Jenira smiled at Alena, and she returned it. “It’s a woman thing,” Jenira said simply. “Trust no one.” Her voice was joking, but the words struck Alena with more force than she thought they would. It was the way she had operated for a long time, and it often made life difficult. Alec and Davin shared a look of exasperation.
Davin bent over, staring at the necklace again. “How did Eden lose her arm?” he asked suddenly, startling both Alec and Alena.
“Car accident when she was seventeen. She’s rather self-conscious about it.”
Jenira traced the scar on her face. “I can understand that. Did her magic react in that instance?”
Alena’s brows furrowed. “We’re not sure. She hasn’t told us the details, but we looked up the newspaper article. The car was destroyed far beyond what it should have been. It tumbled down a cliff and ended up a pile of melted metal. Also, the driver came out with minimal injuries, but Eden had several severe injuries.”
“Hmmm,” Davin mused. “Such a traumatic event would spark someone’s magic, even shielded and suppressed. It’s not surprising she wouldn’t remember, either. I wonder if she could remember more details with some prompting.”
Alena shrugged. “She’s been through a lot. I wouldn’t say that’s the most important thing right now.”
Davin nodded with a thoughtful look, but whatever he was going to say was stopped by the dinner bell chiming throughout the house. The four straightened from staring at the pendant. “I guess you’re invited to dinner,” Alena said confidently. “If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have heard the dinner bell, and we would have had to find a place to stash you until after we ate.” Her tone was joking, but it had happened once before. It was never known when Bette would take offense to somebody.
Davin and Jenira shared another look, and Davin shrugged. Alena watched them. They seemed to have their own language. Alec bagged up the necklace and shoved it in the desk drawer, locking it. He shrugged when Alena raised an eyebrow. “Just in case,” he said, “since you don’t want me carrying it around.”
Alena grimaced. “Absolutely not. I wouldn’t want to get close to you for days. Neither would Eden.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him, and he ducked his head, his cheeks reddening adorably.
Jenira smiled. “You three are cute. My dad had two wives at the same time.” Alec stared at the floor and Alena’s fair skin darkened.
“There is no three of us right now,” she said, her voice strained. Jenira grinned knowingly.
“Just wait,” she said. Alena knew her face was nearly as red as her hair at that point. She was a little upset she and Alec were so easy to read. Eager to change the subject, she turned and led them from the office.
Mac was just stepping out of her room wearing her usual sullen expression. She looked up in surprise as they met in the hall. Her eyes flew over Alena’s head and her mouth widened in a large O. It was the most emotion Alena had seen on Mac’s face since she arrived six months ago. She heard a soft grunt behind her. A similar expression of shock covered Davin’s face.
“Mackenzie?” Davin's voice was tight with shock. She stared at him, her eyes darkening with something like fear. Alena knew she was going to run before she turned, and Davin pushed past her to grab Mac’s upper arm. Alena twitched, unsure whether Mac needed help or not. When the big man crushed the young mage to his chest in a gentle embrace, Alena stopped.
“Where have you been, Kenzie? Your brother and I have been out of our heads with worry.” The words were spoken softly into Mac’s dark curls, the tips dyed blue. Alena looked at Jenira for direction, but the taller woman shrugged, watching the scene with interest. Mac, for her part, remained stiff in Davin’s arms.
“Why are you here?” she asked, her voice tight. “Did you come to take me away?” Davin pushed back to stare into her eyes, pain clearly written on his usually blank face. Alena felt like she was intruding on a personal moment, but Davin’s broad body blocked the entire hallway. He had eyes only for Mac.
“I didn’t know you were here. We haven’t heard from you in a year, Kenzie. Andrew thought you were dead.”
“Why are you here, then?” Mac demanded, each word enunciated. She was frozen in the face of Davin’s obvious affection, torn about what to feel.
“We came to help Eden. Alec called me. I’ve known Alec since I was in college.”
Mac flashed a look to the others, taking in Jenira with a smirk. “Seems like you’ve finally met your match, Uncle. I bet that chick kicks your ass on a daily basis.” While Alena reeled from the revelation that Davin was Mac’s uncle, Jenira laughed wholeheartedly.
“You bet, kid,” Jenira said, though Mac was probably only a couple years younger than her. Davin seemed to have gained control over his surprise. He still held Mac’s arm, but it was a gentle touch.
“So, you haven’t come to take me back, then?” She asked Davin, her words still harsh.
Davin sighed. “Not unless you want to come,” he said. “Andrew will be happy to know you’re alive, but I know he’d rather see you.” Something flashed across Mac’s face, but she shrugged it away. When she said nothing, Davin continued “I’ll be here until tomorrow if you change your mind.” Raw sadness layered his voice, giving Alena a different glimpse of the rough-edged man. He obviously harbored strong feelings for those he cared for.
Mac shrugged again. “Time to eat,” she said, forcing brightness into her voice that Alena could tell she didn’t feel. She stepped away from Davin and nearly ran down the hall. The rest of them stared after her. Davin focused on Alena and Alex.
“Neither of you had any idea?” he asked, his voice not accusatory. They shook their heads.
“Mac came to us six months ago. She hasn’t come out of her shell the whole time she’s been here. She rarely talks. Anything else, she’ll have to tell you herself.” Alena didn’t share her mages’ stories with anyone, not even family. Sometimes, especially not family. She and Alec walked past him down the hall. She glanced back briefly to see Jenira embracing the big man. They whispered softly to each other, and she averted her attention. They could find the dining room on their own. They just had to follow the smell of food.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Eden
Eden was taking her seat when Mac entered. She ignored Jessie’s babbling about the day’s events and questions about why there were two extra place settings to study her. Mac was radiating confusing emotions – fear, distrust, and uncertainty. Something had happened recently. She caught the mage’s stormy eyes.
“Are you ok?”
Mac nodded jerkily. Her gray eyes were stormier than usual, and she sat without speaking. Eden tuned the magic out so she only had the emotions to deal with. That was plenty. Charity was always a chaotic mess of intense feelings, while Elliott had a stable, mostly unpleasant demeanor.
Alec and Alena entered the room, both of them surprised and concerned. They flashed a glance at Mac that no one but Eden noticed before they sat. The two empty places remained, and the younger girls were bouncing in their excitement to meet their guests. Eden understood that having visitors at the mage house never happened.
The table had magically grown by two place settings since earlier in the day, although it still occupied the same space in the room. Eden had studied the arrangement curiously before giving up trying to explain it. Though they didn’t have assigned seats, they always sat in the same ones. The seats across from Eden were reserved for Jenira and Davin. Eden braced herself, but she felt she had gotten acclimated enough to their magic that it wasn’t as jarring.
They entered the room shortly after that, apologizing for making everyone wait. Before they sat, however, Bette popped out of the kitchen. The room quieted as they watched Bette stare calmly at Jenira. The fierce woman sighed and unbuckled the dagger belt around her thigh. She placed the daggers on a small side table and returned to her chair, but Bette continued to stare her down and made a little “ahem” sound in her throat. Jenira stooped to remove
a knife from her boot while the younger kids watched in awe. The twins’ mouths hung open.
Mac was openly smirking, the first genuine expression Eden had seen on the young mage’s face. Elliot shifted nervously. Jenira glanced at Bette, and the Brownie finally nodded and smiled. Jenira sat, her cheeks still pink. Davin was inwardly laughing at her and Eden restrained a giggled when Jenira punched him in the shoulder. He then looked at Mac and his emotions sobered so quickly, Eden’s eyes narrowed. She knew then, without knowing how she knew, that Mac and Davin were related and there was unfinished business between them. She studied her plate as she considered this, thinking of both the coincidence of him arriving while Mac was here and wondering what had happened between them.
The food miraculously appeared after everyone was finally seated, and they began the ritual of passing the dishes around the table with the customary silence. When everyone’s plate was full, Alena made the introductions. Right after she’d finished, Elliott, Kathy, and Jessie started talking at once. Alena hushed them and directed them to speak one at a time, pointing at Kathy first. She grinned at Eden as she did so, sharing the exasperation of managing the room. Eden smiled back and dug into her mashed potatoes and gravy with a quiet moan of satisfaction. Despite the many cookies she’d consumed, Bette’s food was still delicious, and she didn’t feel full at all.
“Why don’t you carry any knives, Mr. Davin?” Kathy asked, bouncing up and down. Her bright blonde curls jumped with her. Davin nearly choked on his water.
“Well, uh, please call me Davin. I don’t need to carry knives because I have Jenira to protect me.” Several people laughed. Eden couldn’t help herself from watching Mac. In the entire room, the woman’s emotions called to her the strongest. She wanted to laugh too, but she didn’t. She stared at her food, barely eating. Jenira smiled proudly, pleased with his answer.
Elliott’s voice burst in immediately afterward. He stared at Davin with something akin to awe and worship. For once, general unhappiness didn’t saturate his emotions. “Is it true you employ mages, Dr. Rennert? I’ve always known I should be a techie.” His face fell momentarily. “I’m not a techie, but I want to work with tech.” His voice was eager, and he sounded younger than he was. Eden glanced at Davin. It would crush the young man if Davin rebuffed him. Alena also watched curiously.
“I do employ mages,” Davin said slowly, studying Elliott. “What’s your specialty?”
Elliott looked down at his plate. “Air,” he admitted glumly, “but I study physics and know a lot about DNA. I have many theories about what gives mages and techies their powers,” he continued eagerly.
“I would like to discuss some of those theories with you,” Davin said after a moment of deliberation. Alena relaxed, and Eden’s impression of Davin improved. “There might be a place for you in my company, but I’d have to talk to you more.”
“Of course, of course!” Elliott agreed, nearly bouncing in his chair like Kathy.
Davin nodded. “Very well. Before I leave tomorrow, we should speak,” he told the young man, but his gaze slid to Mac. She continued to ignore everyone, her emotions confused and jumbled.
Then it was Jessie’s turn. “Do you actually know how to use those knives?” she asked Jenira snottily. Jenira answered nicely, but her expression caused the confident girl to pale and squirm in her chair. It also quieted her for the rest of the meal, something Eden felt pleased and guilty about. She listened with half an ear as the conversation continued; what Brenville was like and what Davin did for work.
Jenira cleverly deflected any personal questions and managed to give Charity dirty looks whenever she made eyes at Davin. She did so when she thought Jenira wasn’t looking, but Jenira was always watching. Mac continued to ignore everyone, and Alena seemed to have slipped into a contemplative funk. She smiled in Eden’s direction, but her heart wasn’t in it.
Dinner was followed by chocolate cake. Although several of them had binged on cookies earlier, they all managed to eat a slice. Afterward, Alena sent the younger ones off, and Elliott scurried away after Davin promised to speak to him in the morning. Charity pouted and stomped from the room with one last look at Davin that he didn’t even notice. Alec was also studying Alena, perhaps noting her mood as Eden did. Mac slipped away quietly, although everyone saw her leave; Davin looked after her wistfully.
When the five of them remained, Davin spoke. “I’ve been thinking about Eden’s situation. Should we?”
Alena nodded and rose. “Yes, we should speak in the sitting room. I trust all the young ones, but a couple of them have a tendency to gossip.”
The table cleared itself as they stepped away. Jenira buckled her daggers around her thighs. Eden understood the weapons were like clothes to her; she felt naked without them. She wanted to know what was bothering Alena but didn’t feel she had the right to ask. She shared a glance with Alec. He seemed to understand because he nodded grimly but followed with a shrug. Resigned, Eden trailed the rest of them to the sitting room.
Gideon waited, his eyes bright, and Eden noted him without surprise. She always seemed to know where he was even when she couldn’t see or feel him. His presence was a tug of energy that was as natural to her as breathing now that she’d identified it. She stroked him softly with one hand. He chirped under her caress, welcoming the attention. Jenira joined her at the mantle he was perched on.
“He’s beautiful,” she murmured. Eden smiled. “Is it difficult with him being a creature of the night?”
Eden shrugged. “Since we’ve only gotten acquainted, I’m not sure yet. When I was a mundane, I worked the night shift, which is ironic.” She didn’t mention the dreams which kept her awake through the dark hours more often than not.
Davin paced behind the small couch as Alec leaned against the wall. Alena sank onto the settee, her face still placid, her fiery energy muted. Jenira sat on the loveseat, stretching her long, muscular legs in front of her. Eden had never met a woman as muscular as Jenira. She shuddered to think about how much exercise she needed to maintain her physique. Eden didn’t think her body could look like that, even if she tried. Besides, she preferred the softness of the female form; Alena’s curves were very enticing.
“So…besides the techie that is trying to get Eden arrested, we also have an unknown entity stalking her who might know she’s Magitech,” Davin stated. Alena nodded. “It makes sense for you to not stay here,” he told Eden. Eden’s heart fell. She had expected this, but it still came as a nearly physical blow. Her short time here had already felt like home. “It’s a temporary situation until we figure out who is stalking you. I think the police station can be taken care of fairly easy.” Davin waved a hand as if talking to police officials and encouraging them to look the other way was a task he performed daily.
“Where will I go, though?” Eden asked, swallowing around the lump in her throat. Davin’s brow furrowed. He stopped pacing and considered her seriously.
“You can’t shield against the emotions?” She shook her head. He looked down at the floor and continued pacing. “Brenville could be hard for you - damaging, in fact. There are so many people there…” he muttered to himself. “Alena, have you considered smuggling her to the border? I know you have probably done so for several of your wards?”
Alena nodded, her face regaining a bit of her usual fire. She was still clearly exhausted and sad, though. “I have considered it. I’m concerned we’ll be ambushed along the way. I also have doubts about how Eden will be accepted in the West. She is Magitech, after all.”
“She won’t be accepted,” Jenira said bluntly. She gave Eden a sad smile. “Sorry, kid, but Westerners are very stuck in tradition. They won’t accept you once they learn you are Magitech. And while I can’t sense that about you, I’m sure some can.”
Davin nodded, deep in thought. “I have an estate in the country. It’s near the border, but still on the Eastern side. It’s very hush-hush, only those closest to me know it exists.” Jenira flashed him a look wh
ich he returned. “Sorry, I hadn’t gotten around to telling you about it, yet.” She stared at him for a second, considering, before nodding and turning away. Eden watched the exchange with interest. It confirmed her earlier suspicion that their relationship was fairly new. “There have been recent events at my headquarters in Brenville that make it a less desirable option, not to mention Eden’s sensitivities. In fact, I would feel better if Cat came out to the estate and studied the necklace there instead of in the city office. I have facilities set up for research and a lab.”
“Where my sister goes, I go,” Jenira said softly. Davin reached over the back of the couch and squeezed her shoulder.
“I know, and I expected you to. I’m hoping Mac will join us, but she’s as stubborn as her mother was.” His aura filled with sudden pain and Eden frowned as she made the connection. The mother Davin referred to was dead.
Your divining abilities are improving, Gideon said with a small chirp of approval.
Divining ability? Is that what that is? Just knowing things? I’m not sure I like it.
Sometimes we have no control over our destinies, Gideon said cryptically. She grunted in disapproval, attracting the attention of everyone. She shrugged.
“Sorry. Just having a little disagreement with the familiar.” Everyone seemed to accept that as a reasonable excuse, which Eden might have found amusing if it wasn’t her future being discussed.
“Are you ok with that plan?” Alena asked Eden, her mood resigned.
“I guess.” Eden shrugged. “It seems like the best option for now.” She felt useless. She had no family and no friends she could burden with her problems. She was utterly reliant on the people in this room to help her.
“Okay, then,” Davin said. “We’ll leave tomorrow, maybe late tomorrow. I need to talk to Mac before we go, even if she doesn’t want to talk to me.” He looked to Alena and Alec. “My place is large enough for everyone. Anyone is welcome there.” Alena nodded, but her face scrunched a little. Alec regarded her with a frown.
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