The Complete Chosen Trilogy (The Chosen #0)

by N. M. Santoski

“No, it’s… here, I’ll show you.”

  He stood up and motioned Pyrrhus toward the staircase leading to the second floor. At the top of the stairs were two doors, one on either side of the hall, and an open door leading to a bathroom. The door to the right was glowing with a pulsing blue light.

  “Is that what’s interfering?”

  “Yes.”

  “What is it?”

  “My grandfather’s crypt, at the moment.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “My grandfather died before I left for Caer Anglia. Usually, a Fulmen numen is set ablaze with his or her numina, and his bones are then interred in the crypts under Caer Anglia. My father’s bones are down there, as I’m sure you know. I didn’t have the ability to do that when Grandpa died, so I used his bed as his pyre and sealed the room until I can walk unmolested into the family crypt and place him next to my grandmother and father. So… no wireless signals while the bailey is up.”

  Pyrrhus nodded, looking a bit paler than usual. “Does it bother you to live with his bones?”

  “Not at all—we did it all year, and with a lot more bones than his.”

  “Still, though… and what was that room?” he asked, nodding to the other door.

  “That was mine… too many memories. I turned the storage room downstairs into my current bedroom. I never come up here anymore.”

  He stood in front of the doors for another moment, his head bowed. Pyrrhus reached out with a spidery touch and took his elbow. “Come on—let’s get downstairs. I want to call Leiani, get them on the next plane back here.”

  “I’m surprised they helped.”

  “Your mother forced them,” Pyrrhus said cheerfully as they descended back into the warmth of the first floor. “We needed trustworthy people to help, and Alan and Leiani needed the alone time.”

  “How did that go?”

  “Well, he was pretty pissed. Hurt, too, which I think was worse. Still, they seem to be working it out. They were married in June.”

  Nolan froze, an uncomfortable look on his face. “They didn’t wait?”

  “I think your mother wanted to, but everything was so uncertain, and Alan didn’t want to run the risk of Leiani—well, you didn’t miss much,” he hastily corrected, feeling more tongue-tied than he had in months.

  “What else has been going on? Fill me in.”

  They spent the next hour or so exchanging stories as the fire burned down and Gia slept. Finally, Nolan sat back with a frown. “It sounds like things are unraveling quickly.”

  “Well, that’s why we came to find you! We need to plan, to strategize! You can’t just let Michael Warrington, of all people, walk away with the Sword and the Council. He’s taken your rightful place, Nolan, and we need to get it back.”

  “Why would I want to lead a group of people who killed my father and as good as killed my grandfather?” Nolan asked bitterly, staring out the window at the snowstorm beginning to pick up outside.

  “Because the guy leading them right now is the ONE who killed them! Nolan, really: Don’t you want revenge?”

  “Yes, and no. I want the Sword back—it’s been in my family since the beginning, and I am its chosen wielder. It should be with me. But… I just don’t feel like there’s enough proof for me to go running the Sword through Warrington’s stomach, you know? What am I going to do, take him to the police and say, ‘Officer, this man in a murderer—let me take you to our castle in the forest and show you the bodies in the crypt?’ Warrington knows it, too. Unless I’m willing to kill him myself, I don’t think I can go against him face to face.”

  Pyrrhus was unabashedly gaping. “You’re serious. Nolan! It’s going to come down to kill or be killed at some point—Warrington is not going to let you go riding off into the sunset. You’re a threat to him and he will not hesitate. Tell me you understand that.”

  Nolan didn’t respond.

  “Well, can we at least make a plan for getting the Sword back?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I’m going out to call Leiani. Don’t disappear on me, will you?” He raised his body temperature so that the whipping snow wouldn’t bother him and walked right out the front door, his bare feet melting the drifts on the porch. He made it all the way down to the end of the drive before the signal bars on his heat- resistant cell phone popped back into existence.

  Two buttons later, and Leiani’s voice came over the line, breathless. “Tell me you found him.”

  “We did.”

  “Are you with him now?”

  “I’m outside to get cell service, but yes.”

  “We’ll come home on the next flight.”

  Pyrrhus could hear Alan in the background. “The hell we will!”

  The sounds on the other end descended into squabbling, and suddenly Alan had the phone. “Pyrrhus, it’s Alan.”

  “Yes, Alan, go ahead.”

  “My wife and I, unfortunately, are meeting with West Coast Aqua, and won’t be able to return to the East Coast for a few weeks. Please tell my brother I look forward to meeting him.”

  Pyrrhus kept his tone matter-of-fact under the onslaught of sarcasm. “Alan, we could really use your help. Nolan could really use your help.”

  “Then perhaps one of you should have thought of that before you let him screw around with my wife.”

  The line went dead.

  “Selfish, insecure bastard,” Pyrrhus muttered, tucking the phone back in his pocket.

  “When are they coming?”

  “They’re dealing with an Aqua Court problem out in California; they said it may take some time.”

  “Oh. Well, if we’re going to do something stealthy, it may be better to keep the group small, anyway.” Nolan gave Pyrrhus a half smile. “We’ll call Uncle Robert and my mother in the morning. By the way, I promised Gia we’d sleep on the floor in the room with her.”

  “How chivalrous,” he mocked. “I’m at least taking the cushions off of the couch—if you’re too scared to share the bed with her, that’s your back’s problem.”

  Nolan flung a pillow at Pyrrhus, who deflected it easily. “It is good to see you again, Nolan.”

  “It’s good not to be alone in the house again,” he said quietly. “I’m going to lock up for the night—make sure we’re inconspicuous.”

  “Need help?”

  “No, just the usual things—no lights on in rooms with windows, trying to cover up your damn footprints in the snow…”

  “Oh, damn it… okay, I’ll take care of that, you do what you usually do.”

  “I’d love to know how you’re going to take care of that, Pyrrhus.”

  “Actually, so would I. It’s a shame Jenkins isn’t here yet…”

  “I can do it,” a voice still heavy with sleep said from the doorway.

  “Gia, I thought we told you to get some sleep,” Pyrrhus said with a grimace.

  “Shut up and get out of my way.”

  She opened the door and let the wind whip around her blanket-wrapped body for a moment, then raised her hands gently. The wind swept down along the sides of the house at her prompting, pushing the drifts of snow out into the holes Pyrrhus’s feet had created. Like leveling out a scoop of flour, the razor edged wind nudged the snow along the top, leaving smooth snow behind.

  “Impressive.”

  She pulled her hands back in and slammed the door, panting slightly. “It’s been a while since I’ve directed a wild wind so precisely,” she said. “I’m out of practice.”

  “Doesn’t look like it to me,” Nolan said admiringly.

  They shared a smile. Pyrrhus huffed and tore the cushions off the couch in one motion. "You two can stay out here and ogle each other, I'm going to sleep."

  Chapter Forty-One

  Nolan awoke first, as was his custom. The room was filled with that odd light that only came from sun shining on snow.

  His first thought was, Why am I on the floor?

  He sat up and looked toward his bed to see the very top of a
tousled dirty blonde head sticking out of it, cocooned in his blanket. Remembering his guests, he turned the other way to see Pyrrhus sprawled on his back, snoring lightly. He smiled to himself and quietly escaped the room to go make breakfast.

  Pyrrhus came out first, lured by the smell of coffee—which Nolan didn't drink, but Pyrrhus needed to live.

  "The blessings of the gods upon you," he mumbled directly into his mug, holding the darkest coffee Nolan could stand brewing.

  "Well, thank you—I'm sure I'll need them. Once you're human again, we'll call my uncle and start planning.

  "Should we wake Gia up?"

  "She needs the sleep, but I think she needs the food more. Plus, we need her to help us plan. We'll wake her up after the phone call."

  Pyrrhus lobbed his phone at Nolan, who saved it from becoming part of the pancake batter with a quick grab. "Why don't you just call him? It'll shock the hell out of him."

  Nolan smiled. "Yes, I think I will. Eat something—you can't just drink coffee."

  "Watch me," Pyrrhus hollered after him as he slipped on a coat and boots and walked down to the back of the house, where he could get reception.

  He flipped through Pyrrhus's contacts, having some difficulty looking under "J" and "R" before he realized that his uncle was under "P" for Proctor, in true Pyrrhus fashion.

  He pushed the call button and held the phone to his ear, waiting.

  "Pyrrhus, I hope you're calling to tell me that you found him, because we haven't seen any trace of him," his uncle's voice said.

  "They found me."

  It was only a moment of stunned silence over the line, but it felt like forever as he waited.

  "Nolan! Thank Neptune. Where are you?"

  "Close to home."

  “How close?”

  “Half a mile close.”

  Jenkins chuckled. "And here we are, halfway across the world like fools. Your mother and I will be back on the next flight out of Wales. We'll fly into Logan—that’s where my car is."

  "Sounds good. Is Mom with you now?"

  "She's hyperventilating into her blanket, I believe. Do Alan and Leiani know?"

  "Yes, but they're dealing with an Aqua Court problem out west, so it'll take them a month or so to return." Nolan tried to sound nonchalant, but his uncle knew both him and Alan better than that.

  "Alan and I may have to have another discussion soon. What's the plan in the meantime?"

  "Pyrrhus, Gia, and I are going to sneak into Artifex's house and get the Sword back."

  Jenkins let out a low whistle. "That won't be easy. Wait for me—I've been in the house a few times, I can help."

  "Okay, but take Mom back to Lady Keopelani first. I don't want her involved in this."

  "I'll try," Jenkins said, sounding as if he rather doubted his ability to make his sister do anything she didn't want to do.

  "Okay—I'll have Pyrrhus call you in an hour or so—you can let him know when your flight will be in. Someone will be at Logan to meet you."

  "No, too risky. Better let me deal with all this, then come to the Village... someone can meet me there to lead me to your home."

  "Okay, done. Be safe."

  "You as well. Good bye."

  He hung up and went inside, tossing the phone back to Pyrrhus and briefly explaining the situation. Pyrrhus, apparently on his fourth cup of coffee from the state of the coffeepot, was much more coherent.

  "Your uncle is a smart man. Okay, go wake up your lady love, I'll make us some food." Nolan's skepticism must have shown on his face, because Pyrrhus looked offended. "I can make pancakes! Go!"

  Nolan skidded down the hall, narrowing avoiding a thrown spatula and laughing the whole way. When he reached his room and peeked in, Gia was staring back from her small blanket cave.

  "Good morning," he said softly. "I don't trust Pyrrhus in my kitchen alone—care to join us?"

  She nodded and tried to speak, but was interrupted by a giant yawn.

  He laughed. “Not enough sleep?”

  She stretched, pushing the blanket back away from her arms and shoulders. “Best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time. But no, I can never get enough sleep. I’m a sleeper. Give me the choice, and I’ll stay in bed all day.”

  Nolan stepped toward the bed and grabbed her wrist, hauling her out of the blankets as she shrieked in surprise. “Well, I’m not giving you a choice, madam. Out you go!”

  She playfully protested all the way down the hall to the kitchen, where Pyrrhus was forcing the flames on the stove to a more manageable height.

  “There are knobs for that,” Gia said with a yawn.

  “Where’s the fun in that?” he asked, genuinely confused.

  “Never mind. Did you call Dr. Jenkins?” she asked Nolan, digging through a cabinet for a mug. She filled it with water from the tea kettle and plucked a tea bag from the counter.

  “Yes—he and my mother are planning to fly into Logan as soon as possible—today, if they can. I’d guess we should expect to go into town for him tomorrow, maybe the next day.”

  “I’ll make sure I’m ready,” Gia said cheerfully, pouring a generous amount of sugar and cream into her tea and stirring.

  “You?” Nolan blurted. “Why you?”

  Gia put the mug down, eyes narrowed. “I’m the obvious choice.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, let’s see,” she said, a note of sarcasm creeping into her voice. “Pyrrhus is recognizable from a good hundred yards, and you have a price on your head.”

  “I go into town once a month for supplies,” Nolan protested. “Nothing’s happened to me yet.”

  “Oh, really? How did you think Claire knew where you were, then? You didn’t have a choice. Now you do. I’m the most inconspicuous one of the three of us.”

  “She’s right,” Pyrrhus said, sliding a set of smoking pancakes onto a plate and dropping them in front of Nolan. “Eat. She’s the one going.”

  Nolan’s jaw worked for a moment, then he shoved a forkful of pancake in his mouth and chewed it sullenly.

  Gia put her hand over his, making him look at her. “You can’t coddle me. I need to be part of this all the way, or not at all.”

  Nolan swallowed. “I know, I know. It’s just… you look so frail.”

  “I’m not. I’ll be better before you know it.”

  “I don’t want to make an attempt on Artifex’s house until you’re better.”

  “I’ll make a deal with you—I’ll agree to that, as long as you agree that it will be Dr. Jenkins who decides when I’m better. Deal?”

  He nodded, turning his hand over to catch hers. “Deal.”

  Therefore, it was Gia waiting at the entrance to the Village when Jenkins pulled through the gap in the trees in his car. His expression made it clear that he was appalled at her appearance, but, like the gentleman he was, he said nothing. She, too, remained quiet, only speaking to give him directions. When Jenkins pulled into the driveway and shut off the car, they sat for a moment in silence.

  “Is he well?” Jenkins said finally.

  “Yes—remarkably so. I guess we had no real reason to worry,” she said in an even tone, but her mouth was twisted. Jenkins patted her hand for a moment, then opened the door to the car and went to get out.

  “Wait!” she said.

  He paused. “What is it?”

  “We should pull the car around to the back of the house. It’s too conspicuous here.”

  “Agreed.” He got back in and did as she instructed, then followed her into the house through the back kitchen door.

  “Uncle Robert!”

  The two embraced before Jenkins punched him in the shoulder hard enough to almost mean it.

  “What is wrong with you? You should have told one of us exactly where you were going! We’ve wasted so much time.”

  “It was safer this way,” Nolan said. “Even though I didn’t think I was going to lose the Sword, I stand by my decision.”

  Jenkins was quiet for a moment
. “Still...!”

  “Can’t change it now,” Pyrrhus said as he hurried down the stairs from the second floor, his clothes covered in dust. “Nolan, that room is a mess up there.”

  “Well, if you want to sleep in it, you’ll have to clean it. You’re more than welcome to the clean floor instead.”

  “Floor? I don’t do floors.”

  “That’s why you’re up there cleaning,” Gia said. “Dr. Jenkins, coffee? Tea?”

  “Coffee would be lovely, thank you. Black,” he said as he took a seat at the table, watching her bustle through the kitchen. Nolan took a seat beside him as Pyrrhus grabbed some paper towels and wandered back upstairs.

  “So—first things first. I’m sure you noticed that Gia isn’t up to par right now.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him from the counter, but he ignored her. “I’ve told her that we won’t move on the Sword until she’s ready, and she agreed, with one condition.”

  “Which is?” He smiled in thanks as Gia handed him his mug, full of the darkest brew they had in the house.

  “That you're the one to decide when she’s ready. I guess she doesn’t trust me.”

  “With good reason!” Gia snorted from her position at the counter. “You’d never think I was ready.”

  “That’s not true!” Nolan protested. “You’re one of the few people in the whole world I trust at my back, but I’m not going to get you killed just because I’m in a rush.”

  “The rush can’t be helped!” Gia snapped. “Who knows what Artifex’s been doing with the Sword?”

  “He can’t touch it, that’s for sure,” Nolan said.

  “No, but Rebecca certainly can! She’s been with him since the Rite of Passage.”

  “Enough,” Jenkins said firmly as the two glared at each other. “Even without your recovery to consider, we would need the time to plan. This is going to be one hell of an operation. We'll need time to talk this through and agree to a plan of action. Okay?”

  Nolan broke away from his staring match with Gia to nod. “Of course, Uncle Robert. We can't just run in there like lunatics.”

  Gia was still glaring at the table in general, nostrils slightly flared.

  “Okay?” Jenkins repeated, giving her his best teacher look.

  She dropped her eyes to the floor. “I'm going to go up and check on Pyrrhus,” she said, and fled the room.