But how could I argue with a dying man on how he wanted to arrange his own affairs?
“Well, in the meantime,” I said, trying to recover my wits after such a heavy silence, “let me help you. I promised Elaine that I would do whatever she was supposed to be doing here.” I gave my uncle a quiet, sheepish sort of smile. “I’m not very good at tactics or anything like that, but give me time. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it. Especially now that I’ve got my own mind back.”
Peter smiled once more and then kissed the top of my head. “You must take after your mother,” he said gently.
“Actually, I do,” I admitted. “She’s the one who raised me to care more about people than about power. She always said that it didn’t matter what kind of magic I had; it only mattered that my heart was pure.” I smiled softly. “She named me after an angel because she wanted me to be hers.”
Peter’s smile turned softer. “I would very much like to hear about her,” he said, once more resting a hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad to see you have your memories back, Michelle.”
“Me too,” I said, then paused. “And I’m also sad, at the same time,” I admitted. “I didn’t think I had anyone who loved me—and then I find out I had an entire family full of people who risked everything to take me in. So sticking with the Rendezvous? Making sure that my father is removed from power so he can’t hurt anyone I love? It’s more important to me now than ever.”
“On that, we can agree,” Peter said. He let out a long breath and then straightened up. I knew that he hated to be compared to Andrew, but I couldn’t help thinking of Andrew all the same when I saw the way my uncle basically put on his emotional armor to become the king again. Watching him become “King Peter” was like watching Andrew switch from Person Andrew to Soldier Andrew. “Now then,” Peter said, “you’re going to need to start sitting in on the meetings with my generals. And with Elaine gone, I’m afraid that means you will need to go to the front lines for the battles I can no longer fight.”
I nodded along to everything he said. “Ivan already promised to help me transition into the world of royalty and all its rules,” I told him.
Peter smiled at that. “I always did like that boy.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s impossible not to like him. He’s got that same warmth that Tony does,” I pointed out.
Peter chuckled. “You see the strength in everyone you meet, Michelle.”
“It’s a reflex, I guess,” I said with a shrug as we headed back to the throne room. It was still empty, and it seemed more intimidating now that I’d spoken with my uncle. I wondered if I was supposed to sit there, holding court, too. I wouldn’t take Elaine’s seat, even if that was the protocol. That felt too weird. I’d have my own seat. Somewhere else.
Not that anyone had offered me a throne. I just couldn’t help that my head was whirling at a hundred thoughts a minute, and the current train of thought had landed on the regal thrones in the center of the room.
Stop panicking, Lila said in my mind, her voice a calming presence in a sea of, well, panicked thoughts. One step at a time. Ivan will be right there, and so will I.
I smiled and closed my eyes so that I could, in my own mind, give Lila a hug. I wished I had her physically there so I could wrap her up and thank her for being an amazing friend. She deserved so much more than what I could manage with my fleeting metaphysical hugs.
Finally, I slipped out of the throne room and wasn’t at all surprised to find that Ivan was waiting in the hallway, though he didn’t seem to notice me at first. (He probably hadn’t expected anyone to see him, since he had a disguising spell wrapped around him, but I had always been good at seeing through spells like that.) He had his knees drawn up and his face buried in them, and when I cleared my throat to let him know that I was there and could see him, he quickly tried to wipe his eyes with the heels of his hands. Then, he looked up at me and tried to pretend he was alright. “How did it go?”
“Ivan. . . .”
“How did it go?” he asked again, his voice stronger, and I decided to let him have this pretense of normalcy—for his sake.
“Surprisingly well,” I said—still honestly trying to wrap my head around how my uncle didn’t explode upon learning that his baby girl had run away with a Family mercenary. Maybe being faced with his own age and impending death had mellowed him.
I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to lose him, even if I’d barely gotten to spend any time with him. What little time I had spent with him had been marked by love and understanding. I didn’t want to lose that.
“I’m sure he could see your sincerity and found it impossible to be angry with you,” Ivan said.
I shook my head. “I think he’s just tired,” I said. “He’s . . . he’s old, you know.”
Ivan paused and let the warm smile fall. “Yes,” he said. “He is.”
I held my breath and then looked up at Ivan. “This is going to be a lot harder than I thought it would be, isn’t it? With my uncle dying?”
“Yes, it is.”
“That’s why you decided to help me.”
“Yes, it is.”
I nodded slowly and then gave Ivan’s arm a squeeze. “Thank you.”
Ivan stopped and turned toward me so that he could wrap me in a proper hug instead, lifting me off the ground before he set me down again to look me in the eyes. “Do not worry so much,” he said. “With the two of us working in tandem, I have absolutely no doubt that we will conquer any challenges ahead of us.”
“I hope so.”
Ivan ducked his head to catch my gaze. “Michelle,” he said gently, “you are extraordinary. When are you going to start believing that?”
“When I feel like I’ve actually earned the praise.”
Ivan watched me for a long time before, at last, he simply held out a hand to me. When I took it, he smiled. “Then we should get started.”
Character Guide
Aaron: A human who found Michelle memoryless on the streets, Aaron has stuck by his best friend even after being kidnapped by the Rendezvous and brainwashed into falling in love with Michelle. He and Izzy have formed a close friendship that could be something more, but unresolved feelings are still lingering between him and Michelle despite the brainwashing. He’s won the hearts of many witches in the Rendezvous with stories about the human world.
Andrew: A member of the mercenary Family, Andrew doesn’t get along with most of the members of the Rendezvous, who view him as a threat and a spy. Since Elaine decided to start openly dating him, he’s become even more of a target for the Rendezvous agents’ ire. Despite this, Michelle considers him a close and trusted friend.
Christopher: The youngest child of King William, Christopher is half-brother to both Elaine (on his mother’s side) and Michelle (on his father’s side). He desperately wants his father’s approval and is even willing to help torture Michelle to do so. He participated in tearing her mind and memories apart along with other schemes cooked up by the tyrant king.
Elaine: As the daughter of King Peter, Elaine is, according to the Rendezvous, the true princess of the magical world. She was kidnapped by King William to force her father to give up his claim to the throne, and her time in captivity warped her connection to Time. She was eventually rescued by Ivan, who fell in love with her, but she chose to court Andrew instead, to the consternation of most of those around her. She’s learning to trust the intuition of her cousin, Michelle, but she’s still more headstrong and reckless than she cares to admit.
Ivan: A noble-born witch with a skill for tracking, Ivan rescued Elaine from her captivity under King William. He fell deeply in love with her, but he has known since meeting Andrew that Elaine had feelings for Andrew, too. Although he assumed Elaine would marry him for political reasons, he has maintained his friendship with her after her decision to court Andrew.
Izzy: Born a human, Izzy received part of Michelle’s soul when Michelle tried to rescue her in the Bermuda Triangle.
Because of that piece of soul, Izzy has some magic in her blood, but it’s turned her into a goblin, a human-magic hybrid that can take life forces from other creatures. She’s determined not to become a monster, and she is fiercely protective of both herself and her friends—especially Aaron, who she has fallen for.
Jacob: A young human boy adopted by Michelle, Jacob left a lasting impression on her. His family adopted her into their fold, and the more Michelle remembers of him, the more she misses him and his family.
Jordan: A member of the mercenary Family, Jordan is Andrew’s older brother. He’s known for his penchant for torture and manipulation, and he’s one of the few people Andrew is afraid of.
Lila: A Future Seeker who became part of Michelle’s mind after a temporal spell gone wrong, Lila is learning to see the world in a new way through Michelle’s eyes. She also helps to break down the memory issues King William forced into Michelle’s mind.
Marie: Michelle’s mother, Marie, died hundreds of years ago trying to save sick and dying people. Her influence is still felt in Michelle’s life even when she doesn’t fully remember her mother, because the qualities of leadership that Marie had exist in Michelle.
Michelle: Half-human, half-witch, Michelle was content to live with her found family before her father, King William, stole her memories. Then, the Rendezvous discovered her and invited her to join their cause. She fights against her father for his cruelty, but she often holds Elaine and King Peter to account for their antiquated views as well. She also helped Andrew and Elaine overcome their excuses and date each other. Naturally drawn to help others, Michelle is what you might call a “mom friend” and can’t help but take care of her friends and family.
Peter: King Peter, the father of Elaine, stepped down from his claim to the throne to save his daughter. After her rescue, he has been leading the rebel Rendezvous in the hopes that his daughter will one day lead their people when she is restored to the throne. He doesn’t approve of her dating Andrew, though.
Ryan: Michelle met Ryan in Iceland, where he claimed to be a spy for the Rendezvous working undercover with her brother and father. He helped her to begin the work of unraveling her amnesia, but she still doesn’t know whether she can trust him.
Sarah: One of the first members of the Rendezvous that Michelle ever met, Sarah is a healer. She doesn’t trust Andrew because of his mercenary status, but she warmed up to Michelle quickly enough despite the fact that Michelle was a Halfsie. Sarah is also one of the youngest witches in the group, not even a century old yet.
Tara: One of the last remaining Future Seekers, Tara has been particularly targeted by King William because she gave the prophecy that foretold Michelle’s role in the king’s downfall. She and her sister, Theresa, have been hidden away—but are dragged back into the drama of the royal family when Tony asks for their help.
Theresa: After hiding away with her sister, a Future Seeker named Tara, Theresa doesn’t want to have anything to do with the war for the throne of magic. But when her ex-husband, Tony, asks her to help Michelle recover her memories, she feels compelled to help someone in need and invites them to her sanctuary.
Tony: A free-spirited pilot, Tony is one of the only members of the Rendezvous to get along with Andrew. He taught Michelle how to fly and suggested that she turn to Theresa for her memory issues. He gets along with absolutely everyone, but spending a few weeks with his ex-wife means he might have to face some old fights.
Wendy: A member of the mercenary Family, Wendy is Andrew’s closest sibling. Although they grew up together, she comes after him without hesitation for his disloyalty to their family.
William: The tyrant king of the magical world, King William is ruthless and willing to cut down anyone that stands in his way. He even destroyed Michelle’s memories and treats Christopher like a pawn, all to keep Peter and Elaine from getting back the throne. Although many witches see his claim to the throne as legitimate, his alliance with the mercenary Family has drawn ire and caused many to defect to the Rendezvous.
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