“No, it’s not her at all. She told me I called her— it, I don’t know. When I accidentally did the memory spell after the ball. Something’s in there fixing what we broke. I don’t know. She’s maddeningly difficult to understand. It’s like she’s teasing me.”
“Teasing you?” Ariana repeated, aghast. “Do you mean being flirtatious?” She pressed at her stomach as if she might be sick.
“No, like a child. Like your bratty brothers.”
“What do we do?”
He peeked over at Maria, who’d found what looked like a gnarled spoon. He knew if she wanted to hear what they were saying, she could, yet he still lowered his voice further.
“There’s nothing to do,” he said firmly. He shuddered, too ashamed to tell her what had happened in the Povest village. “She’s in charge, make no mistake. We just have to wait until she’s ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“God knows. But she wants to go to Scotland, very badly. I convinced her to come here first because I thought you could help.”
Ariana shook her head vehemently. “I don’t dare. If your cousin and that lot couldn’t help her, how could I?”
He was surprised to see how fearful she was, but he had to remember he was somewhat used to the Maria thing now.
“Then we need to keep her happy until she releases the real Maria.”
After a long silence, Ariana covered her face with her hands, rubbing her tear-mottled cheeks. “Scotland,” she said. “Scotland’s good. I was going to leave tomorrow anyway. I don’t know if my parents know about this…” she waved her hands at the debris. “Cook was so distraught, I barely got any information out of her save that they were already gone when it—” she stopped abruptly, unable to say the word. “She wanted me to stay with her at her daughter’s house, but I can’t now that we have Maria to contend with.” She paced in a small circle, wringing her hands. “We’ll get an inn. Somewhere in a part of town no one should recognize her. We’ll leave tomorrow morning. Hopefully wherever she wants to go won’t be too far out of our way. If we have to, we’ll bring her along and consult our fathers about her. One of them should be able to help.” She looked bitter for a brief moment. “They can’t shirk their part in this any longer.” He felt sick at the thought of facing his father but she clapped him bracingly on the arm. “It’ll be bad, certainly. But we’ll weather it together.”
Every clipped word was a balm to his soul. He couldn’t help himself any longer and pulled her into his arms.
“I’ve missed you. I feel like everything will work out now we’re back together.”
She sniffed into his shoulder. “Yes, I don’t know how you managed to survive at all without me.”
Chapter 15
Ariana tried not to focus on any one thing as they made their way across town to a hotel where no one would recognize either her or Maria. Not that it mattered. Not a single soul glanced their way and they should have been making quite a spectacle of themselves.
First of all, Maria had supposedly been with Owen in Moldavia all these weeks. Weren’t her parents mad with worry? And Ariana’s own house had only just burned down completely within the last few days. Everyone she knew should have been swarming her with condolences or lobbing questions at her at the first glimpse of her on the street.
So where were all her meddling neighbors? No matter how they tried to slink down the back streets and keep their heads down, there was no possible way that not even one person looked at them askance.
If nothing else, her dress was all wrong. It was so far ahead of the current fashion it was hopelessly out of style. Any of her friends would instantly notice that even if there weren’t two other, much bigger things to wag their tongues about. They were still in the fashionable part of town and none of the well-dressed ladies or their harried footmen so much as raised a brow at her odd attire.
She tucked her hand under Owen’s elbow to help keep her footing as they turned onto a rough, cobbled street. Maria looked down at her hand and her lips curled up. Ariana dropped her grip and concentrated on the cracks in the walkway, not wanting to catch her heel and turn her ankle after everything else, but not wanting to offend Maria. Or whoever that was.
“No, you should hold on,” Maria said. It sounded like her. A bit far away and flat, but it was her voice. “You mustn’t take a tumble on this bad lane.”
Owen held out both his arms, elbows bent. “Each of you take an anchor,” he said with forced joviality.
Of all the things that made her want to cry, this almost made her start up again. How had things taken such an awful turn? She was homeless, her parents were far away, Maria was … gone? And yet she stood right there next to Owen, looking blank yet irritated at the same time.
“I’ll be fine,” Maria said. She glided ahead of them a few steps and turned around, walking backwards as effortlessly as if she were on a smooth parquet floor. “See? Though we needn’t go all this distance. No one will recognize us.”
Owen smiled a little more naturally, though there was still a strain in his eyes. “She’s really good at making people not notice. Are we actually invisible?”
Maria laughed. Nothing like the laugh Ariana knew. It was as if she’d forgotten how, a rusty, coughing sound. “No. But we may as well be for all this lot cares.”
“You make them focus on something else? Something more important to them than us?” For all her fearfulness of what might be inside her old friend, Ariana couldn’t help but be curious about what kind of magic she was doing.
Owen hissed at her question. They had studied in secret since they were children and it was probably a habit to want to remind her to be careful. Being around witches constantly for the last weeks had made it easy for her to speak openly about such things and if Maria was truly masking their presence somehow, she could most likely start barking like a dog and no one would blink.
“Yes, that’s about right,” Maria answered, seeming pleased. “You’re quite clever. I feel I would have been proud of you.” The flash that showed deep in Maria’s eyes was closer to the surface and focused directly on her.
Ariana might have been able to pretend up until that moment, but she couldn’t anymore. “Who are you?” she begged, her voice cracking.
The spark dulled and receded again. Maria no longer looked pleased. She shook her head, turned around, and continued on ahead of them.
Ariana shivered and took Owen’s arm again, trying to find one comforting thought. Normally, thoughts of what she’d built would make her happy. Her coven, the orphanage. The good she had done. She still had that.
But, did she? What if what Cousin Dexter had told her was true? Could Nick be plotting to kill her? Was he that good of an actor? She honestly believed he loved her, though he did get fussy and jealous when she worried about Owen. And he hated that he didn’t have his own money. But jealousy of another man and his foolish pride, his wanting her to be proud of him, seemed the complete opposite of wanting her dead. It was nonsense. If it had happened before, if that wasn’t also a lie, then things had changed.
She nodded vigorously as she walked, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that she could trust Nick. And going back to her time in the future was far down on her list of things to do right now. She was safe with Owen and Maria in this time.
“What?” Owen asked.
“Pardon?”
“You’re nodding and grimacing as if you made some important decision,” he said. “Do share if you’ve thought of something good.”
As much as she wanted to unload every last thing she’d been fretting about since she last saw him, she knew she couldn’t talk about Nick to Owen. He got about as sour as Nick did when she talked about him. She saw a nice inn at the corner of the street and pointed.
“If Maria’s right about no one seeing us, then we should stay somewhere comfortable at least. I’m exhausted and grimy from walking through…” she trailed off, feeling her throat clog with tears. Walking through what was left
of her house.
“I am right,” Maria said briskly. “And Ariana’s right, too. No reason to sleep rough again.” She gave him a reproachful look. “We’ve been doing quite enough of that.”
He yelped. “It was your idea to camp in that abandoned stable last night.”
Ariana shook her head. “Oh dear. No wonder you both look like you do. Goodness, Owen.”
His face reddened at the injustice of her reproach. Ariana pressed her lips together to hide the weak smile that tried to break free. It felt good to tease him again.
“She lived in the woods and ate raw fish in the Povest village,” he said.
The smile died before it could show itself and her reproach became real. “What? Why? That’s horrid.”
“It wasn’t their fault,” Maria said. “I’m clearly fine.”
“But you’re not,” Ariana argued. “You’re skin and bones and filthy to boot. Whoever you are in there, you’re not taking proper care of Maria.”
The spark in her eyes grew to a dark flame, completely blotting out the color of Maria’s irises and causing her pupils to glow. “I can leave now I suppose. See how well she does without me.”
“No, don’t!” Owen grabbed Ariana’s arm and gave her a shake. “She needs to be there. Maria was… just, she needs to stay in there.”
Ariana wrenched her arm away, angry and tired to her bones. She looked back and forth between her two best friends. One didn’t seem to be wholly on her side anymore and the other might not be there at all.
Fear rippled up beyond her anger. All of a sudden she didn’t want to demand to know what was really going on, what had really happened to Maria. She closed her eyes, feeling like she could fall asleep in the street standing up.
“Fine. Let’s get our rooms,” she said, turning away from both of them.
Once she had Maria alone, she’d try to gently get the information she wanted without rousing those flashing lights in her eyes.
She arranged for two rooms, anxious they’d be turned away once the innkeeper saw the states they were in. Maria’s magic continued to work and the bored porter handed over two keys, asking if they’d need help with their bags. She turned and laughed, wondering what the man saw. She saw two filthy, bedraggled hoodlums standing too close together to be at all proper. Owen had a small bag slung over his shoulder and Maria clutched a book in her hand. Ariana herself had the clothes on her back.
She refused his offer of help with their nonexistent luggage and they trudged up the stairs to their rooms. They were at opposite ends of the hall from each other and Ariana sighed, hating to be so far from Owen. She almost suggested they cram together in one room, not wanting to risk losing him again after she’d gone weeks not knowing where he was.
He made the decision for her by nodding tiredly and heading down the hall without another word. Maria followed him.
“Wait, Maria. You’ll stay with me,” she said, trying not to phrase it as a question. Also trying not to look outraged at the fact that she thought she could spend the night with Owen. Maybe it was all right out in the wilds of Moldavia, but they were in London now. Maria blinked and shook her head, moving closer to Owen. “But we have so much catching up to do,” Ariana wheedled, hating the begging sound in her voice. And why wasn’t Owen speaking up? He had to know this wasn’t proper.
“I stay with Owen,” Maria said.
Before Maria could argue further, Owen held up his hand. “It’s fine, Ariana.” He looked benevolently at Maria and unlocked the door to his room, holding it open so she could breeze through it without a backward glance at Ariana. “No one will notice or care,” he said, not at all apologetic. “Let’s get some rest, aye? It’s another long journey tomorrow.”
And with that, he went into the room and closed the door behind him, leaving her gaping in the hallway. Alone once again.
***
Ariana slammed the door and leaned against it, barely seeing the room she was in. She supposed it was nice enough. Pacing back and forth, she tried to get her flustered thoughts under control.
How could Owen stay in the same room with Maria like that? If it was the same as this room, there was only one bed, wide enough for two people, but they’d have to be awfully close together. It was so improper, so unseemly. It made her hands shake and for a while she wasn’t thinking at all about the fact her family home was destroyed.
What were they doing in there? How would they wash up in such close confines? Didn’t Owen care at all about Maria’s reputation? No. He was clearly completely at ease about spending the night with her with her probably terrified family only blocks away.
For a moment Ariana thought about hurrying to their house and telling them exactly where their wayward daughter was. She was instantly struck with guilt at that ignoble idea. It was partially her fault Maria was in her current predicament. And it was a truly awful predicament.
If Ariana understood it correctly, her friend was possessed by… she stopped that line of thought right there. It was easier for her to give in to her outrage at the impropriety of them spending the night together and Owen’s cavalier attitude about it. He was used to it. Did he think he and Maria were together? As good as married? The bloody fools had thought about getting married before everything went to hell.
You’re one to judge anyone, she thought, stopping her pacing and sinking onto the bed.
She was living with a man, wasn’t she? They weren’t married, were they? So why was she so upset about Owen being so protective over Maria, completely disregarding what she wanted?
Because you’re a spoiled brat and you’re jealous, came the unwanted reply in her head.
Jealous. The realization rolled in her stomach like rotten cod. She’d noticed from the moment they were reunited how Owen kept one eye on Maria at all times. Like he was coiled to jump in front of her should something untoward get in her way. She’d managed a few whispered conversations with him but he would not budge far enough away from Maria for her to really get a handle on what was going on. He cared more for Maria than he did for her. And she’d known that for some time.
“That’s why I ruined everything,” she said to her reflection in a foggy looking glass that hung from the wall by a gray velvet ribbon.
Jealousy had made her expose Owen’s shortcomings and cause Maria to break their stupid, secret engagement. Knowing she would have gotten over it and gone back to him had led Ariana to let Owen go through with his dangerous plan to cast a memory spell on her. Maybe not the actual spell. Once that was out, it was out. Even he couldn’t contain it. But she could have kept Maria away from him so he wouldn’t have had the chance.
Before Owen had actually fallen in love with Maria, Ariana had thought it would be the most wonderful thing if he did. Her best friend, almost like a sister to her, would be with her other best friend who was almost like… except he wasn’t like a brother or a cousin. Not anymore. She understood now that was why she couldn’t truly give her heart to Nick. It wasn’t hers to give.
The overwhelming urge to scream made her stand and start pacing again. What was she going to do about Nick? Her coven? That massive house she’d spent thousands and thousands to repair and fill with beautiful things so the other witches would be comfortable and want to stay with her.
“I won’t go back,” she muttered, nearly bouncing off the wall. “I merely won’t go back.”
She could easily leave it all to them to do with as they pleased. Most of them had such little imagination that they’d end up wandering off to different places or different times. They’d go back to keeping to themselves and practicing small, meaningless bits of magic to grow bigger carrots and forget all about her vision to change the world with their united powers.
She felt bad about Milo and Gloria and some of the others she’d grown attached to. They were truly kind to her. And Nick. He’d loved her the best he could. There was no way he’d ever hurt her, no matter what Cousin Dexter believed.
She wiped away tears an
d clenched her fists. Could she honestly give up all that she’d worked for because of her newly discovered, unrequited love for Owen? It would surely remain unrequited, especially if whatever had its hold on Maria let her go.
Actually, more especially if it didn’t and Maria never returned to normal. Owen solely blamed himself now but it would surely and rightfully shift to her as time went on. He’d despise her. Perhaps as much as she despised herself.
A sharp rap at the door tore her away from her winding thoughts. She gratefully rushed to open it, sure it was Owen wanting to help make a plan for the trip up to Scotland. Once she had him away from those prying, glowing eyes she’d be able to get him to tell her what had really happened in his family’s village.
Instead of Owen, she was shocked to see Milo standing in the hallway. He gripped his top hat in his hands, wringing it beyond repair, a terrified look on his face.
“Oh, saints be praised that I found you,” he said, sagging against the door frame.
She hustled him inside. “Were you looking for me?” she asked, confused. For a moment she forgot she’d come back to her own time and was discombobulated at having her two worlds collide. Milo had never come to her time before, she’d always met with them either in 1889 or before she was born, when she first met Nick. “And how did you find me?”
“We scryed you. I didn’t want to pry into why you might have left us and I wouldn’t have chased after you like this except that…” He gasped for breath, mangling his hat some more.
“What’s wrong?” It had to be something bad for him to come all this way and she almost didn’t want to hear it. She couldn’t take one more bad thing.
“I dropped off Nick in his own time— he’s fine, he’s on his way to Europe. It’s Gloria.” He broke down sobbing.
Gloria was his longtime partner. Ariana didn’t think they’d ever been married though their bond was as strong as any she’d ever seen. They doted on one another despite occasional petty squabbles. Gloria was a whiz at time spells and quick travel spells and had taught Ariana everything she knew. Beside the wealth of knowledge she’d gained from the older woman, Ariana had grown to be quite fond of her, almost like another mother— one who was proud of her every time she successfully did a spell.
Belmary House 6 Page 14
