Taken In (The Red Enchanter Book 2)

by Mary Swift

  When Dante’s mother foresaw that Nora would factor into his future he assumed that they would find their way back together. Then she got pregnant by Killian Cramer and whatever love he had once felt for her melted away. What she saw in that redhead was beyond him. Killian was nothing more than the consequence of a messy affair.

  Rowan finished his berries and turned his attention to Dante. “Do you want to tell them or do you want me to?”

  “What can he say now?” Constantine asked. “Let’s finish him off.” There was such vitriol in his voice that it shook Dante to the core.

  “I agree.” Lucy said. She popped a berry into her mouth. “I haven’t eaten in years.”

  Dante realized that the water in the council hall must have sustained her. He should have killed her. He thought it would be more fun to let her starve to death. After all she had never been important, she was just a pesky girl who got in the way and had an abiding affection for her father.

  “We’re not killing anyone.” Rowan said. “We’re not like him.”

  “There’s nothing to stop me from leaving.” Dante said. He didn’t know why he was still making threats, there was no point.

  “Go ahead and leave if you want.” Rowan said. “I can tell them myself. You were a Founder.”

  “A Founder?” Constantine cried.

  Dante looked at where his ring used to be. “Yes. The Founders took me the same way they took Killian. They take anything they want. They approached me shortly after I married Nora. They said they could help me get out of my situation with Firesea. The whole business with the circle looking to capture my family, the Founders said that they could make that go away if I did something for them.”

  “What?” Lucy asked.

  “They wanted to regain control of the circles. They wanted me to help them.”

  “Why you?” Rowan said.

  “I don’t know. I guess they thought I was a really strong enchanter.”

  “Yeah right.” Lucy snorted.

  “They said if I left my wife and came to Darkhill they would make me one of them. All I had to do was get the Firesea Master Enchanter’s robe for them. They need its power.”

  “You had it for years.” Constantine said. “Why didn’t you give it to them?”

  “Things became complicated.”

  “Where was I during all of this?” Constantine asked.

  “Shortly after I agreed to join the Founders Nora told me that she was pregnant. Once you were born I wrote a poem to make her forget about you and then I took you to Darkhill.”

  “And that’s when things became complicated.” Rowan said.

  “Yes.” Dante said irritably. The boy was just like his father. Nosy. “I made the mistake of falling in love with one of the Founders. I thought Bryn loved me back, I didn’t understand the sick devotion they have to each other. They’re not normal. They don’t have normal relationships. The Founders are displeased with me. They don’t think I’ve honored their requests. They’ll use Killian to get what they want.”

  “I knew it.” Lucy said.

  “We don’t know that any of this is true.” Constantine said. “He’s a liar. I don’t remember living in Darkhill.”

  “You were just a baby Constantine. And I am not lying.” Dante told him. “The Founders manipulated me. I thought they loved me, I thought Bryn loved me. I thought we would be together. She bore me a daughter.”

  “Oh come on!” Lucy cried. “What a load of bullshit! You have a daughter with a Founder?”

  “Yes. Why is that so hard to believe?”

  Lucy pointed her finger at him. “Because like Constantine said, you’re a liar. And why are you just sitting here supposedly spilling your guts when you could be swirling about in smoke? Or running away as a cat? Or writing a poem?”

  Dante looked at his son. “Because I’ve seen how much I hurt Constantine.”

  Constantine shook his head. “It’s too late.”

  “Rowan, is any of this true?” Lucy asked. “Were you able to see something when you healed him?”

  “It’s true.” Rowan said.

  “Then why did you try to kill the Founders and my father?” Lucy asked.

  “Your father is a Founder.” Dante said. “I killed them because I’m sick of being their pawn. Because Bryn won’t tell me where my daughter is, and because she doesn’t love me. If the Founders get the robe they will destroy us all. They mean to reset the circles. To start over. They are the real enemy.”

  “But we need them to survive.” Constantine said.

  Dante smiled. “Precisely.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Constantine said.

  “He’s right.” Rowan told him. “The Founders want the robe and as many powerful objects as possible so that they can restart our world.”

  “Then what are we supposed to do?” Lucy asked.

  “I’m not sure. But whatever it is we can’t let the Founders die.” Rowan said.

  “You’ll be sorry.” Dante warned.

  “Be quiet.” Lucy said. “I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.”

  “I have a sister?” Constantine asked desperately.

  “Yes.” Dante confirmed.

  “He’s making that up.” Lucy said angrily.

  “He’s not.” Rowan insisted.

  “Do you have any idea where she is?” Constantine asked.

  “No.”

  “Do you love her?” Constantine said.

  “Yes.” Dante hesitated. “I love you too.”

  Constantine shook his head. “No you don’t.”

  “When Rowan healed me I saw for the first time the consequences of my actions. I don’t regret anything except that I hurt you.” Dante looked at Rowan. “That spell will be the death of you boy.”

  “Are you threatening him?” Lucy asked.

  “No. I’m telling him that not everyone can tolerate a spell like that. Constantine, he healed you, you have to understand.”

  “I saw the aftermath of the circles you forced me to burn.” his son said bitterly.

  Dante didn’t say anything. He wanted to leave. He couldn’t face Constantine any longer. There was only one thing to do. He got to his feet and started running.

  He heard heavy footsteps over his shoulder, someone was following him. It was probably Rowan, or maybe his sister who definitely had anger issues. A hand clamped down on his shoulder. “Dante, remember me?”

  The voice was familiar. Dante turned around. His legs shook as he saw who it was. It wasn’t Rowan, or Lucy, or even Constantine. The afternoon sun was beaming down on a coppery head. Killian Cramer was standing in front of him smiling. “The last time we were together you killed me. You’re going to pay for that.”

  Chapter 57

  Killian had been waiting four and a half years to see Dante Gavrashelli again. Four and a half years of lying on the cold floor of the council hall paralyzed. Four and a half years of listening to Lucy weep and not being able to console her. Then his son Rowan came and suddenly things changed.

  It took some time for him to fully wake. Dante had taken Lucy and Rowan away before he was even able to sit up. Charles, Dylan, and Bryn were unresponsive. He unlocked the council hall door and left.

  He was well aware that his immunity to spells meant that Rowan had not brought him back with his healing hands. Something else had occurred. There wasn’t time to think about what happened, only that it had. He followed Dante, Lucy, Constantine, and Rowan through the woods. Killian had been aware of the passage of time as he was imprisoned in his body but he still could not believe that the grown man who led the others through the brush was his little Rowan.

  Killian hid in the woods and listened as Dante revealed his secrets. As soon as Dante started to make a run for it Killian chased him down. Dante was getting old and he was easy to catch. “Dante, remember me?” he whispered in his ear. Dante spun around, his eyes were as wide as saucers. “The last time we were together you killed me. You’re going to pay for
that.”

  “Killian, how can you be here?”

  “I recently woke up from a long nap.”

  “Daddy?” Lucy was shouting from somewhere close by.

  Killian didn’t turn around. He couldn’t lose his focus.

  “Dad, it’s me Rowan.” he heard behind him.

  Killian held on to Dante who was squirming to get away.

  “Daddy.” Lucy took hold of his arm. Killian couldn’t ignore her any longer, he didn’t want to. He let go of Dante who ran into the woods. Constantine and Rowan went after him. He put his arms around Lucy. He felt her sob.

  “It all right. I’m here now.” he whispered. He smoothed her hair and looked into her eyes, they were swimming with tears. “You were never alone. Never.”

  She wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve. “What?”

  “I was aware of everything in the hall.”

  A new stream of tears began. “I knew you weren’t dead. I never believed you were gone. Rowan must have healed you.”

  Killian shook his head. “No, that’s impossible.”

  Lucy looked confused. “But I don’t understand. How?”

  He wiped her tears and kissed her forehead. “I don’t know but it doesn’t matter right now Lucy. We’ll figure it out. If I can be woken up then so can the others.”

  She sighed. “I wish we were back in Wildbush in our house.”

  “We will be again, I promise you.” He looked into the woods. There was no trace of Rowan or Constantine. “Dante’s going to get away.”

  “Probably.” Lucy said glumly. She took his hand and put her head on his shoulder. “How much longer is this going to go on?”

  “I don’t know, but you can’t give up now.”

  Lucy began to cry again. “I was so afraid that you were dead. I was so afraid of being alone forever.”

  “You’re not going to be alone.”

  “I can’t believe how young you were when you had me. I never thought about it until now. Do you realize that when you were my age you had a sixteen year old?”

  “I remember. I was scared to death that your grandfather was going to marry you off.”

  She sighed. “I will never be married.”

  “You will.”

  Lucy looked into the woods. “I hope Rowan’s all right.”

  They stared into the forest. After a few minutes they heard twigs snapping. Constantine stumbled towards them red faced and out of breath. Rowan was right behind him, he went straight to Killian and wrapped his arms around his father. “Dad. I healed you.” he said in Killian’s ear.

  Killian was struck with a sudden sadness that Rowan’s childhood was over. “I’m so sorry Rowan.”

  “For what?”

  Killian brushed the red hair away from Rowan’s eyes. “You’re tall aren’t you?”

  Rowan smiled proudly. “I’m taller than Kip.”

  Killian looked at his son’s hands. They were translucent like his own. “Who cut your hands off?”

  “Kip did. I asked him to.” Rowan hugged him again. “I can’t believe I was able to bring you back.”

  “Dante got away. The bastard.” Constantine said. “He vanished like he always does.”

  “Don’t worry about that.” Killian said. “We’ll find him.” He put an arm around each of his children and kissed them. There was a pitiable look of envy on Constantine’s face. Killian understood what it was like to be resented and in the way. He let go of Rowan and Lucy and put a hand on Constantine’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, things will work out.”

  “I hope so.”

  “What should we do next Daddy?” Lucy asked.

  Killian watched Constantine. He kept looking at Rowan for reassurance. Killian had a feeling that something had changed in the last few years. “I want to know what’s happened to all of you. We need to bring the family back together.” He paused, half expecting someone to tell him that Nora had died. They said nothing. “Once we’re back together we’ll go find Dante.”

  “How? How are we going to find him?” Constantine asked. “He can vanish whenever he likes.”

  “I can revive the Founders.” Rowan said.

  “You can’t.” Killian told him. “We’re immune to common spells. You didn’t heal me son. I’m sorry.”

  “Then how did you wake up?”

  “I don’t know.” Killian looked at Constantine. “I heard you say that you saw a settlement nearby.”

  “Were you in the woods listening?” Lucy asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I saw some chimneys, there might be-”

  “Arden!” Rowan suddenly shouted. “We saw Arden earlier today. I meant to tell you Lucy but then we got kind of busy.”

  “What?” Lucy cried. “Are you sure?”

  “I think so. But Constantine didn’t agree.” Rowan said.

  “It was him.” Constantine confirmed. “I didn’t want Dante to know.”

  “Do you think that he lives in that town?” Lucy asked.

  “There’s only one way to find out.” Killian held out his arm. Lucy took it. Rowan stayed at his other side and they started walking. He looked over his shoulder and saw Constantine lingering behind. Killian nodded to Rowan. He and Lucy went ahead while Killian waited for Constantine to catch up.

  “I have something to tell you.” Constantine said.

  “I had a feeling that you did.”

  “Do you want to know now?”

  “Can it wait? We don’t know what we’ll find in this village.” Killian put his arm around Constantine’s shoulders. “I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t belong anywhere.”

  Constantine’s face brightened. “I knew you would. I told Rowan once that we were a lot alike, except for the hair.”

  “Didn’t anyone tell you Constantine that I don’t like to talk about my hair?”

  Constantine’s smiled disappeared. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  Killian suddenly started laughing. He hadn’t laughed in years. It felt good, as though all the misery of the war and the last few years was suddenly gone. Ahead of them Rowan looked over his shoulder and grinned.

  Chapter 58

  Nora was furious with Kip. Rowan and Constantine were gone and she was sure Dante was behind it. “Next time try keeping your pants closed.” she told him.

  “I’m sorry Nora. I thought they were fine.”

  “They’re not. They’re gone!”

  “I’m sorry. I know it’s my fault. It’s just that-”

  “You don’t have to explain. I know your type. You’ll jump into bed with any woman who looks your way.

  “Nora, I’m sorry. I have to deal with my stress somehow.”

  “Next time you can take care of your stress yourself.” She poked him in the chest. “What are we going to do to find them?”

  “I don’t know. Where would Dante take them?”

  “How should I know?”

  “He was your husband.”

  “So what? That was years ago. He could be anywhere.” She thought about their old house in Chilton, he might go there.

  “Maybe we should go back to Firesea.” Kip suggested.

  “No. I don’t want to go there.” Nora wasn’t sure that she could resist the robe a second time. There were sixteen circles and all of the land in between. There was no telling where Dante and her sons were. There was only one choice. “I want to continue to Darkhill. I have to find Killian. I have to know if he’s alive or not. If he is then he’ll know what to do.”

  “I should have stayed with Rowan and Constantine.” Kip said.

  “Yes, you should have.”

  “You don’t think Dante would hurt his own son, do you?”

  “I don’t know what he would do.” Nora looked up at the night sky. She was weary of everyone she loved disappearing. “Dante will find us when he’s ready.”

  “Then I’ll kill him.” Kip said.

  “Rowan didn’t get his peacemaking attitude from me.” Nora told him. “As far as
I’m concerned you can do whatever you want to Dante, just keep your pants up. They’ll be plenty of time for that when this is over.”

  Kip put one of the leather straps across his chest. He checked his knives and grinned. “Come and get me Dante.”

  Chapter 59

  When Arden returned to Rudder there was a piece of black silk hanging on Paul’s door. That meant that Paul’s baby son had died. Arden knew he should have stayed in the village instead of making his daily pilgrimage to Darkhill. There were only around a hundred people left in town. There were no true mortals there; everyone had a touch of enchanter’s blood in them.

  “Where do you live?” Gareth asked him. A Firesea ranger would usually attract attention in any circle or town, but most of the villagers were too sick to care.

  “Over there.” Arden pointed to a tiny cottage with a picket fence in front. He had been renting it for years. Recently his landlady died and no one came to collect the rent anymore. He didn’t know who, if anyone, owned it now.

  “Where’s the stable?”

  “I don’t have one. She can eat my lawn. It doesn’t matter. I’ve got a bucket inside, you can get some water for her.”

  Gareth brought the horse into his tiny front yard. He helped Arden down. “Can you walk?”

  Arden wasn’t sure if he could but he didn’t fancy being carried over the threshold by a Firesea ranger. “I think so.”

  “I’ll get the door for you.” Gareth opened the red cottage door and Arden managed to hobble inside. Gareth helped him into the bedroom.

  Arden laid on the duvet. He was much too exhausted to pull back the covers. “Thank you. Make yourself at home. Tend to your horse, eat, do whatever you want. I’m going to sleep for a while.”

  “Are you sure that I can’t get you something?” Gareth seemed to sense Arden’s impending demise.

  “No, just leave me.”

  Gareth left the room.

  Arden stared up at the beams on the ceiling. He had once been a Firesea ranger and later a protector to the heir to the robe. Now he was a shrunken man with little more than a day or two to live. He supposed he was lucky. He had cheated death when Killian brought him back from the dead. The last years were really just a bonus. He wondered about his family. He hadn’t seen any of them since he was a teenager. It would have been nice to see them one last time, even if they had turned him out because of his scars. He forgave them. It seemed the right thing to do now that the end was so near.