Grave Debt

by T. G. Ayer

  “Settle down,” Darcy said softly, waving her hand at him. “All I meant is she's served within the court of the Queen of all Drakys these past years. She's been labeled a brilliant diplomat and political strategist. Maybe Sienna, with her strength and experience, will be capable of handling now what you were unable to deal with because of your youth and innocence. You were so very young, Logan. And the scars of that day...they never healed, not entirely. And Sienna bore no scars from that event. Her memories of that night are gone. And with it, her guilt and self-recrimination.”

  “So is that a confirmation?” Logan asked, his tone hard, though only because he was steeling himself against Darcy’s inevitable ‘No.’

  Which he didn’t get. Instead, Darcy’s gaze flickered away as she replied, “Ward did a deeper removal than I ever did with you. I left crumbs for you, stored memories elsewhere for you to find. Ward did his job as instructed. He removed those memories forever.”

  Logan shook his head. “I thought you said there was a way to give her back her memories?”

  “There would have been if Ward was still alive. He would have had to join with Sienna's mind a repair what he’d done.”

  “And if he refused?”

  Darcy shrugged. “A different method but the same result. A second MindMelder could theoretically bridge the gap between Ward and Darcy, and retrieve what he took. It would be a risky procedure, and MindMelders have been known to go insane if things went wrong, but I've heard of many more successes than failures. Which is moot anyway...because Ward is dead.”

  The sigh Darcy emitted held a note of agony and Logan didn't miss the glitter of fury and pain in her eyes.

  “What did he do to you?” he whispered, unable to stomach the thought of what a man as powerful as Ward was capable of.

  “What?” Darcy’s tone was light, her laughter tinkling as she attempted to shift the mood of the conversation. “You think you can shrink me now?” she asked, smiling.

  Logan wasn’t about to let it go so easily. “Darcy, this mindmelding thing...you told me in the beginning that the connection was even deeper than sex. I can vouch for that. But what I can also vouch for is the fact that I've had you poking around inside here,” Logan tapped a finger to his temple, “for so long that I'm pretty sure I'm somewhat familiar with your mind as well.”

  Darcy opened her mouth to reply, then let out a soft sigh. “It's complicated. And a long story.” She glanced over at Logan's duffel on the floor beside the bed. “And...I don't believe you want me to delay your departure.”

  Shaking his head, Logan smirked. “I see what you're doing. And fine. We're at an impasse, then.”

  “How about we take a rain-check? Let's discuss when you get back.” Darcy’s sad smile made it clear to Logan that she suspected they'd never get to have that conversation.

  He didn't dispel her of the notion.

  And then Darcy got to her feet, giving Logan a sad smile. “Are you ready for this?” she asked softly.

  Logan shook his head and stood. “No...yes? As ready as I'll ever be, I guess.” He knew it was pointless to lie to her. Then he quirked his lips. “Good thing I can make fire. That glacier’s gonna be cold.”

  Darcy retrieved her bag and had begun to walk slowly toward the door, but she paused and turned to look over her shoulder at him.

  "You do know that you and Sienna don't need to go to the Mendenhall Glacier, right?" Logan frowned. "What do you mean? I thought the glacier was the only portal available for access to Drakys from this realm. Kai said the one in Sand Beach was out of commision.”

  Darcy shook her head, frowning as she replied, “Not for you and Sienna. You're the rulers of the realm. And, for what it’s worth, I'm pretty sure that's how Sienna's been going back and forth these last few weeks."

  "She’s what?" asked Logan, scowling as he stepped toward Darcy. "What do you mean?"

  "Oh,” Darcy said softly, tapping her finger to her lips. “I suppose you didn't know. I'm sorry..." She hesitated for a second then threw her hands in the air. "I give up. You two and your secrets," she said, shaking her head, frustration rolling off her.

  "Are you going to tell me or do I have to wring it out of my sister's neck." Logan asked, the threat in his voice clear.

  The mindmelder merely arched an eyebrow. “Let's just keep death and violence to a minimum, okay? As far as my knowledge goes, Sienna has been returning to Drakys over the last few weeks in order to assure the council and the regent of your health and your progress toward recovery. There was some pressure from them for your healing process to speed up, but I'm pretty sure your sister would have told them where to shove their demands."

  "And how do you know she's been going home? I'm not sure she'd have told anyone if she was keeping it a secret from me."

  Darcy tapped her temple. "I've been treating her as well, Logan. Helping to heal some of the scars that Ward left behind. She's got a long road ahead but she's been recovering slowly."

  "And I guess you bumped into a few secrets inside that stubborn skull of hers. Did you question her?"

  "No. I had assumed you'd have known about it, hence my slip in revealing it to you."

  Logan nodded. "I see. So you wouldn't have mentioned it had my departure not come up?"

  "Not sure either way," Darcy said with a shrug. "I'm not here to keep secrets for you and your sister. You both have enough of those already, and in my opinion it's time for the two of you to break down those barriers instead of continuing to build them up some more. She's keeping secrets from you. You're keeping truths from her. And the dumb thing is that both of you will claim to be protecting the other by lying. Go figure." Darcy shook her head, her expression revealing how tired, and fed up she was.

  And Logan understood—Darcy cared—but he wasn't about to agree with her. She was right though, and he'd have to question Sienna before they left. He let out a sigh. "Well, she's definitely going to have to tell me before we leave. Don’t believe she’ll risk a trip to the glacier before revealing the truth."

  "If she doesn't?" Darcy smirked. "What if she does takes you to Mendenhall to keep up the ruse?"

  Logan gave a dark snort. "Let her try. I'll gladly wring her neck."

  Darcy shook her head, smiling as she walked over to Logan and raised her arms. "C'mere, you big lunk." Logan reached out and hugged the mindmelder back, then straightened and patted her on the top of her head, his expression sober and serious.

  "Hey,” she squawked, slapping his hand away. “I'm older than you, kid."

  He snorted. "I'm bigger." Logan fell silent, smiling sadly as he looked down at her. "Thank you Darcy. For being brave and for telling me the truth, even though it must have been so hard. And for staying with me to help get me—and Sienna—better. That was going above and beyond."

  "It's the least I could do," Darcy said, her nonchalant shrug not reflecting the pain that shadowed her eyes.

  "You didn't need to, Darcy. You did what Omega instructed you to do. You weren't personally responsible. But even then, you laid the groundwork so I could get my memories back. That in itself is enough."

  "You didn't think so at first." Darcy tilted her head, her smile sad.

  Logan's skin warmed with shame. "I know. I was an asshole. I shouldn't have said those things."

  Darcy shook her head, though he was sure he saw the intensity of her pain fade. "You were in a dark place, Logan. I understood."

  "But my words hurt you, and that was the last thing I meant to do. Everything's so fucked up...so much hurt in our lives. You didn't deserve more."

  Darcy reached up and patted his cheek. "Logan, you were only a small part of the hurt I caused. And even if that was done in the course of my job, as a means to help my family, it still doesn't absolve me of those actions. I'll have to live with what I've done."

  "And carry that pain around with you everywhere?" Logan asked curtly.

  "If I have to," Darcy said with a nod. "It's my burden to bear. But at least one part o
f that burden has been laid to rest."

  "You mean this Ward guy?" Logan asked softly. He'd accidently bumped into a memory of Darcy's, and he suspected, from the fragments he'd seen, that she and this MindMelder called Ward, had had a showdown of sorts.

  Darcy nodded. "He's out of my life now. I just need to focus on picking up the pieces and putting my life back together."

  "Darcy, you know I'm here for you, right?" Logan said softly, meaning every word with all his heart.

  She nodded, tears glinting in her eyes. "I do. And thank you. I'll consider us even."

  Logan chuckled as he shook his head. "Not sure if we're ever going to be even." He smirked.

  Darcy patted his arm and walked off toward the door. She opened it and stood on the threshold, looking back at him over her shoulder.

  "You take care of yourself, Lyandr, Son of the House of YI. And watch out for that sister of yours too, okay?" Darcy said, her eyes now shining with tears.

  Logan grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

  "Oh, and Logan?"

  Logan looked up, an eyebrow curved in question.

  Before she disappeared into the hallway, Darcy said, "Please try not to kill Sienna."

  Chapter 3

  Logan had just lifted his duffel onto his shoulder when a voice cut into his thoughts.

  "Why are you being warned against killing me?" asked Sienna from the open doorway.

  Logan glanced over at his sister who was standing, arms folded as she leaned against the doorframe. "Probably because you deserve it," he said, watching her expression closely.

  Sienna’s lips thinned and she rolled her eyes, though he didn’t miss the flare of guilt she failed to hide. “We should get moving. We need to get them bright and early so let’s go. Time difference between EarthWorld and Drakys is four hours, that’s Dyr and the province four hours behind Earth time, and we don’t want to arrive too late in the morning. Things get busy for Lyra and for Vyrian as the day progresses. And our ride will be here soon.”

  She tacked on the last sentence as she pushed off the doorframe and flitting away like a shadow, leaving her instructions echoing in her wake.

  Logan lifted an eyebrow as he followed her out into the hall toward the stairs. One other thing she’d failed to mention was Kai and Celeste’s impending arrival.

  One thing was certain, this trip to Drakys was a step that equated to the answering of an obligation. Still, he wasn't blind to the guilt that accompanied it, like unwanted baggage.

  Sienna was still furious with him and he was all too aware that asking Ivy to give Kai his letter of farewell had been a cowardly move of epic proportions.

  Logan was also aware, from his conversation with Ivy, that Kai and Celeste had both undergone a few tests at the Elite HQ and were expect to return to the Odel home before noon.

  At which time Logan planned to be gone.

  A dick move if ever there was one.

  The house was quiet, with Corin attending to Lily’s morning treatments, and Iain off at a council meeting. Baz was likely sleeping in—if vamplings slept?—having just returned from a visit to a mentor Logan had connected him with; Asher should look after the kid, give him the kind of guidance he needed, but wasn’t able to get from those who didn’t understand the intricacies of the vampiric form.

  Logan caught up with Sienna and the siblings descended the stairs side by side, blanketed by a strange silence in which Logan waited, wondering what Sienna was going to come up with to explain their method of travel home, and in which Sienna remained as silent as the dead.

  The guilty dead.

  As they reached the bottom of the stairs, she stamped her foot and let out a disgusted groan. "Ugh, I can't keep up this stupid lie anymore."

  Logan frowned. "What you talking about, kid?" he said, feigning innocence.

  Sienna lifted an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling with annoyance.

  "Well, spit it out. We do need to get moving," Logan said, careful not to mention glaciers and portals.

  Sienna let out a huff and stepped closer to him. She peered up at him—boy was he ever glad he was taller than this spitfire of a sister of his—then raised a finger and pointed it, and it’s silver-tipped fingernail, at him. "You know?" she growled, her tone accusing.

  He just shrugged.

  "How?" she grunted the word out, frustration flaring in her golden eyes.

  Logan smirked. "When were you planning on telling me? After we get to the glacier? Or were you going to keep up the whole charade until we got to Drakys?"

  Sienna shook her head and growled again. "I was going to call off the jumper to take us to Alaska. And then I chickened out."

  Logan shook his head, clicking his tongue like a disapproving wife. "You should know better. How about canceling the call now?"

  "Too late," said a cheery voice from the kitchen.

  "Although, I'll consider this a free trip to say hi to a buddy." Larsson smiled as he left the kitchen, his palm cradling a blueberry-bran muffin as he spoke with his mouth full.

  Logan laughed. "Good to see you, Red."

  Larsson gave a haughty glare. "Think that name’s more appropriate for someone else?" He rolled his eyes suggestively in Sienna’s direction.

  Sienna glanced over at the jumper, her glare filled with fake-anger. "You watch it or I'll be forced to incinerate you. Try jumping when you're just a pile of ash."

  Larsson chortled, then began to choke as a stray crumb went down the wrong way. Sienna sighed and hurried over him to thump him on the back. "There. Wouldn't want you to die on my watch."

  "But you just threatened me with a fiery death. That also happens to be classified as dying, in case you didn’t know."

  "Watch it," Sienna snapped, though her eyes sparkled with laughter.

  "Yes, your highness," Larsson said as he dropped into a low curtsey, his eyes shining with amusement as he straightened to flick crumbs from his face. After dragging a finger across the muffin cup, he scooped up a drop of cream cheese and stuck his finger in his mouth. "Divine. I'm going to miss being paid in muffins."

  "I'm sure you will, Freckles," Sienna said, smiling broadly now.

  Logan was both amused and surprised. He'd spent so much time inside his sister's head, that he'd almost forgotten that she had a personality other than what she revealed to him. His connection with Sienna was a whole new level of whack.

  I mean, who wanted your sister to know where you kept your trashy nudie mags, or about how badly your first kiss sucked, or even how you felt about the woman you loved?

  It was a baring of souls that many would say was best left between a man and his god—or whatever entity or higher sentience he believed in.

  And yet, Logan was meant to share this deeply invasive bond with his sister.

  And now, as he watched her flirt with the red-headed jumper—however mildly—he realized that the usual brotherly protectiveness and jealousy when another man steps into his sister's life, was going to reach an epically fucked-up level of craziness.

  Logan was going to have to prepare. What the hell was he going to do on her wedding night?

  Something hard pummeled Logan's arm and he blinked as his attention focused on his attacker who stood at his right shoulder.

  "Are you deaf?" Sienna snapped. "Larsson was saying goodbye."

  Logan blinked and shook his head.

  "Where'd you go, bro?" Larsson asked, frowning.

  "Trust me, Lars. You do not want to know."

  Chapter 4

  After Larsson disappeared, leaving the siblings standing in the front hall, Sienna turned to face Logan, her lips pursed in trite apology. “I’m sorry for not telling you,” she said softly

  He shook his head as he looked down at Sienna’s face. “I’m assuming you had a good reason for this omission?” he said sternly.

  She rolled her eyes. “Geez. You already sound like old Vyrian. You’ll be taking over from him easily enough.” She made a face and folded her arms.

  “You’re st
alling,” Logan said as she’d remained silent for a few moments.

  Sienna huffed and sank onto the bottom step of the stairs.

  “Sienna? Why did you keep this from me? We could have gone back to Drakys days ago.”

  Her hand shot toward Logan, finger pointed straight at his nose, its silver point glittering like a blade. “And...that’s the reason right there,” Sienna said, springing to her feet again. “You would have wanted to go running off back to Drakys before you were healthy enough to travel, and before you and Kai reached an understanding. Although, from what I’ve seen, the latter is now moot.”

  “Sienna, you kno—”

  Sienna held her hand up imperiously, palm an inch from Logan’s nose. “I don’t want to hear it. Anyway, back to your question: The transition isn’t easy if you’re compromised. I could have taken you, but I hadn’t yet understood the technique well enough to transport two people, let alone one.”

  “You’ve been going back and forth all along?” he asked, not caring that the accusation was clear in his tone.

  “Did you really think I’d want to leave things all to Aunt Lyra? She may be our mother’s sister but she’s not as strong as she tries to make it look.”

  Logan chuckled. “You think she’d bungle things in her final scene?”

  “Who knows with her.” Then Sienna chuckled. “Actually, not really. Aunt Lyra’s got our best interests at heart, that much I know. But she’s a little too kind, and easily taken advantage off. Great-Uncle Vyrian has to keep a solid eye on her sometimes. She’s amazing with the political stuff, but matters of the heart...things can get a little muddy.”

  “She has kept the place afloat all these years, hasn't she?”

  Sienna’s eyebrows rose. “And she almost sold us out to that Elf king, too. All because she couldn't judge his true intentions because she’d kinda fallen for him.”

  “All the more reason for us to have gone back earlier.”

  Sienna let out a disgusted snort. “You’d have had to take Darcy with you. There was no way she was about to let you go anywhere until she was sure things were looking better under the hood,” she said, folding her arms.