Children of Poseidon: Rann

by Carr, Annalisa

“Right. Tomorrow, we’ll visit him.” Fergal sounded more confident by the minute. Maya scowled. It appeared she wasn’t pleased to have someone else taking charge. She kept quiet, though.

  “Could I have a look at Seawitch?” Fergal stood up as though he had no doubt that he’d be given what he wanted. Jewel looked at Rann.

  “That’s a good idea. She’s in Maya’s bedroom.” He checked Maya for permission, and she nodded.

  Seawitch sat on the couch under the window in what appeared to be the exact same position she’d been in before. Shadows hung beneath her prominent cheekbones, and her eyes still stared into a distance no one else could see. She didn’t register her visitors at all.

  Fergal crouched down and examined her. Jewel couldn’t see any change in her, but when Fergal stood up he looked satisfied. “She saw me,” he said. “She couldn’t do anything about it, but she saw me.”

  “Do you have any idea how to fix what’s wrong with her?” Rann asked. He had his arm draped over Jewel’s shoulders again. It was beginning to be a bit of a habit. She knew if she wasn’t careful she would forget why Rann was a bad idea for her.

  Fergal shook his head. “The person who did this to her should be able to reverse it.”

  “We don’t know who that was,” Jewel pointed out.

  “Could it have been this dark master?” Rann asked. “Or Alberic? The same people who’ve been using her as a vessel.”

  Fergal frowned again. “I can’t see why they’d do this to her. It makes her more difficult to look after. Can she even feed herself?”

  Jewel shook her head. “We have to do it for her.”

  “I don’t know then. We need to talk to this Alberic.” Something in his voice made the hair stand up on the back of Jewel’s arms. He must once have been a power to be reckoned with.

  “Next on the list after Kara,” Maya said.

  Jewel sighed. She wondered how they were going to contain Alberic while they dealt with Kara. It was yet another thing they would have to discuss once they’d gotten the circle assembled.

  “So will you ask Maria and Charles about the circle?” Jewel asked Maya.

  “You should give them a ring yourself,” Maya said. “You might have noticed they aren’t that keen on me.”

  “But—”

  “Phone them.” Maya poked her in the shoulder. “Do it tonight. They’ll appreciate it.”

  “I suppose.” Jewel sighed heavily and turned to Fergal. “This Bill Maudley. Would you ask him?”

  “We’ll go and see him tomorrow,” Fergal said. “I’ll introduce you. The whole circle can meet sometime tomorrow evening and plan the spellcasting.”

  “Come for a walk with me?” Rann pulled Jewel to her feet. Annis and Connor had left, taking Liv with them, and soon after that, Fergal’s headache came back. Lila and Lykos persuaded him to let them take him back to the hotel. He looked better than he had yesterday, though, and in Rann’s view, the curse appeared to be wearing off quickly.

  Jewel’s features were pinched with tension. “I don’t think—”

  “The sun’s shining.” Rann waved at the window. “It only does that about twice a year here, so we need to make the most of it.”

  “I need to think.” Jewel pursed her lips.

  “No, you don’t.” Rann tugged on Jewel’s hand. “Tomorrow you need to think. You’ll have help then. Today you need to walk off some of that stress. And so do I.”

  “You’re never stressed.” Jewel pulled her hand free.

  “Go on.” Maya looked up from the papers she’d spread out on the sofa. “What are you going to do here? Worry, that’s what.”

  Jewel heaved a longsuffering sigh but grabbed her jacket. “Okay. If everyone insists.” She sounded grumpy.

  Rann took her hand as they walked to the heath.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “You don’t need to hold my hand. You keep doing it. I’m not two, you know?”

  Rann swung her arm into the air. “It’s for my benefit. If I hold onto you, I know you’re not off getting into trouble.”

  Jewel sniffed.

  The grass squelched underfoot as they walked, but overhead, the sky was cloudless. The trees in leaf glowed with a palette of greens. Rann sighed. If the weather would always be like this, then maybe London wouldn’t be such a miserable place.

  “I miss the sea,” he said.

  “Have you never been away from it before?” Jewel glanced up at his face.

  “Oh yes.” He laughed. “Many times. I never like it, though.”

  “I miss it, too.” Jewel’s attention concentrated on the blades of grass beneath her boots.

  “After this is over, you’ll come back.” Rann wasn’t sure if he was telling her or asking her, and from the look she slanted at him, neither was she.

  “I don’t—”

  He didn’t want to hear the same thing again, so he pulled her round to face him. “You miss the sea.”

  “I—”

  “Do you want to join some coven just like this?”

  “They’re not all—”

  “In some city?” He slid his hands up to clasp her arms. She opened her mouth to argue with him, so he kissed her. Briefly.

  He slowly moved forward, edging her backwards, until she leant against the trunk of a large tree. An ancient oak. Its branches blocked out the sun, and its leaves cast dancing shadows on Jewel’s face. He couldn’t read her thoughts at all. He raised one hand and cupped her cheek. She said nothing, so he kissed her again. Her lips softened under his, and he rubbed his mouth over hers. She made a small noise in the back of her throat and parted her lips. Her hands rose to fist in his hair. He pressed against her, tangling his tongue with hers, before withdrawing to kiss the corner of her mouth and the line of her jaw. She stared up at him then placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “What?” Her tone mingled irritation with confusion, but he thought the flush on her cheeks had to be arousal.

  “Do you want to be part of some game-playing coven, in some overpopulated city?” He repeated his earlier question. “Or do you want to come and live with me on the island?”

  “Rann.” Jewel nibbled on her thumbnail. “Nothing’s changed. You haven’t changed. I haven’t changed. I need to—”

  Rann rested his hands on her shoulders. “Jewel. You’ve confronted your mother. You’re going to deal with her. You know who you are. You always have.”

  “But I—”

  “Are you a coward?”

  Her eyes sparked blue fire. “Of course I’m not, but—”

  “Then fight for what you want.” He smoothed his hands over her shoulders.

  “I don’t know what I want. That’s why—”

  “You want me.” He watched her eyes flash with awareness and allowed his lips to curve into a smile. “Then take me. Maybe my desires have changed.”

  Jewel made a noise that sounded almost like a growl.

  “After you’ve done your duty to the coven, we’ll discuss this again.” He slid one arm round her shoulder and pulled her forward. “Come on, let’s walk.”

  Chapter 21

  Jewel leaned against the door as Maya nudged past her and headed downstairs. Her head still throbbed with pain. It wasn’t as bad as it had been; she’d spent the previous evening in a darkened room, as lights flashed behind her eyes and her head pounded. Migraines weren’t something she’d ever experienced before, and she couldn’t understand why she had one now.

  “Are you sure you won’t come with us?” Lila pulled her coat on. “I don’t know this friend of my father’s any more than you do.”

  “I’m sure.” Jewel wasn’t quite ready to publicly announce her parentage. Too much had happened in the la
st few days, and she needed time to come to terms with it all. “My head still hurts.” It was the truth. The migraine that had attacked her the day before still pounded dully behind her eyes. She’d delayed things by a day; she didn’t want to slow them down further.

  “Do you want me to stay?”

  “Just go. I’ll be fine. It’s wearing off a bit. Just apologise for me and say we’ll meet tonight to make the plans. I hope I’ll be okay then.”

  Lila hesitated. “You need to gather allies. Kara is likely to be . . .” She hesitated again.

  “Difficult.” Jewel forced a smile. “I know. The coven must know they need me for this, though. I’m doing it for them, so they’d better agree to help. I’ll meet them later.” She really needed some time alone. The migraine had completely destroyed her ability to think. Rann had gone out with Lykos. They’d decided to take a boat down the Thames to see the barrier; so, apart from Seawitch, she would be by herself in the flat. Alone she’d be able to think things through. About what Rann had said. A cool cloth over her eyes would clear her mind. Her head throbbed again.

  Lila hovered, a worried expression on her face.

  “Go on.” Jewel nudged her towards the door. “Maya’s going to get impatient. Seriously. I’ll be all right. I need to think.”

  “Don’t we all?” Lila finally gave up. She touched Jewel’s cheek. “Take care of yourself. We’ll only be a couple of hours.”

  Once she was alone in the flat, Jewel stretched out on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. Her head still pounded, but the nausea had disappeared and she could think again. Why can’t life be easy? Why can’t Rann see why I have to make a life for myself? And why does that seem to be less and less of a good idea? Is he right?

  She kicked at the end of the sofa. And what did he mean by telling me he might have changed?

  She dreaded all the business with the circle; the very idea made her stomach cramp. She stroked it reflectively. And what are they going to do with Kara once she’s been stripped of her magic? And Alberic?

  They still hadn’t come to any decision about what to do with him. Despite Rann’s dark mumblings about execution, she didn’t think it would be that easy.

  When the doorbell rang, she let out a huge sigh, but a visitor might take her mind off her problems for a few minutes. She levered herself up off the sofa and headed into the hall.

  Who could it be? If Rann is back, he should have his own key. Maybe he’s forgotten it.

  She pressed the entry button and waited until the visitor appeared on the landing. Kara. Her heart sank.

  Her mother smiled as she approached, but despite the stretching of her mouth, her eyes were chips of ice. “Jewel. I thought we should have a talk.”

  Jewel wrapped her arms round herself. “What about?” She didn’t move out of the doorway.

  “Alberic wants us to be a family. With the baby. He says you’ll be her half-sister.” Kara smiled again, and a shiver ran through Jewel’s body. “I know we’ve had problems in the past, but I think we need to clear the air.”

  Jewel scowled.

  “Can I come in?” Kara raised one carefully groomed eyebrow. “Can we talk over coffee?”

  Jewel thought about it. She didn’t want to talk to her. None of their conversations ended well. “I have a headache.”

  Kara didn’t move.

  She couldn’t see how to get rid of her, not without causing a fuss. “I suppose so. For a minute.” She let her mother pass. Kara glanced backwards as she entered the flat, and Jewel followed her gaze. There didn’t seem to be anything worth looking at, so she shrugged.

  “Sit down.” She gestured at the sofas. “I’ll make some coffee.”

  Jewel waited for the kettle to boil, rubbing her head. She supposed it was just possible that she wanted to please Alberic enough to try to re-engage with her daughter. It seemed unlikely, though.

  She wished her mind would work properly.

  Why is Alberic so keen to mend fences?

  Pouring water into a cafetiere, she placed it on a tray with two mugs and carried it into the sitting room. It was petty, but Kara wasn’t getting any of Maya’s homemade shortbread.

  Kara perched on the edge of one of the sofas, and Jewel reached past her to put the tray on the coffee table. As she straightened, a small pain pierced the side of her neck. She glanced at Kara. Her mother smirked and held up a small syringe. The room swirled, and Jewel’s legs collapsed under her. She couldn’t feel them, and her arms had disappeared from her awareness as well. Kara’s face swam in and out of focus.

  What does she think she’s doing?

  The light came and went and with it, a debilitating nausea that made her previous migraine feel like a mere twinge. As the dark rushed in, the door opened and Alberic entered the room. She tried to raise her head from its position on the carpet, but her body wouldn’t obey. Terror saturated her, but that, too, dissipated as darkness swept into her mind again.

  Rann was tired of hearing Lykos complain about London. It was cold and wet, but compared to Lykos’s Scottish island, the weather was positively balmy. He rested his hands on the railings at the back of the boat and watched the foaming wake flow out into the Thames. He tuned his brother’s voice out and stared into the gray depths until Lykos punched him in the shoulder, jerking him from his reverie.

  “What?”

  “Your phone.” Lykos shook his head.

  Rann pulled it from his pocket. “What?”

  “Rann?” It was Lila. Lykos’s head jerked up when he heard her voice, and he grabbed for the phone.

  Rann swung away. “Hello, Lila. What can I do for you?”

  “Something’s wrong.” Her voice rose in panic. “Bill said Kara knows what we’re planning.”

  “Bill?”

  “My father’s friend. He said his son told Kara about Jewel forming a circle. He was the one who pushed Jewel into the traffic. The night she found Fergal.”

  “His son? That’s who pushed Jewel?” I need to talk to him.

  “He’s only seventeen. He said Kara was the coven leader, and his teacher. He said he owed her obedience.”

  Rann ignored that. “He pushed Jewel?”

  “Just before she found Fergal. She wasn’t hurt. But Kara knows about the circle.” Lila repeated her earlier words, sounding more frantic.

  “What does it matter?” Rann asked. “She’d have found out anyway.”

  “She knows we’re here. At Bill’s,” Lila said. “Bill’s son said she wanted to be kept informed. Why would she want that? Jewel’s alone. And she had that weird headache.”

  “Have you—”

  “She’s not answering her phone.”

  Rann glanced at Lykos. “We’re heading back. We’ll meet you at the flat. As quickly as possible.” He disconnected and told Lykos what he’d learnt. “We need to get back now.”

  “Let me.” Lykos headed to where the navigator steered the boat downstream towards Greenwich.

  Rann followed, dialling the flat as he walked. No answer. He dialled the number of Jewel’s new cell phone. It went straight to voicemail.

  Lykos placed his hand on the navigator’s arm.

  He glanced up in annoyance.

  “You need to go back to Westminster Pier.” Lykos’s voice was quiet, but the air vibrated with command.

  “Back? I need to go back?” The man screwed up his forehead in confusion but then bent to the controls. The boat swung slowly round.

  Chapter 22

  Jewel had no idea where she was. Her head both ached and felt as though it had been wrapped in cling film. Moisture pooled in her mouth, and she felt sick. Opening her eyes made her feel worse. She lay on her side on the backseat of a car, and her body felt like unravelled thread. Her arms and legs trembled.

/>   She forced herself to think. What was in that syringe? Why is she doing this?

  Fear washed over her again, leaving her even weaker. She moved her arm in attempt to sit up, but it wouldn’t obey. She took a deep breath and focussed on both arms. They were tied together, and as if that wasn’t enough, they were bound with nullsilver. She knew the nullsilver must have been Alberic’s idea as her mother was so convinced of her poor skills. She felt twice as helpless with her magic cut off. Wriggling experimentally, she realized her legs were bound together as well.

  “I think she’s awake.” Alberic’s voice broke into her panic.

  “Oh.” Her mother sounded completely disinterested.

  “How are you feeling?”

  Jewel wasn’t taken in by the concern in Alberic’s voice. She didn’t answer.

  “You’ll be fine in a while. The drugs take an hour or two to wear off.”

  “You—”

  “And the headache will go as well. Sorry about that. You needed to stay in the flat.”

  “You gave me a migraine? What do you think you’re doing?” Jewel wriggled to no avail. “Let me go.”

  “Now, we can’t do that.”

  “You—”

  “I know this must seem unreasonable to you,” Alberic interrupted, “but truly, we need you. You have a big part to play in the family.”

  “You aren’t my family.”

  “Don’t be like that.” Alberic sounded disappointed. He had the most flexible voice she had ever heard. She almost felt guilty. “You’re Kara’s daughter, and Kara is my family. Blood is important.”