by LJ Swallow
Tobias nods at Rupert. "I'd rather not be accused of untoward behaviour. I'm happy to leave."
I almost snap back from Della in shock that he'd leave me in here alone. What if I'm arrested for sex with Andrei? Tobias shakes his head at me. I'll take the file from her and come back.
"I'll go with Tobias," says Della. "Ensure he doesn't interfere with your investigation."
Rupert narrows his eyes. "Whitlock. If I discover you're screwing around in my assistant's head, I'll arrest you too."
He smiles. "I'm not."
His eyes shift to me and I clench my fists on my knees, heart pounding. She has to leave before the thrall breaks.
I can't do this.
Yes. You can.
I sense Tobias shift in his seat and he edges closer, bringing with him the stronger aura. My weakening energy is buoyed again as he projects part of himself towards me.
Tobias looks away and engages Rupert in conversation, disrupting his attention on me and Della. Della, who's confusion begins to leak through the thoughts I'm planting. The strength of Tobias's mental energy strikes me for the first time and I'm aware how much he holds back. The magic surrounds us in the room—he's distracting Rupert with more than conversation. There's a mental fog in the room and it's befuddling the two people.
We are in a crapload of trouble if this doesn't work.
I'll take over. She's easy to direct now.
Rupert taps his lips with his forefingers and watches through narrowed eyes. "Very well. I shall finish talking to Maeve alone."
The sentence breaks the mental connection between me and Della as the panic interrupts my focus. She blinks, but Tobias's eyes are still on her.
Della clutches the file to herself and Tobias steps towards the door to open it. She smiles at his gentlemanly gesture, and I sense how flustered she is at the lamia side of Tobias in action.
"Please, let me take that," he says to her as he heads through the door. Rupert snaps his head around and I sense his growing suspicion. As Tobias leaves, so does the fog he surrounded Rupert and Della with.
"I want to see Andrei," I say with a wavering voice, only half-pretending I'm on the verge of losing my self-control. "Let me see him."
In the corner of my eye, I see Della hand over the file to Tobias, as Rupert's attention switches to the stupid, childish girl in front of him.
"Please. He's innocent." My voice breaks and I don't need to force the tear from my eye.
Rupert shakes his head. "The Tepes boy will get what he deserves."
Again, Andrei's guilt is assumed because of his name, with his past indiscretions adding fuel to the fire burning around him now. He told me the night of the bonfire he'd die before he reached immortality, but I never believed him.
The door closes behind Della and Tobias, the file in Tobias's hand.
Chapter Nineteen
MAEVE
Rupert slowly rises, circling Theodora's chair to stand at the window. The energy in the room shifts slightly and a tremor slides along my spine as he gives a soft laugh.
"Are the pair of you fools?" he asks. "Do you realise that I expected this, Ms Foster?"
His voice has lost the harsh, official tone and although he faces away from me, I picture him smiling. "Expected what?"
"For you and the professor to walk into the room together and into my head. Well, attempt to." He turns back, lips tight with a smile. "I'm rather impressed at your skill, but you do need more practice. You were wise to switch to Della."
Shift in my seat, shirt sticking to my back with perspiration. "I didn't—"
"Please, don't make a fool of yourself further by lying." He cocks his head and studies me closely. "In a way, I'm happy this happened, because this proves you will be an asset to our battle against the Dominion. Although I'm rather displeased that you're defying rules."
My pulse pounds as I struggle to respond and desperate questions form. Did Tobias take the papers? Is Andrei safe?
"Quite safe, Maeve."
I startle at him answering the question in my mind.
His smile becomes sardonic. "Do you think I'd hold a senior position if my mental magic skills were inferior? I may not be future-sighted, but I expected Professor Whitlock to interfere with Andrei's removal from the academy, and so his suggestion to meet me was perfect. I was unsure why he asked you to see me, but now I understand why you wanted to help. Your alibi is very sweet, but a little late."
"I don't understand."
Light from outside the academy suddenly illuminates the window as a vehicle approaches the building. Rupert cranes his neck for a closer look outside for a few moments before turning back to me. "The paperwork is complete and filed. Andrei leaves tonight." He flicks his suit sleeve up and studies his watch. "In about five minutes."
The situation unfolding slams into me like a wave, pushing me forward towards the window. I don't recognise the black van, but I do recognise the patrolling Confederacy guards approach.
Between them a figure walks with a familiar saunter, a small rucksack across his shoulders.
No.
Oh, shit. No.
I'm close to Rupert. Close enough to be overwhelmed by the heavy cigar and cologne that permeates the room and soaks him. Near enough to see the smug satisfaction on his face. Will he be rewarded for this? Anger trembles through my body and I straighten my arms by my side, taking deep breaths. A huge part of me wants to run from the building and stop events unfolding, but with all the mind control skills in the world, I'd never win against this many people.
I glance at the door. Where's Tobias?
"He's on a wild goose chase, I'm afraid. Della has no papers relevant to Andrei's incarceration."
Incarceration.
Finally, the tears spike at my eyes and I suck my lips together hard to stop myself letting go.
"Why see us tonight if you were never going to listen?" I ask hoarsely, not taking my eyes off the nightmare happening outside.
"Why see the two people most likely to interfere with his removal? Hmm. I wonder." He arches a brow, his tone patronising. "I expect Tobias will return soon, once he realises his mistake."
I'm weak from using all the mental energy I could spare, and dizzy with shock. We were played, right from the moment Tobias arranged the meeting.
Andrei's walk to the van is short and I watch with my heart fracturing as he climbs inside. Andrei doesn't look back. He doesn't look up. He merely bends his head and disappears into the dark interior.
A commotion close by distracts me from my horror as another figure emerges from the academy building and strides over to the guards. Tobias. He stands head to head with one, their argument growing louder as preparations for Andrei's removal continue. Rupert's sickly scent grows stronger as he joins me to watch.
"He was always rather emotional, that one," he says.
Is he talking about Tobias? Because that's the last word I'd use to describe him.
"I do hope Tobias isn't trying to use his magic again. Interfering with police procedures will land him in trouble."
"How can you do this?" I ask hoarsely. "You have no evidence. Andrei didn't kill anybody!"
Rupert shakes his head and looks at me as if I'm a small, clueless child. "We've waited for the right moment to apprehend Andrei Tepes. Let's be thankful we caught him before he did any real damage."
His words are a slug to my stomach. "Has someone set him up?"
Rupert rubs his lips together. "I admire your human need to see the good in everybody, but this boy has bad blood."
I always thought the human world was filled with injustice, but I'm learning my new one is worse. Such as someone who's just a kid, who's prejudged by the society I know he wants to be part of because of his heritage.
For two days, I presumed the Dominion committed the murder to frame Andrei, but a horrifying alternative stares me in the face. Did the Confederacy have a hand in the whole sick situation?
The lines between right and wrong in my n
ew world are more blurred than in my old.
There's no point arguing with this man. With any of them. There's only one thing I can do now—find the real culprit and make them confess.
Chapter Twenty
MAEVE
"What the fuck did you do?" Tobias's loud yell forces through my shock, bringing me back to a world I don't want to be part of.
I step back in alarm as he strides across Theodora's office to meet Rupert head on. He's wild-eyed, disconnected, in a way I've never seen before, but Rupert's amused expression doesn't change. The anger inside Tobias mustn't explode into a fight, and I try to reach out to him. My mind hits a black abyss made from fury.
"I would advise you to control yourself, Tobias Whitlock," says Rupert in a low voice.
Trembling, I sink onto a nearby seat. "Tobias. Can we leave?"
"You promised you'd listen before signing those papers. You broke your word."
"And you walked in here intending to pervert proceedings with magic," he snaps back.
"Because I knew you wouldn't listen!"
"Tobias," I repeat as his outrage continues to fill the room with enough energy to blow the windows out.
Outside, the van's engine rumbles to life, the sound followed by a slow roll of wheels across tarmac as the vehicle moves away. I'd run from the room and try to stop the van, but I can't leave Tobias. He's an ounce of self-control from lashing out at Rupert.
Rupert steps back from Tobias, whose chest rises and falls as his breaths come shorter, limbs frozen by the same shock that assaulted me.
Reaching out, Rupert pats Tobias on a shaking shoulder. "I know this is a blow to you, Tobias, but you tried. Perhaps they can find you an alternative role." He glances at me again. "Now excuse me, I have somewhere I need to be."
He walks from the room, closing the door quietly but firmly. I'm woozy, but I can't tell if that's from using all my energy, or the magnitude of what happened here.
"What do we do?" I ask Tobias as the clamminess spreads across my skin.
Tobias grips the back of Theodora's chair, silent. I'm a second away from reaching out to him when he violently pushes the chair from him. The solid wood crashes sideways, the sound filling the room. I look expectantly as he turns, but Tobias passes me and yanks the door handle down.
"Tobias?"
"I don't have all the answers," he says stiffly and pulls open the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Is he leaving me here?
I slam my hand on the door to close it. "No. You can't leave me. Not now."
The small lamp on Theodora's desk illuminates his strained expression. "I'm not leaving you. I'm taking you back to Walcott."
"Not yet." I step closer and he shifts backwards. "We need to decide what to do. Where to go from here."
"I'm tired and there's nothing we can do now," he says and wipes a hand down his face. "Tomorrow."
"Talk to me."
Slowly, he shakes his head as he forces his voice to steady. "I need time to think. This is a blow to me."
"To you?" I ask, pitch rising. "What about Andrei? It's more than a blow to him. We can't stop now. We need to prevent him reaching Ravenhold."
He straightens and places a hand on the door. "Maeve. That's impossible."
"Then we need to find the real culprit." Tobias is saying he can't help. That we're out of options. I gulp in air. "We need to. Don't you have any thoughts?"
"I have my suspicions based on some Petrescu students' past behaviour, but the individuals concerned are difficult to read."
"I can make them confess. Who?" I urge.
"We can discuss this tomorrow."
"Tomorrow is too late!" I say, voice rising.
Tobias frowns at me. "No, now is too late. You're magically exhausted and so am I. Please, Maeve, don't turn into a hysterical girl again."
His words are a slap in the face that unleash thoughts of my own. "Better than being a cold-hearted man like you."
"Cold-hearted?" He stares at me. "Because I'm keeping a level head?"
"No. You're behaving like Andrei. You refuse to allow people close either because you don't care or because—"
"Because I care too much?" he asks harshly. "Have you considered that? You know nothing of my role and what this situation means for me."
"You were sent to watch over Andrei and failed?"
He winces and his face draws with anger. "I have not failed. But this is a problem to me. My freedom depends on Andrei's safety."
I falter. "If Andrei goes, you do?"
He swipes a hand across his hair. "Yes. The person I work for is high up in the Confederacy and he has given me this chance. If I fail him, I might be incarcerated again."
"Ravenhold?"
He smiles wryly. "I'm too old for Ravenhold. There's an adult prison that makes Ravenhold look like a holiday camp."
Of course there would be. This is like any other society. Immediately I have visions of Azkaban but push down the stupid Harry Potter similarities I fail to let go of. This world is nothing like Harry Potter. Not by a long, long way.
"Then why are you giving up?" I ask.
"Will you listen to me, Maeve? I need to figure this out. Alone. Tomorrow, we can talk again."
He's tired. Distressed. Unguarded. Stepping forward, I study his face. The handsome features are marred by his stress, a vulnerability I haven't seen before. I feel terrible for this, but I'm desperate. I can't wait.
"Tobias." I speak his name softly this time, imploring him to keep his attention on me. Not to look away or dismiss me. I feel his frustrated distress as much as if I were experiencing it, and our shared despair and sorrow wind together.
The small space is there. The place in Tobias's mind I can slip into and carefully shuffle through his thoughts. I won't need to dig far; I'm sure the faces of the people he suspects are close.
They are.
Oliver and Tobias in a room. Oliver laughing at him, telling Tobias he didn't kill and even if he had, Tobias won't be able to touch him. Tobias doesn't fully believe Oliver. Why did nobody point the finger at him? The hemia who's vocal about his dislike of houses mixing.
Everywhere I turn, rivalry becomes animosity. A threat to the future. A barrier erects between me and Tobias's thoughts, hard enough to cause pain as if someone jabbed their fingers into my eyes.
"What the hell, Maeve?" growls Tobias.
"You believe Oliver did this," I say, holding his furious gaze. "You know the real murderer and you're doing nothing." Adrenaline courses into my veins with a fury to match his. "Why didn't you do something before they took Andrei?"
"Keep your voice down."
"No! I won't!" The anger continues to shake through me.
"I've focused on helping Andrei remain at the academy, and then I can follow my suspicions. And it's only a suspicion, Maeve."
"If you won't do something, I will. Maybe I can stop this. Help Andrei." I turn away, blinded by everything apart from finding Oliver and clawing my way into his mind. I want to rip the truth from his thoughts and force the words from his mouth. I'll mind control him into a confession.
"I can't be certain, Maeve," I grab the door handle. "Stop. You can't walk into Petrescu."
I spin around. "Then you can take me there. Now."
"No."
I'm beyond logic. Past common sense. Right now, I'm fuelled by my emotions and adrenaline. If someone looked inside my mind now, they'd find nothing coherent. An image of Andrei climbing into the van repeats in my head, along with every horror story I've heard about Ravenhold.
I'll go on my own. Screw the rules. I shove at Tobias as he tries to take my hand from the handle, and I pull open the door.
"Don't be so stupid!" Tobias grabs my arm and tugs me back inside. "You're not thinking straight."
"Get off me!" I yell and the fierce mix of emotions bursts from inside me and I shove him hard in the chest. As he stumbles in surprise, I turn to pull open the door again.
His arms wrap around
my waist and he pulls me towards himself to halt me. "Let me go." I lean away from him, attempting to disengage my body and senses, but his grip remains firm, his strength as great as Ash's.
"Listen to me," he says breath hot against my ear.
I can't respond, as the fury coursing through him reaches mine, reforging the bond we created earlier. A different energy than usual joins the anger and flows towards me, faster and more intense. Has binding our power earlier opened something inside Tobias that he's hidden from me?
I focus on the ground beneath my feet, but I can't fade away from what's happening. Tobias may be trying to restrain me, but this physical embrace could be as intimate as I was with Andrei two nights ago, as arousing as his skin against mine.
And Tobias has his clothes on.
"You're..." Hurting me? No.
Tobias's hands could be on my naked body, my blood heating at the intense arousal covering every inch of me. His breath comes faster and I feel his forehead against the back of my neck, his lips close to where my skin goosebumps.
"This is insane," he mumbles.
I relax in his arms, shocked at how the pleasure builds, unable to resist how this wipes away the anguish as readily as if he'd absorbed my emotions.
Is he experiencing the same as me? I draw my fingers along his arm, over his shirtsleeves and the taut muscles surrounding my waist.
"Fuck." He steps back and my body cries out as our connection breaks, the air between us arctic after the heat created.
I tremble, almost too scared to look around at him. When I turn, he's several feet away, further into the shadows. The lamia energy between us sears my skin and I'm a whisper away from stepping closer.
"What was that, Tobias?" I ask.
He backs away, almost tripping over a seat behind him, swearing. His eyes are darker than I've seen before, and not only with the desire to match what courses through my veins.
"What did you do to me?"
"Shit." He drags a hand through his hair. "I overreacted and thought you were about to run out of the door and cause a scene we don't need. That's why I grabbed you."
