“What did he agree to?” Allie sat forward with her arms around her middle, as if to protect herself from what she was about to hear.
“I always knew it would come to this if they ever found out about Aidan.” Gregg scrubbed at the stubble on his face. “When he was arrested and interrogated, the Senate brought charges against me and Naeemah, and all of Aidan’s eldest siblings. Even Liam. We were all held responsible for shielding him from notice all his life. They threatened our position as governor, claiming we would all face prison time for the betrayal. We would be ruined, but it was a scare tactic. And it worked.”
“We all know Aidan will do anything to save the people he loves,” Allie whispered. “Even if it means sacrificing himself.”
Gregg nodded. “Aye, they got into his head and found what makes him tick. He’s a fixer. Aidan will always do the noble thing.” He heaved a big sigh, sitting back in his chair. “In exchange for his full cooperation, Aidan negotiated terms that left his parents and siblings pardoned of all charges brought against us for raising an unknown.”
“Who cares? This is your son, Gregg. You never think of yourself when it comes to your children.” Allie surged to her feet, unable to keep still. “How could you let him agree to it? What aren’t you telling me?”
“I don’t know how, but they know about you, Allie,” Gregg told her, regret on his face. “Rather, they know of you to be more exact. They know you are an orphaned unknown that we have harbored for the last five years. They know you are Aidan’s equal in power, and that you mean more to him than his own wellbeing. They do not know about your bond with Darius, or that you are the natural-born child of prophecy and the named heir of Indriell. And they certainly don’t know what you can do. They can never know that, Allie.”
“How could they possibly have known about me three years ago?” Allie asked in a panic, not for herself, but for what she knew Aidan would do to protect her.
“I honestly don’t know. I haven’t been able to identify how they have gathered what little information they have on you.”
“So they made threats against me, too, and Aidan caved?” Her voice trembled, and she sat back down. Darius slid closer to her side, letting her rest against his shoulder for support.
“Aidan knew the threats against his family were likely just a ploy. He refused to cooperate at first, but in the end, to keep the Senate from coming for you, to keep you safe, Aidan gave up his freedom. They’ve agreed to let you live your life, free of their interference in exchange for his full cooperation. To them, Aidan is the prize and you are the sacrifice for that prize. My son has given you the normal life you’ve always wanted.” There was no accusation in his voice. Only resigned acceptance.
“I never wanted this, and you damn well know it,” Allie said with deadly calm. “How dare you not tell me? How dare you let him sacrifice himself like this?” Allie’s eyes flickered with green fire, and her hands itched to free her power. “And you’ve lost contact with him now?”
“We’ve come to realize those first few months after his release were meant to give us a false sense of security. Aidan began to pull away after that. He still attended classes and lived with Scott. We even saw him occasionally when we visited, but he wasn’t the same. He’d withdrawn. More like he was before he met you. And then he started traveling a lot. Gone for long periods of time until one day, he just never came back. Little by little, Aidan slipped away from us, Allie. And I’ve tried everything to bring him home. The last time I spoke to him was more than a year ago.” Gregg gave her a haggard look, his eyes pleading with her to understand. “He asked me to stop. Begged me to trust him.”
“What about Liam?” Allie set her empty glass back on the tray. “I take it you two have been working to find him? Doing this the McBrien way, keeping all the little women and children out of it?”
“The very last time I spoke to my son, I promised I would protect you.” Gregg’s voice shook with anger. “And that is a promise I intend to keep. No matter how much we want to bring him home, you are a far too important to risk.”
“I am not a trophy you keep behind a glass case, Gregg. I don’t need your protection. I need honesty and the knowledge of what’s going on around me so I can protect myself. This involves me, and I needed to know about it.”
“And her family should have been informed, too,” Livia spoke up for the first time. “This affects everything, Gregg. You should know better than to keep something like this from us. Alísun won’t be happy we’ve been kept in the dark.”
“I suppose you’re the one who told Allie?”
“She is my sister. And she is the heir. She deserves the respect her position demands.”
Gregg sank back in his chair, gazing at the stone ceiling. “You’re right. But, Allie, you know I love you like my own daughter.”
“I know.” Her voice softened as her anger wilted. She loved him just as much.
“A parent protects their children. Even when they are children no longer.”
“What are you doing to end this?” Allie asked. “I don’t understand why Liam can’t go find Aidan and just drag him home.”
“Liam can’t find him,” Gregg said. “We believe Aidan is with someone who can mask his location. He pops up every once in a while at different points across Europe.” His jaw clenched into a hard line. “But by the time we investigate, he’s gone again. This isn’t about us failing to rescue him, Allie. My son doesn’t want to be found. We’ve tried everything. Whatever the Senate has him doing, he’s in so deep we can’t help him. I’m afraid until Aidan shows some sign that he wants our help, there is nothing we can do for him.”
“You should have come to me months ago,” Allie said. “I’ll trade myself for him.”
“No, you won’t,” everyone in the room said at once.
“Not literally,” Allie said. “But let’s make them an offer they can’t refuse. Dangle the redheaded princess like a carrot in their face, and they’ll take a nibble. Then we make a move. We all know Aidan is one self-sabotaging, self-sacrificing, broody son of a bitch. If he is evading help, then it’s time to stage an intervention and drag him back here kicking and screaming if we have to.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you on that, but you can’t sacrifice yourself for him, Allie. It is far too dangerous. The queen would never allow it.”
“She’s not the boss of me,” Allie said.
“I won’t allow it. Like it or not, you are too important to take such a risk.”
“There has to be something we can do.”
“The best thing we can do for Aidan right now is trust him. He is safe. Of that I am certain,” Gregg said. “I never wanted my son to become a Senate man. We’ve taken great measures to give him the chance to become his own man on his own terms. I believe in him. Right now, he thinks he is protecting his parents and the girl he loves. But in the end, he will stay true to himself. He will not be swayed by our government. When the time is right, he will reach out to us.”
“You’ve given up?” Allie asked, not believing what she was hearing.
“We are not acting. But we are also not twiddling our thumbs either. We are waiting and vigilantly watching. For the moment.”
“How can you be so sure he’s safe?” she asked.
Gregg tipped forward to meet her gaze. She recognized the flicker of passion in his eyes.
“Aidan gave up his freewill to protect us. But somewhere along the way, I believe he has become passionate about his work for the Senate. I don’t trust them. But I do trust my son. He’s smart. Whatever they have him doing, he has them in his pocket, and they believe him to be an ally. They wouldn’t hurt him.”
Allie nodded. “Aidan’s not an idiot. He would never let anyone influence what he believes to be right. He must—” She inhaled sharply as realization hit her. “They have him working on something important. Something he feels can’t be left to anyone else. It’s not about protecting us anymore.”
“My tho
ughts exactly,” Gregg said.
“I know we need to trust him. Aidan is perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but nothing is worth giving up his freedom.”
“I know, sweetheart. But I’m afraid this is one of those times we simply have to wait for a resolution.”
“That’s not a plan, Gregg.” Allie’s mind whirled with possibilities. Gregg might not be able to save his son from himself, but there had to be something she could do. Waiting and hoping wasn’t an option she could live with.
“We’re going to Germany.” Allie slid into her car, cranking the ignition of the old Impala.
“Why am I not surprised?” Darius groaned, taking the seat beside her. “What are we going to do there? Knock on doors?”
“I don’t know. I need to talk to Scott. He’s the one who lived with Aidan through all this. He’s the logical place to start.”
“You think my brother would know something Gregg doesn’t?”
“I don’t know, Dare.” Allie held a death grip on the steering wheel. “But I can’t just go on about my life like nothing’s happened. I need to go to Germany, see where he lived. Maybe I can get a read on something the other’s have missed.”
“I may know someone who can help,” Livia said, slipping into the backseat. “We’ll go to Germany. It’s a good place to start. You will talk to Scott, and I will reach out to my contacts.”
“You’re on board with this?” Darius asked.
“The Senate has made a threat against Allie. They may not know exactly who she is yet, but it’s only a matter of time. And when they do come for her, we must be ready to act. I intend to get ahead of this thing. I am sure Aidan is a strong young man with the greatest of intentions, but I cannot leave my sister’s safety in the hands of an Unproven boy I’ve never met, with an agenda I don’t understand.”
“All right, then.” Allie nodded. “We’re leaving tonight.”
Chapter Nine
“Be careful, Allie.” Liam’s voice crackled over the international call. “I don’t like you gallivanting across the world without me.”
“Would you relax, you big goober,” Allie sighed into the speakerphone. “We hopped a flight to Germany, not Mars. I’m just going to talk to Fitzy. It’ll make me feel better.”
“Well, when you get back, we’re having a family discussion about flying across the world in the middle of the night without giving each other a heads up first.”
“You do know you’re like, number one on my shit-list, right?” Allie scoffed and Livia’s lip curled into a sneer.
“I’m aware,” Liam said dryly.
“My dear husband.” Livia moved over Allie’s phone. “When we get back, we’re going to have a long talk about keeping secrets in this family.”
“Give me a break. This all happened years ago. And I’m new to this having my own family thing,” Liam said. “It’s always been my brother’s family before you two and Kahlynn came along.”
“And?” Livia demanded, tapping her foot against the worn interior of the taxi taking them to a small suburb of Cologne, Germany.
“And I am a Neanderthal who clearly needs to learn how to deal with … er … compromise with the beautiful, yet terrifyingly strong, women of my family.”
“That’s better,” Allie said.
“We need to adopt a son or two,” Liam said. “I am outnumbered and out of my depth.”
“Stop talking, Liam,” Darius said. “Say bye-bye and hang up before you shove that giant foot in a little too deep.”
“Just be safe. You two and Kahlynn are my life, so don’t do anything stupid.”
“Keep an eye on us, Liam. We’ll be fine,” Livia said gently as she ended the call. “McBrien boys,” she said under her breath like a curse.
Allie’s stomach plummeted to her toes as the car slowed in front of the house Aidan had shared with his brother, Scott, a.k.a. Fitzy, for at least a portion of the last four years.
“You coming, Livia?” Allie asked as she and Darius stepped onto the curb.
“I’ll be back in a few hours," Livia said. "I have a meeting with a contact not too far from here. You do your kind of digging and I’ll do mine.”
Allie nodded. “Be careful, sis.” It worried her to see her sister diving back into her old ways.
“Don’t worry about me, Allie. I have a good life now. I’ll never do anything to jeopardize that.” She closed the door and nodded to the driver.
“You ready to go in there?” Darius asked as they headed up the short walk to the townhouse.
“No.” Allie shoved her hands into her coat pockets. “In my head, he’s been here for the last four years. Walking into that house and not seeing him…” she choked, her eyes burning with tears.
“We will find him, Allie. And then I’m going kick his ass for doing this to you.”
Allie took a deep breath as she stepped into the house, the warmth a welcome respite from the cold German afternoon.
“Darius,” Scott McBrien greeted them. “I’ve missed you.” He gave his brother a backslapping bear hug. “I’m so sorry I’ve kept my distance for so long.” He waved them into the living room. “We were trying to spare you both.”
“I can’t say I agree with your decisions to keep us in the dark, but it’s good to see you, brother,” Darius said.
Allie shuffled her feet as she glanced around the cozy living room, searching for evidence of Aidan. She gulped back a sob when her eyes landed on his violin, resting in a place of honor in the corner of the room.
“He’s-he’s not playing?” She could barely get the words out.
Scott came to stand beside her. “I’m afraid the Senate has robbed him of that, too.”
Tears rolled down her face as she stared at the intricate vine detail of his Stradivarius. Carefully carved Phoenixes spread their wings along the waist and lower bout of the instrument. Separating him from his violin wasn’t just separating the man from his music, it was taking away one of his main lines of communication. Playing the violin wasn’t just about the music for Aidan. It was a cathartic release. A way of expressing his emotions in ways he couldn’t do with words. Without it, he would be a bottle of feelings ready to explode. Allie doubted if anyone else understood that about him.
“Why is he doing this to himself?” she finally asked, tracing the edges of the priceless instrument. “And please don’t say it’s to protect me or his family. It may have been about that in the beginning, but I don’t think it’s just that anymore. We are missing something.” She shook her head, cheeks wet with tears, but her voice grew steady. “I will not let him do this. Not for me or anyone else. We have to find him, Scott. I need you to tell me everything you know.”
“Like I told you on the phone, Allie, you know what I know.” He gestured for them to sit down. “I haven’t seen or heard from him in nearly fourteen months. And before that, he was often gone for weeks at a time.”
“What was he like then?” she asked, taking a seat next to Scott on the sofa. “I need to understand what he was thinking. I’ve been in his mind. I know how he thinks, and how he processes information. If I can wrap my mind around his point of view, I might be able to see something you all have overlooked.”
Scott nodded. “Fair enough. But you’re not going to like it. Aidan was not in a good place the last few times I saw him. He’s not the boy you remember.”
“We’ve all changed,” Allie said. “You could say the same about me.”
“Let me back up a bit,” Scott said. “When we first came to Germany, he was reluctant. He wanted to be here but at the same time, he wanted to be back home with you. But this was his dream, and I think he thought if he could live that dream for a few short months, it would be enough for him. He could go back home to finish school at Oberlin Conservatory and never look back. But once he was here, taking classes and immersing himself in this elite world of classical music, he came alive.” Scott smiled at the memory. “There is no doubt that you have had a profound impact
on him, Allie. Aidan changed when he met you. Having an equal who understands what it’s like to be him, it made a huge difference in his life. But coming to school here was like watching him truly spread his wings and fly. He couldn’t leave after just a few months. When he decided to take an extra semester, he was so torn. Torn between his love for you and his love for music. But still, he was happier than I’ve ever seen him.”
Allie forced a smile. Of course she wanted Aidan to be happy, but that was right around the time he’d cut her out of his thoughts. “So all of that changed when the Senate came for him?”
“Yes.” Scott sighed. “When they arrested him and refused to let me stand with him, I feared we’d never see him again. He is so powerful.” A look of sadness flashed across Scott’s face. “I knew they’d never risk losing their hold on him. But when he came home a few days later, I couldn’t believe it. And then once he started pulling away, I couldn’t get anything out of him.”
“You have no idea what kind of work they had him doing?” Allie asked.
“He did let something slip once,” Scott said. “He said he wasn’t lying about teaching a class, but that he couldn’t tell me any more than that. It sounded like he was training with a group of talented students.”
“Did he say anything else?” Darius asked.
“He said something about owing everyone to see it through to the end. But he couldn’t possibly think that he owes Mom and Dad his freedom just to keep them out of jail for a few years.”
“No, that’s not it.” Allie stood, chewing on her thumbnail as she paced across the living room. “He wasn’t talking about the family, Fitzy. Aidan’s smart enough to know the Senate can’t legally follow through with their threats against his parents and siblings. Naeemah and Gregg are governors; they’re public figures, working for the Senate.” She turned on her heel. “They can’t just disappear under the radar the way Aidan has. Everyone would recognize how shady those trumped up charges were.”
“Then he must have been talking about you, and by extension, me because of our bond,” Darius said with a frown. “Who else would he give up his freedom for?”
Emerge- The Heir Page 6
