by Ella M. Lee
He turned to Nicolas next, and they shook hands. “Nicolas, how are you?”
“I’m well, and you?” Nicolas asked politely.
“As if you have to ask,” Claudius said with a slight laugh. He pivoted to Ryan, offering his hand. “Hello, old friend.”
“Good to see you,” Ryan said, warmth suffusing his voice.
Arturo came to greet us next, and we repeated the pleasantries. I relaxed. Water acknowledging us was excellent. Although Claudius was friendly in private, it would have been entirely his purview to reject us publicly. This indicated that he believed in us. I’d have to get more details from Nicolas later, but he looked genuinely pleased by the greeting.
Arturo pulled Ryan toward the waiting Verdant magicians. Nicolas took purposeful steps toward Gemma, likely to extend his thanks for our invitation. I took a deep breath and decided to branch out. I had connections here I might be able to use: Flame. Nicolas seemed to think the fact that I’d so thoughtfully kept their secrets might endear them to me. Indeed, Nicolas had never asked for details of Flame, and I had never spoken much on the subject except to elaborate on information that was already largely public.
I straightened my back and glided as smoothly as I could over to where Ivan and Laurine stood. Laurine’s brown eyes widened incredulously.
I smiled. “Hi. It’s been a while. How are you, Ivan, Laurine?”
They exchanged a sour look, and my smile faltered. Finally, Laurine said, “We don’t speak to traitors.”
I swallowed, somehow managing to channel some of Nicolas’s calm and continue looking her in the eye. “Then you should have no problem speaking with me. I have never betrayed you.”
A sharp, haughty laugh escaped her lips. “You think your word means something to me, girl? Someone who jumps from one clan to another can never be trusted, and you’ve done it twice. You should have died.”
Cold crept over me, all of my doubts clawing their way up through my body, nauseating me. Laurine’s glare was so intense, I had to stop myself from turning around and seeking out the safety of Nicolas. Finally, I found enough breath to say, “It sort of seems like that’s what Flame wanted, sending us in with no hope of survival.”
Laurine’s face contorted, her lips twisting and her eyebrows drawing together to wrinkle the lines of her eyes menacingly. Before I could react, she flicked the hand that held her champagne glass, and the contents arced toward me.
Behind me, I heard the sharp click of fingers snapping, and the liquid turned instantly to mist. It dissipated into the air around me, saving my dress.
I spun.
Stephan stood a few feet away, his eyes on Laurine. Now I knew where Nicolas had picked up his annoying habit of snapping in order to activate his magic.
“It is a good thing she left your clan, you ungrateful harpy,” Stephan said to Laurine.
Her eyes bulged and her jaw popped open.
“Stay out of this, Stephan,” Ivan said, his low voice menacing.
Stephan spread his hands. “Ah, but we’re all here to get into each other’s business. I’m just starting a little earlier than you’d like.” He paused, his eyes flicking between me and the two Flame magicians. “Fiona is better than Flame. Do not make the mistake of thinking anyone in this room is anything less than a pinnacle member of a clan.”
Laurine’s twisted expression could have curdled milk. “There are pinnacle members, and then there are pinnacle members. We’ll all remember who the cause of this disruption was.”
Laurine placed her hand on Ivan’s arm, and the two of them stalked away toward the exit.
I took a skittering step back from Stephan, pressing myself closer to the windows, eyeing him like he was a dangerous creature.
Stephan held his hands up, as though surrendering. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you. Not with Nicolas watching, ready to rip me into pieces if I try.”
I followed Stephan’s gaze. Indeed, Nicolas’s eyes were on us, his expression dark and displeased.
“Why are you talking to me?” I asked.
“Our last conversation was cut short.” Again, he glanced at Nicolas, raising his eyebrows tauntingly. “I wanted to express my condolences for your loss. You were Daniel Shing’s lieutenant, and I’ve been told you two were close. It is always a shame to lose a good magician, no matter their clan affiliation.”
I swallowed, bracing myself on the wall behind me. “Yes, he was something else. His legacy lives on in our magic.”
Stephan copied me, leaning against the wall so that we were side by side. I inched away from him, tense, but he didn’t move or speak. Instead, he watched the room with narrowed eyes. I still couldn’t get over how similar he was to Nicolas. They had the same frame—broad shoulders that tapered into a narrow waist—and the same refined posture. The shape of their eyes was identical, with the exact same arch of their cheekbones beneath. Even the parts of them that were different—the color of their eyes, the texture of their hair, the pitch of their voices—still retained faint echoes of one another.
Anyone in this room who didn’t realize they were related had to be blind, deaf, and dumb.
I couldn’t help letting my gaze wander to Nicolas, concerned for him. It was bad enough that Stephan was here, and that Nicolas had to deal with that. It was worse that Stephan was choosing to focus his attention on me. Nicolas considered me someone he needed to protect, but his hands were tied right now. He and I had already decided not to give away our closeness at this meeting.
All he could do was stand there and let me handle myself. Which, startlingly, he was managing quite well. To the casual observer, nothing would seem out of sorts with him. He was engaged in a conversation with Claudius and Gemma, his head tilted in consideration, his attention locked on them.
But his fingertips were pressed together tensely, a nervous habit of his, and he was blinking far too often, which was a sign he was paying attention to his mind-reading and his visions.
I wasn’t feeling much better, off-kilter with Stephan’s curious gaze on me, hating that I’d been singled out by possibly the most dangerous person in the room.
“You poor thing,” Stephan said suddenly, drawing my attention sharply from Nicolas.
Stephan studied me with a slight frown, and his expression sent a ripple of fury through me.
“You scared off Laurine and Ivan just so you could antagonize me yourself? How fun,” I said.
He laughed. “Such a spark in you. But it doesn’t matter how brightly you shine. He”—Stephan pointed lazily to Nicolas—“will always have his mind on greater things.”
“That is my hope,” I said. “I am happy to let Nicolas be the visionary of the clan. My interests lie elsewhere.”
“Do they?” he asked, drawing out the words skeptically. “I caught that simpering gleam in your eye. You pine for him.”
My heart hammered in my chest, but I simply raised a brow and said, as casually as I could, “I don’t, sorry.”
Can’t pine for what you already have.
My words had their desired effect—doubt flickered across Stephan’s expression for just a moment.
“Either way,” Stephan said, “you should be careful. Nicolas will get bored of Lightning soon enough, and when he comes up with his next grand idea? Well, you better hope you’re not the sacrificial lamb then.”
My chest tightened at his use of “lamb,” Nicolas’s affectionate nickname for me.
“I wonder where he got that from?” I said. “Do you keep track of the number of test subjects you murder for your work? Or are your bedposts not large enough for those notches? I can promise that Lightning doesn’t intend to use people up and discard them like they are nothing.”
A cruel smile spread over Stephan’s face as he studied me. “I would have loved the chance to watch you say that to Daniel’s face.”
My instinct was to shut down, to give in, to let the parts inside of me that agreed with Stephan overwhelm me and control me. But before any of tha
t could happen, I heard Daniel’s phantom voice in my head, clear as a bell.
Fuck this asshole. He doesn’t know shit.
Thinking about how annoyed Daniel would be by Stephan’s hurtful words ignited more fury within me.
“Daniel knew exactly what he was doing,” I said savagely. “He planned every aspect of it. He willingly and happily walked into that circle, and he would never have considered himself sacrificed. The whole magical community knows his name, and he would have been thrilled by that legacy. How many of your test subjects would say that?”
Stephan lifted his chin, annoyed. “Nicolas used hundreds of years’ worth of Smoke’s research to build your clan. Do not be so naive as to think it was bloodless, or that the credit will go to anyone but the winners. That’s always how these things go, is it not?”
“I don’t need people to give me credit,” I said.
“Ah, but Nicolas does, just like every other Type A personality out there.”
“Including you?”
Stephan shrugged. “Of course.”
“Why are you so adamant about warning me away from Nicolas?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? I want to steal you away from Nicolas before he sinks his claws too far into you. What would you say to that?”
Too late. I smiled. “When hell freezes over.”
He laughed. “But you haven’t even heard the offer.”
“Don’t waste your breath,” I said.
“Were you thinking that when Nicolas was deciding whether or not to kill you for your pathetic assassination attempt?”
“I was thinking that I didn’t want to die. Now I’m thinking that I don’t want to spend the rest of what would be a very short life in a cage in Smoke’s basement. But thanks. I appreciate your consideration.” I should have been nicer, but I spat the words out, unable to tame my anger at the idea that Stephan could talk about me and Nicolas in such a cavalier manner.
As quickly as I could, I pushed myself away from the wall and headed for the least-crowded corner of the room: the buffet table. Stephan didn’t say a word, and I didn’t look back to see his reaction to my abrupt departure.
Blackness crept into the corners of my vision, and my heart pounded in my ears. I hated conversations like these. I hated high stakes. Every single fiber of me wished I’d convinced Nicolas not to make me come here, because I was so out of my league.
A hand reached out to grasp my arm, and I jumped. My eyes shot up to find Nicolas’s tawny gaze. His expression was sharp and intense, but his words in my mind were soft and affectionate.
Do you know how much I love you and admire you? he asked.
I looked away. Remind me later, I thought, and I shook myself out of his grip. The whole room would be watching us, including Stephan, and I didn’t want any of them to get ideas. But I appreciated Nicolas’s encouraging words, even if they didn’t do much to ease the coil of anxiety within me.
I picked up a glass of champagne from the tower of glasses at the end of the buffet table. I didn’t like champagne, but I needed something to take the edge off my panic, even if it would only affect me for a few minutes because my magic would burn it out of my system.
My heart slowed a modicum as I realized no one was coming to bother me. I took the opportunity to study the room. Stephan hadn’t moved, and thankfully his eyes weren’t on me. The rest of the groups had shifted, but only slightly. The Flames were nowhere in sight, but now all the rest of the clans present—Wind, Verdant, Sky, Water, Smoke, and Lightning—were mingling more freely.
I let my eyes travel over Nicolas to land on Ryan instead. I watched his animated conversation and easy expression, and I smiled. Ryan was the type of smart, genial, earnest person who everyone liked. Nicolas could immediately ferret out another’s weaknesses and strengths and manipulate them with finesse, but Ryan was different. He was more like running water, slowly spreading and carving out his influence with logic, reasoning, and impassioned rhetoric. Before magic, he’d been a lawyer, and that showed through in every carefully considered statement of his.
Irina had once told me that Ryan had influence, and Nicolas had power. She wasn’t wrong, and both were extremely necessary in this situation.
Those two worked the room easily, while I sagged, dizzy and exhausted from just one conversation. Fear crept into me.
I needed fresh air.
As casually as I could, as though I simply wanted to explore the beautiful surroundings, I took a roundabout way to the main entrance and slipped through the door and out into the cool, sunny afternoon.
The walkway between the front door and the parking lot was made of landscaped gardens, dotted with benches under low-hanging wisteria trees. The trees were fairly bare right now, but they reminded me of home.
I took a seat on the nearest bench, rolling my shoulders and gulping another mouthful of champagne. I had only been sitting for a minute, letting the crisp air calm my panic, when a deep voice over my shoulder startled me.
“A bit overwhelming, isn’t it?”
I turned my head, looking up to meet Claudius’s thoughtful blue eyes. Claudius’s kind face and relaxed posture made me relax immediately. His short salt-and-pepper hair made him seem harmless and almost grandfatherly.
Don’t let your guard down, I told myself. He’s still a pinnacle member of a clan, and he’s never been your friend, or Nicolas’s.
I patted the bench next to me. “You’re welcome to take a seat.”
“I would love that,” he said, settling in next to me. “I, too, was feeling a little ruffled by the energy in that room.”
I couldn’t help the sharp laugh that bubbled from my lips, and Claudius smiled.
“You will get used to it,” he said encouragingly. “You might never like it, but it does get easier.”
I swallowed, unwilling to admit how deeply his generous words affected me.
“I’m enjoying the opportunity for this learning experience,” I said.
A broader smile tugged at his lips. “Ah, you don’t have to be so coy. Obviously Nicolas dragged you here, and obviously you hate it.”
“Nicolas’s expertise with, well, everything makes it nearly impossible to ignore his suggestions. He is always right.”
“Trust me,” Claudius said. “He hates being here, too. Did you see the daggers he was staring at Stephan? I’ve seen those two go at one another. It is never pleasant. Nicolas does a decent job at making it seem as though he doesn’t care, but Stephan gets under his skin in ways I’ve never seen anyone else do.”
I shrugged. “Maybe. He wouldn’t tell me, even if that were true.”
I wished I were deceiving Claudius with those words, but Nicolas was loath to talk about Stephan. Getting information about his errant father was like pulling teeth, each one more painful than the last.
“Are you sure you’re all right, dear?” Claudius asked. His eyes went to my trembling hand as it held the champagne flute. “You look a little wan.”
“I’m fine. Enjoying the fresh mountain air.”
“Did Stephan say something to upset you?” Claudius asked.
I glanced at him. “Just reminding me of old wounds.”
Claudius hesitated, giving me an odd look. “Did Nicolas upset you?”
I remembered Nicolas grabbing my arm, what it would have looked like to the others. “No.” I didn’t want to invite questions about our clan dynamics.
Claudius took a breath, letting his gaze wander out over the small garden to the hills beyond. “I am truly sorry for your loss. I wouldn’t wish the death of a friend on anyone, least of all the death of someone as singular as Daniel.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
“Nicolas offered me an advance copy of your book,” Claudius said. “I’ll admit that I haven’t made it all the way through, but I’m immensely impressed by what you all managed. If anyone could do it, it was Nicolas and Daniel. I always admired their partnership.”
I knew what he meant. Nicolas an
d Dan’s relationship defied anything I’d ever seen before. Their closeness, their ability to anticipate one another, the amount of love and faith they showed toward one another… it had always awed me. And it was a huge reason I wanted Daniel back—not just for me, but for Nicolas. In a way, it seemed like Nicolas was lost without his protégé.
“Consumed by guilt” was too strong of a sentiment for Nicolas’s feelings, but he took responsibility for Daniel’s actions, and Dan’s death weighed heavily on him. Dan, in return, seemed distraught that he had upset Nicolas, especially since he had thought his actions would please Nicolas.
I wanted the two of them to be able to sort it out in the real world, in person. I wanted them to have a path into the future together. I wanted to see what they could do if teamed up once again.
I was startled out of my daydreams to find Claudius watching me expectantly.
“Yes, I am very lucky to know both of them,” I said. “Dan is all the best parts of his mentors, as well as something else entirely.”
Claudius’s brow creased for a moment, and my throat tightened as I realized my mistake: I’d just referred to Daniel in the present tense, as though he were alive.
But Claudius didn’t say a word about my phrasing. Maybe he thinks I’m grief-stricken. Or misspeaking. Hopefully. I shifted, flustered. Undesired tears sprang to my eyes, embarrassment and anxiety and grief all rolled into one.
“Is something wrong, dear?” Claudius asked, leaning closer and offering me a sympathetic pat on the arm.
“Just… um, stress,” I said, widening my eyes and hoping the cold air would dry out their glassiness. “Our magic is, um…” God, why was I still talking? “It’s nothing we can’t handle. Nothing is, um, wrong…”
Claudius’s gaze had turned sharp and interested.
Sharks. I was reminded of that day in his office when he’d offered me a spot in his group, when he’d told me he could protect me from Nicolas. Claudius was a good man, but he was still a pinnacle member of a clan, and he was still here with plans and agendas.
And I’d just given him more to speculate on than necessary. Swimming with sharks, and now I had added blood to the water.
