by Shea Berkley
“H-he disguised himself?” How had he managed that? Did she have that kind of power in her?
“He showed what everyone wanted to see. If you don’t believe me, ask that pathetic mole who follows Baun’s heir around. He sees what no one else can.” Lucinda switched sides and whispered in Kera’s other ear, “He’s seen what’s in you, hasn’t he?”
“No,” she lied, because she was sure Bodog had seen a speck. He watched her too closely. The magic inside her was dark, but she would never let it control her. Not like these men had done. No matter what Lucinda said, Kera’s motives weren’t evil. “I know what I’m doing.”
“So did they.” Without breaking contact, she latched onto Kera’s wrist again and pulled her from one Nightmare Man to the next. “Look at them. Baun lured them here and trapped them. They’re defeated. Frustrated. Very poor losers. All those with great power are. Denied their ability to terrorize, to control, it makes me wonder what they would do if I left you here.”
Without warning, Lucinda shoved Kera under the nose of one of the men. He suddenly froze and sniffed. Lucinda yanked off the leather bracelet that covered the wound Kera received fighting the Dark Souls when they attacked her village. It had grown, covering more than just an inch of skin, just like the wound on her shoulder that refused to heal, thanks to her encounter with the Dark Souls in the forest.
“So, it’s begun. Most firsts heal from an attack by a Dark Soul.” Her gaze flickered from the ugly spot of exposed muscle and bone to Kera’s eyes. “But when they attacked you, they exposed you for what you are. What you’ll become.”
Nostrils flaring, the leader looked at his comrades and swore they weren’t alone, which stirred them up.
“Look,” Lucinda said in a moment of wonder. “They know you’re here, can sense your power, and they’re in a froth to find you.”
She was right. They roamed the shadowy room, grunting and cursing and striking out at any imagined movement. Only the leader didn’t move. He just breathed deeply, smelling her power like a hound on the hunt. He leaned forward and took a deep sniff.
Beads of sweat peppered Kera’s forehead. She wouldn’t put it past Lucinda to leave, if only to prove she would do it.
The leader lashed out, and Lucinda yanked Kera out of his way at the last moment. Her lips parted and a giggle of excitement filled Kera’s ear. The Lutine was having fun at Kera’s expense.
She turned toward Lucinda and said matter-of-factly, “Go ahead and leave me. I will fight them.”
“Brave words. Will you survive, I wonder? Or will the magic you use consume more of your flesh?”
Kera didn’t know the answer so she kept silent and fought to keep her power in check. After a few more close run-ins, the Nightmare Men settled down.
“Be careful, little liar. Magic as big as what you carry causes more harm than good.”
She hated it when Lucinda called her that. “I have only seen the good it has done me.”
“Only good?” Her fingers tightened on Kera’s wrist, causing it to ache. “I felt the ripple. You used the magic. You created another Unknown place.”
Kera shook her head. “What I made is small and not permanent. If the Seven Sisters had not killed Wyatt, it never would have been created in the first place.”
A slow grin stretched Lucinda’s lips into a hard-toothed grin. “The second sign of evil. Justifying wicked acts.”
Was Kera justifying her actions?
No. The Lutine was baiting her for no other reason than that she could.
Seeing Kera wasn’t taking the bait, Lucinda changed course. “Let’s play a game. I shall ask you a question and you answer it. Truthfully. Can you do it?”
The muscles in Kera’s jaw tightened. Lucinda would let her go only after Kera ceased to be fun. “Ask.”
Lucinda’s eyes narrowed. “How are you any different from the human you killed?”
She blinked back her surprise. Was she referring to Jason? She had to be. Of all the questions Lucinda could have asked, that was one Kera hadn’t expected. It took her a moment to think. “J-Jason wanted to destroy everyone and everything in his path. But—but I supply justice. To a select few.”
“Jury, judge, and jailer.” A low growl sounded from Lucinda. “You condemned my friends to one hundred years in forms so fragile they may not recover. They feed off the souls of those they kill. Maybe they don’t always kill those who deserve to die, but what are a few innocent lives compared to the bad ones they destroy? You’ve upset that balance.”
That wasn’t balance, that was pure selfish motivation.
“They upset the balance when they killed Wyatt. He deserved to live,” Kera snapped back. “It’s their punishment. They killed him because he was in love, and they were jealous. How is that right?” She shook her head, unable to believe she had to defend her actions. “I did as promised. They are still alive. I could have killed them, but I didn’t. I even left Neve to tend to them.”
“Yet you conveniently forgot to tell her she was condemned with them.”
That was a lie. “She knew. She volunteered.”
“Did she have a choice?” Lucinda volleyed back.
If she had wanted to get a reaction out of Kera, she’d succeeded. Kera stiffened and without breaking contact, she twisted her wrist and ended up grabbing Lucinda’s. “What are you really after?”
Lucinda suddenly laughed, and the next instant, they were outside Baun’s door. Her big cat-shaped eyes blinked lazily. “I just want to know if I need to protect my back when you are around, little liar.”
Kera squeezed the surprisingly delicate wrist she was holding. “Don’t call me that.”
With a flick of her wrist, Lucinda broke away and opened the door to Baun’s room. “He is waiting for you.”
“Lucinda,” Baun called from the room. “Please stay. This involves you as well.”
Suddenly all the bravado drained from Lucinda. She became quiet, obedient as she moved into the room and sat in the chair Baun indicated.
Kera quickly refastened the leather bracelet, covering the wound on her wrist. When she took her seat beside Lucinda, she watched Baun. His eyes were red-rimmed and puffy and his clothes were mussed as if he’d just rolled out of bed. She hadn’t seen him this disheveled since he’d gotten out of prison.
He sat, placed his elbows on the desk, and ran his fingers through his hair before looking up at Kera. “I know what you’ve done and I cannot say I blame you. We will discuss that later. Right now, I need your help. I sent Dylan on an errand. He should have been back by now, but he isn’t.” He sighed and pushed himself straight. “To be honest, I don’t even know where he is.”
She told herself not to panic. Dylan was resourceful. Powerful. Just because his father didn’t know exactly where he was didn’t mean anything was wrong. “Where did you send him?”
“That is the worrying part. Not far. To his grandparents’ home. It should have taken him a few hours. It’s already been a few days.”
Panic immediately swept through her, shoving her to her feet. All manner of terrible things invaded her imagination. Pux. Millispits. Some horrible creature that had attacked not only Dylan, but his grandparents. She had to leave. Now.
Lucinda’s question stopped her. “What kind of errand did you send him on?”
“I needed him to retrieve something important.” When she cocked a slanted eyebrow at him, he waved her off. “I won’t go into detail, but I am assuming, since he is not back, he ran into trouble.”
A low laugh that resembled a purr filled the room. “A paternal streak. I’m intrigued.” She settled further in her chair and studied him. He fidgeted under her unrelenting stare, and a pleased smile appeared before she relented. “It’s your son, and he has powers far greater than most. Greater than you. I doubt there is much he cannot handle. He will eventually come back.”
Pinch-lipped, Baun poured himself a glass of absinthe. Kera’s father never touched the stuff. Said it played with men
’s minds, but here Baun was drinking it like water. “You’re right. It’s just”—he paused for effect—“he took his friend with him.”
The way he said that sent a chill down Kera’s spine, and by the look on Lucinda’s face, it did her as well. “Leo? His friend Leo?”
He nodded and shrugged. “I fear the human is in trouble, therefore Dylan is. You know how they like to stick together. Why else would they not be back?”
Lucinda turned to Kera. Her pale cheeks held a bright flush. “Can you find them?”
Most likely, but she wasn’t 100 percent sure, so she turned the question back onto the Lutine. “Can’t you?”
Silence filled the air. Lucinda looked from Kera to Baun, and it was clear she didn’t want to admit to her limitations, but finally said, “No.”
Baun sat back in his chair. “Really? I thought you could.”
The way Baun looked at Lucinda, like he was more than disappointed, didn’t sit well with Kera. She actually felt sorry for the Lutine.
“I can find them.” She turned to leave and came up short. Lucinda had materialized in front of her. The Lutine rarely used her power to transport from one location to another so frequently except when she was stressed. Hearing Leo was missing obviously upset her.
“I’m coming with you,” she announced.
Kera nodded, but before they left, Lucinda stared at Baun. Her tone was anything but submissive now. “What did you send them to retrieve?”
Baun’s lips were hard and paper-thin. Kera had the impression if he could lie, he would do so now, but he couldn’t. “The Salter’s magic.”
A pale-blue hue washed over Lucinda’s skin, as if all the blood in her body had been drained. She walked toward him almost as if in a trance. “You know where it is?”
When she stopped in front of him, he clasped her arms and squeezed. “I suspect where it is, but that is all.”
He brushed a stray lock of shockingly white hair away from Lucinda’s face and gently swept his hand from the top of her head to her nape in an obvious petting motion. Lucinda pulled away, but Baun wouldn’t release her. “Bring my son back.” He fished from his pocket a bright fuchsia-colored choker embedded with diamonds and dangled it in front of Lucinda. The Lutine’s eyes latched onto it. Her nature naturally gravitated to shiny and bright. “Payment.”
She reached for the choker, but he held it away. “Make sure the coin is found.”
She nodded, snatched the choker, and swept out of the room, the determination in her eyes a fierce reminder of the danger hiding behind the beauty.
Kera looked back at Baun. He had returned to his desk and was sitting once again, and utter despair shadowed his features. He reached up and touched the edge of the tapestry, animating it. Flames rolled. Smoke blew and thickened. Slowly, he leaned back and stared at the fabric of Teag. Heaving a heavy sigh, he settled into his chair and watched it burn.
Hunting for Something
I flip through the last few pages of a magazine filled with high-end fashion ads and a list of nearby attractions and push it away. The hour I’ve allotted Mom is crawling by. Glancing at Leo, I’m amazed at his patience. Being a sheepherder, I guess he’s learned to appreciate doing nothing in the middle of nowhere.
He stares at his cell phone with the face of someone who’s constipated. Not attractive.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
He holds a long finger up to his lips. “Shhh. Dialing a number with my mind.”
Not constipated, just concentrating. “How’s that going?”
His face relaxes and he glances at me. “Not as well as I’d like.”
I snatch up his cell and toss it into the air, but before it hits the counter, I stop it and make it float higher. “I think it’s about time we give you a little magic.”
“Cool.” His face lights up with excitement. “I’ve been waiting for this part.”
“Yeah, well, don’t get too excited. Magic can give you a raging headache if you’re not careful. Remember me acting like I’d downed a bottle of whiskey when I first got mine?”
I got a lecture from Grandpa, but worse, I got a disappointed look from Grandma.
He frowns. “Yeah, that wasn’t cool.”
I slap him on the back. “Relax. I’m not going to give you that much. You might get queasy after using it, but that’s the worst.”
“Sounds fun.”
“Ready?”
He nods and holds out his arm. I grasp his fingers and my hand glows. He starts to sweat as the energy I’m transferring into him slips under his skin. He looks at me, and when I see my magic flashing behind his eyes, I let go. Slowly, all traces of the transfer fade. I pass him a piece of paper that has the spell he needs to repeat written on it and ask, “How do you feel?”
“Surprisingly normal.”
“Good.” I grab his phone and toss it in the air. As it comes down, Leo stops it before it hits the counter. A ridiculously huge grin takes over his face. He grabs the phone and tosses it up again and stops it an inch from impact.
I’ve got to admit, Leo makes me smile. The joy he gets from the simple act of levitating his cell phone is priceless. Some would say giving him even a small bit of magic isn’t wise. Look what happened to Jason. But Leo is different, and he needs the magic to implement our plan. He fiddles with his phone, giving it legs to walk around, and then shifting it into different shapes and voice commands.
Fifteen minutes go by and his phone alarm goes off. The screen becomes a talking head, saying in a crisp British accent, “Time is but a measure of moments, and yours is up.”
Leo grabs the phone, placing his palm over the mouth, which muffles the repeating phrase, and tells it to shut up before tucking the cell out of sight. He looks at me. “You heard the uptight Anglo. It’s been an hour.”
We both turn from our places at the long bar situated at the opposite side of our hotel suite and stare at the closed door. Quiet doesn’t mean calm. Not in Mom’s case. It could mean she’s planning her next dramatic moment. She lives life as if she’s on a soap opera, and because of that, neither one of us is eager to get the party started.
“I wish I knew what I was looking for,” Leo says.
“You’ll do fine, my young apprentice,” I say as I muss up his dark mop of hair.
“Bro, not the hair.” He grabs my hand and shoves it off. “Seriously, how will I know it’s what it is if I don’t know what it is?”
I’m worried I actually followed that sentence. “That’s why I gave you that shot of magic. We know it’s here. We just have to find it. Just be sure to say ‘Álainn’ correctly.”
He repeats the name a few times. “Good enough?”
“You have a good ear for language.”
“Right? I’m borderline savant that way.”
I nod, but I’m thinking we’ll be totally screwed if this goes wrong. “You ready?”
“I’ll take the couch and play Rip Van Winkle until you two leave.”
“Perfect.”
Leo dives onto the couch and wiggles around until he’s comfortable. I wait by Mom’s door until his long arm shoots into view and he gives me a thumbs-up signal. I take a deep breath, remove the lock, and knock.
No answer.
I knock again. “Mom? Can we talk?”
A muffled voice drifts past the solid door. “I have nothing to say to you.”
I roll my eyes. She’s going to be difficult, but I know how to end that strategy. “Not even to hear an apology?”
Time stretches and then the door opens, but only wide enough to see half of her face. The one eye I can see is puffy and her lips are red and chapped from crying. She looks me up and down. “Where’s your suit?”
“I changed.” I notice she has, too—ripped jeans, an old button-down, and her favorite necklace. “Where’s your dress?”
“I took it off. I’d burn it if I could.” She bites her bottom lip, a sure sign of worry. “What I did, none of it was real, except it was in the
worst way. You tricked me.”
Now I get it. Mom’s tantrum wasn’t about me finding her and taking her out of that rathole she’d been living in. I’d embarrassed her. Made her feel like a fool.
I take a deep breath and try to explain. “It wasn’t fake, Mom. They all loved it. They thought you were the real deal. Hell, they probably still do. You could go down there and sit at one of the tables and you’d have them fawning over you in five seconds.”
A hard laugh escapes and she presses her forehead to the door. “Look at me. I’m nobody.”
I think I’ve just found a way to get Mom out of the room. I lean in and say in a conspirator’s whisper, “The right clothes…enough money…I can make you somebody.”
“You…wait, you can?” A blossom of excitement lights her eyes. “And we wouldn’t get in trouble?”
That question told me a lot. I couldn’t help wondering how many casinos she’d been escorted from since she’d been here. “Hey, if they think you’re someone you’re not, how is that our problem? They’re the fools, right? We wouldn’t have done anything wrong except have a good laugh and win a little money.”
The lure of cash had her pulling the bedroom door open wider. “How much money?”
Oh, come on. She knows what I’m capable of. That’s why she’s always been slightly afraid of me, wondering what I’d do if I ever figured out who and what I was. Unlike Kera, I’ve always been more first, it’s because of my birthright I guess, and that’s what has everyone knee-knocking scared around me.
“Plenty of money,” I say with a confident smile.
“Plenty by your standards or plenty by mine?”
I create another outfit on her bed, one I saw in that magazine I’d been flipping through, and nod toward it. “Get dressed and let’s see.”
A frown mars the space between her eyes. “What’s this all about?” She looks past me. “Where’s your friend?”
She’s been burned so many times, it’s become second nature for her to doubt every good thing that comes her way. “He’s asleep on the couch. Listen, if you don’t want to, that’s cool. I’ll go by myself. I’ve been trying to get Leo to come with me, but he doesn’t like me using my magic. He’s a cool guy and all, but every time I get a little creative, he says it’s cheating.” I glance over my shoulder and see Leo’s long legs dangling over the edge of the couch. “I was just thinking, what if we go downstairs for something to eat and we just so happen to walk into the gaming area…”
