodded.

  “Find out what they wanted to poison you with.” She sounded upset. “I’ll go get him.”

  She bolted out the door, and worry like I hadn’t ever felt before overpowered me.

  * * *

  MARICK

  * * *

  Minaut wasn’t herself when she came back. She was behaving a lot like that day she wanted to tell me Danielle was a witch. She was on edge—and then I realized it was about Danny.

  “Is Danielle okay?” I asked, and she tapped my leg no. I got up. “Sorry, I have to go,” I said to my parents.

  My mother furrowed her eyebrows. “Everything okay, sweetheart?”

  “Danielle is not feeling well. I just need to check up on her, Mother.”

  “I can go and check on her if you want.”

  “Mom, I’m not going to be that kind of king. My family is important,” I said and left as she just gave me a warm smile.

  I followed Minaut to Danielle’s room.

  When I reached Danielle, she was completely beside herself.

  Her headache was probably tormenting her. I took her face in both my hands to try to take it away.

  “Don’t.” She took my hands from her face. “I think I heard Eric’s voice tonight.”

  I smiled. It was her gift taking it to the next step. “That is brill—”

  “Someone tried to poison me with t
he wine, Marick. He warned me. At least, I think it was him. I don’t know.”

  My face fell as I looked at the wine on my jacket. I pulled off my jacket fast and draped it over a nearby chair.

  “Minaut, please fetch Katia.”

  “Katia?” Danny asked.

  “Nobody knows that she is a really good alchemist. She will be able to tell us what poison is in here, Danielle.”

  I gave her a hug. It felt as if my energy was leaving my body. If she hadn’t hear Eric’s voice tonight, whatever was in that poison would’ve been in her system tonight.

  “I don’t understand how Eric knows all this.”

  “They see Eric as helpless. He’s very observant, Danny. If you can hear his thoughts, you will be able to find out who cursed him and if it’s linked to you.”

  “Whoever it is, it’s someone close by, someone here, Marick.”

  “I know. We can’t tell anyone about this.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You need to speak to Eric. Find out, Danielle, as soon as you can.”

  “Minaut, calm down,” Danny said and crouched down in front of her. “It’s not your fault.”

  I looked at Minaut. “It’s not, Minaut. Danny is right.”

  Silence lingered as Minaut spoke to Danny.

  “She said her brother is still out of it. He can’t detect shifters either. She told him everything, but he’s been gone so long that he still needs to get his strength back and get used to be a wisp again.”

  “He will be okay. Give him time.”

  Minaut nodded.

  “It’s not your fault girl. They fooled us all.”

  She looked at me. I wish I knew what she sounded like.

  “She wants to deal with them, Marick.”

  “Minaut?” I got what she was saying.

  “She said something about it being law—that punishment for shifter crimes are theirs to mete out.”

  I nodded. “Okay.”

  “What is she talking about?”

  “Shifters and wisps don’t sit around the same fire. Wisps are the only ones that can detect a shifter. About five years ago, a shifter pretended to be you, came back, convince me that you didn’t die,” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Minaut saw straight through her, and she dealt with her. The shifter was why I was so skeptical when Luke send me the footage of you.”

  “They always knew then?”

  I nodded. “Whoever gave you the potion is either working with or for the shifters, and they have been fooling us for years. They even fooled Minaut. Go get Katia.”

  Minaut dashed out of the room, I assume to get Katia, and I sat on Danielle’s bed, staring at my stained jacket.

  “What else did Eric said?”

  “Just warned me. I guess that’s why he was so restless. And he asked me if I could hear him. That’s why I think it’s him.”

  “He looked happy tonight. I saw a glimpse of him laughing.”

  “When I spilled the wine, Marick.”

  I looked at her. She was right; I remember that.

  “What happened when he got cursed?”

  “Sebastian and I were about ten. Eric was just a few years older than us. It’s a long story. My mother got involved, and she tried to sort it out. She was so sure she knew who it was, a servant in the castle. My mother kept a close eye on her suspect and saw her trying to poison my father the same way they tried to poison you tonight. They fought and she killed her, but it couldn’t have been the servant since Eric is still cursed. He was such an amazing person, Danielle. He always helped where he could. He used to able to control water.”

  “I know. Sebastian told me.”

  “I miss him a lot.”

  “I do my best to find out. But you can’t tell anyone, not until we know, Marick.”

  I nodded. “I promise.”

  * * *

  DANIELLE

  * * *

  Minaut finally returned with Katia, and we told Katia everything, even the part that it was Eric who told me about the wine.

  She examined me. “You heard him?”

  I nodded.

  She glanced over at Marick. “You need to get back to your celebration.”

  “I’m not going—”

  “You’re the king, Marick. If you are gone for a while, whoever it is will get suspicious. Please.”

  He hesitated, then nodded.

  “I need another jacket though.”

  “And make your excuse convincing.”

  “I will.”

  “No, Marick, you need to lie to everyone around you. Whoever it is has been close by for a long time. We can’t mess up again.”

  I knew what she meant. His mother killed the wrong person.

  “I know, Katia, just find out what is in that wine.”

  “I will.”

  We watched Marick leave.

  “You really heard his voice? Was it coherent or sluggish?”

  “His mind works fine, Katia.”

  “I knew it.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “He’s been trapped in there for years, Danielle.”

  “I will find out what happened. He will be fine.”

  She nodded. “Don’t let him down, Danielle.”

  She grabbed the jacket and left.

  Minaut was still in my room. “My brother—”

  “Go. I’m fine,” I said gently to the scared wisp.

  “I’m not leaving you. Whoever tried to poison you tonight is close. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I will text my mom, okay?”

  “Danny, be careful. They might have a clone of your phone. Katia is right. We can’t mess up this time.”

  I nodded. I texted my mom to find out if she could bring Philip.

  She messaged back, “Sure! Everything okay with Minaut?”

  I messaged her back. “She’s just concerned, Mom.”

  “We need to tell Francine. I didn’t see her and Eric when I went to get Katia.”

  He might have lost it again when he asked me that question.

  “Now?”

  “I know you’re afraid, Danielle. You’re speaking to me though. It’s not that different.”

  “Okay, fine.”

  We left my room and went to Eric and Francine’s room. His life would be in danger too if they knew I could hear his thoughts.

  I knocked softly on their door.

  Francine answered the door and beamed at me.

  “Hi, Danielle.”

  “Danielle! Let her in, Franci, please.” It was Eric’s voice in my head.

  “You heard him, didn’t you?” Minaut asked.

  I nodded.

  Eric was restless again. He was whining making grunts and other noises, still begging Francine to let me in.

  “I’m sorry. Eric isn’t in a good place. It’s this castle.”

  “It will only take a second.”

  “Danielle?”

  Minaut push through and Francine looked at her.

  “Please, Francine,” I begged.

  “Okay, just a second.”

  I entered their room, and Eric spoke to me again. “Danielle, please say you can hear me—please, please,” he screamed his thoughts into my head as he carried on grunting.

  “It’s okay. I’m here,” Francine went to him.

  His voice was so clear now, and a tired headache was forming in my head.

  “What’s going on? What is Minaut doing here?”

  “I was almost poisoned tonight,” I said out loud.

  “Yes! yes!” Eric was almost crying from happiness.

  “What?” Francine said, alarmed.

  “Katia is testing the wine left on Marick’s jacket to find out what the substance is. We can’t tell anyone. They are close by.”

  “How did you know about the poison?”

  I looked at Eric. “Danielle, say it, please.”

  “Yes, Eric, I can hear your thoughts. Thank you for warning me.”

  “What?” Francine looked at her brother and then a
t me. “You can really hear him?”

  I didn’t take my eyes of Eric who was laughing again. It was contagious, infecting me with a giggle.

  “Shh, Marick is busy making the Forgotten potion cure. He ordered it, and whoever is behind this, think they have a year or so until I can hear thoughts. It’s not only my life that’s in danger here, Francine, but Eric’s too. They will try to silence him, whoever put the curse on him and whoever tried to poison me. I don’t know if these scenarios are linked, though.”

  “They are,” Eric said. “All of this is linked, Danny.”

  “Apparently, they are.” I studied Eric, my head cocked to the side.

  “Yes, stupid body,” he said to me angrily.

  “What does he say?”

  “He says it’s all linked.”

  “Danielle, there’s almost a thirty-year gap.”

  “And something tells me that I must have been on their plan. It’s why they gave me that potion. It must be that.”

  “Or that they figured that you could read minds.”

  I nodded. “I need to speak to your brother, Francine. Alone.”

  She nodded.

  “Minaut?” I said.

  “I’ll be just outside. Yell if you need me.”

  “She can’t hear your thoughts?” Eric asked.

  I shook my head.

  “Tell him I love him.” Francine said with tears in her eyes.

  “He knows you do, Franci.”

  She laughed and wipe her eyes. “He always called me that when we were kids. He was one of my best friends. I was always at the house after this happened to him, and it’s how Darius and I fell in love.”

  “He doesn’t deserve you,” I heard Eric say.

  She went to him and gave him a kiss. “You tell her everything, you hear? Soon, soon we will hear your words again.”

  “I can’t wait,” he said in a teary thought.

  She touched my hand and walked past me.

  “Keep this quiet please.”

  “I promise.”

  The door closed, and I situated myself next to Eric’s chair. He looked so helpless.

  “You love her, don’t you?” I asked.

  “I have always loved her. She’s more than just my best friend, Danielle.”

  “I’m so sorry, Eric.”

  “It’s fine. Just get me out of this body.”