Ashes (Fire Within Series Book 3)

by Ella M. Lee

  “Yes,” Nicolas said. “A report is being written and will be shared with the appropriate parties. In brief, Derek ambushed me today while I was viewing property in Singapore. We fought, he lost. The body is currently in my possession, but I will have it turned over to Arturo’s team. Derek had joined Meteor, and it will be up to you whether you’d like to send a message with this event or not.”

  Claudius sighed lightly. “I will consider it and get back to you.”

  “I am sorry for your loss,” Nicolas said, spreading his hands as though offering physical apology to the other man.

  Claudius shook his head in derision. “I had very high hopes for him.”

  “Ambition must be well planned and well executed,” Nicolas said. “Derek chose the wrong fate.”

  Claudius didn’t seem to have a response to that. He tapped his fingers gently on the desk, agitated. “Do you have an idea of who should fill Derek’s empty council seat? The next meeting is soon. We’ll need to make a decision.”

  Nicolas tilted his head and offered Claudius a tiny smile. “This topic has been discussed to death. You didn’t summon me on short notice for such a conversation, and we are both too busy for diversions.”

  “True,” Claudius said. “Forget I asked. I called you here because Stephan wants a meeting. I am sorry to interrupt your evening, but he asked that I convey the message to you personally.”

  Stephan. A day ago, I hadn’t heard his name, and now he was everywhere.

  Nicolas rolled his eyes, and his smile widened. He leaned back. “Of course he does,” Nicolas said, his tone betraying nothing about how he felt. “Does he think going through official channels will make me more amenable to accepting? He’s tried that before. I think I prefer the clandestine assassination attempts to this overly formal process.”

  “Clandestine assassination attempts?” Claudius repeated. He hesitated. “Ah, I see. He is Derek’s master?”

  “Almost certainly,” Nicolas said.

  “You and Stephan have an interesting relationship,” Claudius said, and his small, exasperated smile told me that he had seen a lot of this needling between them over the years.

  “I’m not sure ‘relationship’ is the correct word,” Nicolas said. “You can kindly—or not so kindly, I don’t care—tell him to fuck off.”

  “The invitation included Daniel,” Claudius said. He looked between me and Nicolas. “Should I assume his answer is the same?”

  Nicolas’s brows flicked up and his fingers clenched, but when he spoke, his tone was as cool as ever. “He’s never asked to see Daniel before. What were his exact words?”

  Claudius sighed, casting his eyes upward in remembrance. “Stephan said, ‘Extend the request to Daniel Shing, and convey my most sincere congratulations on his promotion. It must have pained Nicolas to lose such a talented and interesting lieutenant.’”

  Nicolas seemed lost in thought.

  “What is it?” Claudius asked, his eyes narrowing.

  “Nothing,” Nicolas said quickly. “I simply hate when Stephan is vague, and he knows that. My answer is no, and Daniel’s answer is no.”

  “Fiona?” Claudius asked, turning to me.

  “Daniel’s answer is no,” I confirmed. “We have no business with Stephan.”

  Claudius pursed his lips. “You are playing a dangerous game, Nicolas. You know how it goes when Stephan wants something.”

  “And you know how it goes when I want something,” Nicolas said, his tone perfectly cordial and reasonable.

  “If you are planning something…” Claudius warned. “Do not be overconfident.”

  “I am planning nothing that involves Stephan,” Nicolas said. “I am glad to stay out of his life, and I truly wish he felt the same way about me. As usual, you can also convey that sentiment.”

  “I’d rather not get involved,” Claudius said, raising an eyebrow, and I knew he considered this a personal matter between Nicolas and Stephan, not a clan matter. “Does Water need to worry about anything from Stephan?”

  Nicolas sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. After about ten seconds, he opened them and ran a hand through his hair. “No, I don’t think so. Everything looks normal to me.”

  “Thank you,” Claudius said.

  “Is that all?” Nicolas asked.

  “Yes, you are free to go,” Claudius said. “I will speak with Arturo and be in touch regarding Derek. Should I go through Yu-Teng?”

  “Sylvio can assist you,” Nicolas said. His words were a gentle rebuff; he was reminding Claudius that Teng worked for Daniel now.

  “Of course,” Claudius said. He turned to study me. “Fiona, would you be so kind as to remain for a few minutes?”

  Startled, I looked at Nicolas. He got up and came to stand behind my chair. Pouring possession into his touch, he rested his palms on my shoulders and then slid them up my neck to cup my chin. I gritted my teeth and stared straight ahead. I didn’t like when he did this, when he used his touch in front of others to demonstrate his reputation.

  “Don’t keep her long,” Nicolas said, removing his hands from me.

  “Don’t linger outside the door, Nicolas,” Claudius said, offering an amused smile.

  I swallowed, nervous and unsure of why I had been asked to stay, hoping I wasn’t caught in the middle of whatever dance Nicolas and Claudius had together.

  Chapter 22

  Once Nicolas had left, Claudius stood up. He went to the farthest bookshelf, in a corner near the expansive windows, and hefted a heavy crystal decanter in his hand. Scotch?

  “A drink?” he asked.

  “No, thank you,” I said.

  I was still trying to channel Nicolas’s intensity. My body was on high alert, trying to figure out why Claudius could possibly want to speak with me.

  “Water? Still or sparkling?” he asked.

  Interesting that he hadn’t offered Nicolas anything. He clearly hadn’t wanted to draw out that discussion. But me? He wanted to make me comfortable.

  All the more reason to leave quickly.

  “I’m fine,” I said. “What is it that you wanted to discuss?”

  “Forgive me for delaying you,” Claudius said, pouring a finger of liquor into a thick crystal glass and retaking his seat. “I’m waiting for Nicolas to clear my wards. This conversation isn’t for his ears.”

  “You understand Nicolas’s gifts quite well, then?” I asked.

  “He is not coy about them, from what I can tell,” Claudius said. “He has no need to be. Knowing the details of his skills only makes him more fearsome.”

  I smiled politely. Least privilege, I reminded myself. I wasn’t going to say anything I shouldn’t, but I wished I knew what I could say. I would need to ask Nicolas for a better rundown of how he interacted with Claudius. Claudius knew more about him than most others, and Nicolas treated him with deference, but Nicolas also acted overly formal with this pinnacle member, which was a sign that he was being careful and attentive during conversations. He was hiding things from Claudius, of course, but I had no idea which things.

  When it was clear that I wasn’t going to say anything, Claudius continued. “How are you finding Water Clan? Different from your former affiliations?”

  “Yes, quite different,” I said. “The magic is spectacular, though, and I have no doubts the clan is well managed.”

  There. Some polite blandishments without any real substance.

  “I am glad things worked out for you. As a leader here, I am always happy to see the clan gain valuable members. We are made strong that way.”

  “Strength is not something Water lacks,” I agreed.

  “You found yourself drawn to Daniel’s group?” Claudius asked.

  “Daniel was a superb mentor when I arrived here. He trained me. We’ve become quite close, and I owe him for his acceptance, just as I owe Nicolas for sparing my life.”

  I shifted, recrossing my ankles, trying to figure out what Claudius was fishing for. He was
circling around a topic, but I didn’t know what it was yet.

  “Daniel is an excellent magician who had excellent teachers. I was not surprised by his promotion, despite his youth,” Claudius said. “Yet I am surprised that Nicolas allowed you to change groups so quickly. He normally demands more loyalty from his acquisitions.”

  “I have a feeling Daniel gets what Daniel wants,” I said. “He is Nicolas’s protégé, after all.”

  “You don’t think there was anything more to it?” Claudius asked.

  I still had no idea what he was getting at, and I didn’t want this conversation to continue. “If you’re trying to ask me something, I’d prefer you did it more directly.”

  His lips quirked into a slight frown. “It must be quite difficult to enter a new clan under your circumstances. To add to that, you’ve landed in one of the most complicated groups in Water. I know how hard it is to deal with Nicolas. He likes to isolate himself and his team. I want to make sure you aren’t being overwhelmed… or worse.”

  “Worse?” I echoed.

  “Ryan has told me how talented you are—formerly Flame, an elegant magician, a transmutor, a detector. If it hasn’t been explained to you, you have options within Water. And if you, for some reason, find yourself trapped, there are people who can help you and protect you.”

  Oh. Oh. This is what he was getting at. Claudius thought Nicolas was coercing me into staying with him, and he was offering me an out. I could feel the heat of acute embarrassment creeping into my cheeks.

  Fucking Nicolas and his reputation.

  He’d known Claudius would ask me this. That was why he’d acted so weird on his way out. Did that mean he wanted me to lean into the implication that I was trapped? I had a lot of options for how I could play this, and I wasn’t sure which to choose.

  When Nicolas was trying to be mysterious, he answered questions with questions, content to distract the other person.

  “I am Daniel’s lieutenant. Do you think he is incapable of taking care of me?”

  “I think… I think Daniel has many admirable qualities, but standing up to Nicolas is not one of them,” Claudius said.

  Ah, and here was the rest of it. Claudius knew that our groups were not so divided as they appeared, and he knew that whatever Nicolas and Daniel planned, they likely did it together. Because of that, he didn’t think there was a difference for me in terms of working under Nicolas or Daniel. I swallowed a laugh, trying to imagine what Claudius would think if he knew Nicolas and I disagreed frequently, yet he didn’t beat me black and blue for it. No one seemed to know exactly what Nicolas and I were to one another, which was stellar secret-keeping on our part.

  “I understand my options,” I said.

  “Are you trying to indicate that you understand your lack of options?” Claudius asked, taking a sip from his glass.

  “I’m not trying to indicate anything. Thank you for your concern, but it isn’t necessary.”

  “It’s more than concern, Fiona,” Claudius said. “My group is an excellent working environment and a top-notch home for a transmutor. If you find yourself in need of a change, I can provide that, and I can make sure Nicolas doesn’t cause problems as a result. This is a professional offer, because you possess skills I desire.”

  I swallowed. “Really, I appreciate your offer, but this isn’t a conversation I’m interested in having.” I hesitated. “I should be getting back. Nicolas is expecting me.”

  “Don’t you mean Daniel?” he asked.

  My little slip of tongue had been intentional. He already knew Daniel and Nicolas were working together. Let him keep wondering about who held my leash. I thought Nicolas would appreciate that.

  “Of course,” I said, standing and looking down at my feet. “It was a pleasure to speak to you, Claudius.”

  “And you, Fiona. Goodnight.”

  I turned away, but I could feel his gaze lingering on me as I left the office. I walked as quickly as possible to the elevator and jabbed the button, shaking. Once in the elevator, I sagged against the wall, breathing hard.

  I didn’t know how Nicolas did it, how he had so much poise all the time. Having to be perfectly articulate and careful, having to be on, even for those few minutes with Claudius, had drained me.

  When the doors opened onto the thirty-sixth floor, Nicolas was waiting for me. He had removed his suit jacket, and it hung lazily over his left arm. He had his car keys in his right hand. He was leaning against the wall outside of Daniel’s apartment, and he raised a brow at me as I threw myself back onto our floor, finally safe behind our wards and shields.

  “Fuck you, Nicolas,” I said, shaking my head.

  He laughed. A pealing, delighted laugh.

  “No, really, fuck you for leaving me there. You knew what he wanted, and you didn’t even warn me.”

  Nicolas beckoned to me, but I stood my ground, crossing my arms. He sighed, still smiling a very amused smile.

  “You didn’t need a warning. You can handle yourself,” Nicolas said. “Claudius always tries to steal my people. Did you accept his job offer?”

  “Of course not,” I said, “but I was mortified. Did you know that he thinks you keep me here against my will? He offered me protection from you.”

  Nicolas’s eyes lit up, and he laughed again. “Really? That one is new, actually. I love it. Yes, my poor little caged lamb. Do you feel trapped?”

  “Why are you being such a prick?” I asked.

  “Am I?” he asked. “I don’t mean it, and certainly not toward you. I’m merely amazed by this clan’s ability to make me out to be a villain. Do you think he worries for Keisha, too? Or Athena? Or Cameron?” He laughed again, clasping his hands together.

  “I’m going to bed,” I said, walking past him. “I’m exhausted. I hope your reputation keeps you warm tonight.”

  He caught my arm. “Wait, lamb. I’m sorry.”

  I had been about to say something mean, but I caught the fatigue in his tawny eyes. He was leaning against the wall, drained and tired, yet he’d somehow been putting on a better show all day than I ever could.

  “Yeah, whatever, it’s fine,” I said. “I don’t want to argue.”

  “Let me take you out,” he said, offering me an apologetic smile.

  “Out? Now?” I said. “You’re kidding. All of us nearly died today.”

  “All the more reason to celebrate,” he said, his tone softer than before.

  “Don’t you want to rest?” I asked, trying to avoid an answer. “You killed someone today.”

  He shrugged. I studied his eyes, looking for any hint of his actual feelings. Was it possible that he really didn’t care about what he’d done?

  “You once dragged me out of bed at midnight for comfort after a council meeting frustrated you. You’re telling me that was worse than today?”

  “Council meetings are mentally draining on me, and my mind feels like over-soaked rice afterwards. Physical combat engages my magic and keys it up. I couldn’t rest right now even if I wanted to, without forcing my magic to calm down. That is how I am.” He paused. “Do you think if I killed more people, they would let me skip council meetings?”

  “Nicolas,” I said. I was irrationally frustrated that he cared so little about what had happened today.

  “You’re wrong,” he said. “I do care about what happened today. I am simply not as affected by it as you are.”

  “Good for you,” I said.

  He exhaled a quiet sigh. “Listen. You can go to bed upset and angry if you want, or you can let me take you out for dinner, and we can talk.”

  “Dinner?” I echoed.

  “Yes. I want to have dinner with my girlfriend.”

  I sighed. I could say no. Nicolas would never deny me that right. He could go to the gym and burn off energy by sparring with Sylvio, and I could go cry myself to sleep. But I tried to imagine how I would feel crawling into my bed—a bed I barely slept in—alone, and the mere thought of that made my chest ache. I wondered i
f Nicolas would feel similarly, alone in his frigid apartment.

  “I would,” he said, tilting his head sweetly. Nicolas didn’t answer thoughts unless he felt it was important to do so, yet he’d done it twice in this conversation alone, which meant he really wanted me to understand him right now.

  I took a step back, pursing my lips. “I’m not changing out of this dress, so you better take me somewhere nice.”

  His face lit up. “I know the perfect place,” he said, wrapping his hand around mine and pulling me back toward the elevator. “Now, tell me, what did Claudius say? He must truly be concerned for you…”

  “How come no one ever told me about Corsican food before?” I asked Nicolas.

  “Because you come from the most uncultured country in the world?” he responded, but one glance at his expression told me he was at least half joking.

  Ah, Nicolas, my favorite snob.

  I looked down at the spread before us. Veal stew with olives and tomatoes over roasted potatoes. Roast chicken with chestnut polenta. Handmade gnocchi in creamy herb sauce. Zucchini with ewe’s cheese. A huge board spread with a red-and-pink rainbow of cured meats. It was the perfect blend of all the best parts of Italian and French food.

  The restaurant itself was cute and rustic, with stone walls and romantic lighting. Right now, only a few other tables were occupied, making for an intimate feel only interrupted by the occasional gentle laugh or clinking of a wineglass.

  “I thought you would like this,” Nicolas said. “I know you get tired of eating Chinese food all the time.”

  It was hard to be annoyed with Nicolas when he was being so kind. Right now, he was oddly relaxed, which forced me to relax automatically. I took a sip of my wine and sighed.

  “Why is there a Corsican restaurant in Hong Kong?” I asked.

  “Because I get the things I want,” he said. “As I reminded Claudius earlier.”

  I stopped spooning gnocchi onto my plate and stared at him. “This is your restaurant?”

  “No, no,” he said, waving a hand. “The original restaurant is in Paris, but I gave the family the initial investment to open a second restaurant here. The mother and father of the family run the Paris location, and the oldest son and daughter run this location. They do quite well for themselves.”