by Linsey Hall
Aidan turned to loom over them. “Oh, I’m certain I can. If not in money, then in threats.”
If I hadn’t known Aidan so well, the ice in his deep voice would have sent shivers across my skin.
Aerdeca’s gaze widened only a fraction, but it was enough to tell that she understood. And probably liked the scary side of Aidan.
“You have a lovely shop,” Aidan said. “Which I’m sure is entirely up to code.”
Meaning that it didn’t break any of the Order of the Magica’s dark magic laws.
Aerdeca’s brows lowered. “Of course it is.”
“Of course. Which means that a visit from my friend at the Order’s Magic Enforcement Division would be most welcome.”
Her knuckles whitened where she gripped the bar. “Absolutely. Or, you could pay us five grand and we’ll give you what you want.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Aidan’s mouth. “That sounds fair.”
“That sounds expensive,” I said.
“I imagine the answers you seek are worth far more to you,” Mordaca said. “Your magic smells…different.”
I snapped my mouth shut.
She was right.
The answers were worth my life. Five grand was measly compared to that. And technically, I had the money from a big job I’d done a few weeks ago.
“Fine. But I’ll pay it,” I said.
“Cash now,” Mordaca said.
I scowled. No way I carried that kind of money around.
Aidan pulled out his wallet. Of course he carried around that much cash. It wasn’t like anyone was going to mug the Origin.
He handed over a crisp stack of bills.
“Thanks,” I said to him. “I’ll pay you back.”
He glanced over, his expression making it clear how stupid he thought that idea was.
I scowled.
He totally wasn’t going to take the money. But Aerdeca opened her mouth to speak, and I pushed the concern away. I could deal with Aidan later.
“Aethelred is at his summer home, apparently,” Mordaca said.
“But he’s our friend,” Aerdeca said. “We’ll sell you a chance to talk to him, but we won’t sell him. We’ll blindfold you and take you to him. If he wants to see you, he will. And if you hurt him, you’re dead.”
“Dead in a really miserable manner.” Mordaca tapped her black claws on the bar, the threat clear.
“I don’t want to hurt him.”
“Well, he’s hiding for a reason.”
“Where is his summer home?” The back of my neck itched. Fiercely. That someone-is-watching feeling, but far worse. I shivered and glanced around, but saw no one. I turned back to Mordaca and Aerdeca, not wanting to miss a word.
But I couldn’t get over the feeling of someone watching.
“He lives in a tree?” I gazed at the enormous oak. Aerdeca had just removed my blindfold. A door and windows were carved into the trunk. Light glowed from the tiny window in the door. The branches and leaves above were green and vibrant. “Like those elves who make cookies?”
“I don’t make cookies!” a crotchety voice yelled from within. “And certainly not for you!”
“Moody,” I murmured to Aidan, who stood at my side.
Mordaca poked me in the back.
I scowled at her. But despite my joke, my heart raced. This was the man who had answers about my past. And who’d been hiding from me for some reason.
Aerdeca and Mordaca had been true to their word, blindfolding us and piling us into their little sports car, then driving about two hours. There hadn’t been enough space in Aerdeca’s tiny car, so Nix and Del had stayed behind.
From the size of these massive trees, we were in one of the woodland areas surrounding Magic’s Bend. Maybe near the coast. Glittering lights in the trees around us indicated pixies. We were in Wistman’s Wood, maybe, which was an old forest near the Oregon coast. It was haunted with pixies, hence its name, a derivative of Whistman, meaning one who has been pixie-led. We hadn’t seen any pixies so far, though, so maybe we were in one of the less well-known enchanted forests in Oregon.
“Can we come in, Aethelred?” I called.
He sighed so loudly that I could hear it through the door. “All right.”
The heavy wooden door creaked open slowly. Warm air gusted out, along with the very distinct smell of chocolate chip cookies.
My mouth watered.
“Really?” I asked the old man, whose long white beard reached nearly to his waist. “You don’t make cookies?”
“Sheer coincidence.” He huffed and adjusted his blue velour track suit.
Once again, he looked like Gandalf on his way to senior aerobics. This outfit was a slightly darker shade of blue than it had been last time, but I was noticing a theme.
He looked at Aerdeca and Mordaca, who stood to my left. “Will you come in?”
“No,” Mordaca said. “We’ve a colleague to see who lives on the other side of the hollow.”
Aerdeca looked at me. “Call us when you are done. We will come get you. We’ll see you later, Aethelred.”
“Yes. At Black Bingo.” He scowled at us.
He was huffier than he had been the last time we’d come to him for help. “I’m sorry about the Nullifier.”
The Nullifier had been his friend. Because I’d roped him into helping us save Magic’s Bend, he was dead. I wouldn’t blame Aethelred if he was angry with me. I was angry with me. I could have done a lot of things differently and maybe saved his life.
“Yes. So am I.” His blue gaze darkened. “I try to take heart in the fact that he chose his path willingly. And he’d lived a long time.”
Centuries, in fact. The Nullifier’s power also nullified death. Something it was doing for me, but I certainly didn’t want it. To watch my family and friends die around me? No thanks.
Trauma could kill me, like it had the Nullifier, but I didn’t want to die in battle or take my own life. I wanted to die an old lady, surrounded by a dozen fat cats wearing sweaters I’d crocheted for them.
“True, he did live a long time,” I said.
“But the bastard who killed him still lives?”
“Victor Orriodor, yes.” The Monster. No matter how many times I used his real name, I couldn’t help but think of him that way. “But I’ll find him eventually. And kill him.”
Aethelred’s sharp gaze zeroed in on Aidan. “And you? Have you come to return my transport charms?”
Aidan and I had borrowed three rare transport charms from Aethelred last week. We’d needed them to help us travel quickly enough to defeat the portal.
“Unfortunately, no,” Aidan said. “They’ve become even more scarce recently. I have men looking for them, going to each wizard who creates them, but they’ve all been sold to an unknown buyer. But I guarantee I will replace the ones we borrowed as soon as my men find some.”
“I do hope so.” He stepped back and gestured us in. “You might as well come in and get this over with.”
He seemed to be in a rush. “Why the hurry? And why haven’t you returned to Magic’s Bend?”
“You’re dangerous.” He turned and walked into the room. “It’s better for my life expectancy if I’m not around you.”
“Dangerous?” I followed him.
The inside of the tree was warm and inviting, all golden wood tones and colorful fabric on the furniture. The space was round, which was fitting for a tree, with a small sitting area, a kitchen, a little table, and a spiral staircase leading up to a loft. Books cluttered the shelves, but it wasn’t nearly as chaotic as Aethelred’s place in Darklane.
“What do you mean, I’m dangerous?” I asked as Aidan and I took the couch he gestured toward. It sat near a small electric fireplace. Smart, considering we were in a tree. “Not to you.”
“No, but those who hunt you are dangerous.” He dropped heavily into the chair across from us.
“They can’t find me. I have a concealment charm.”
“Do you?�
�� His sharp blue gaze met mine.
“What do you mean?”
“Have you felt odd lately? As if someone were watching you?”
The hair on my arms stood up. “How did you know?”
“Ever since you came to see me over a week ago, I’ve kept my inner eye on watch for you. I think your concealment charm may be failing. Enemies are circling you. And you don’t have long until you meet.”
“What?” My breath felt scarce.
“I can’t see it clearly. But a confrontation is coming. Someone seeks you to do harm. Their seer will find you soon enough, and then they will come.”
“They may already have.” The demons in the pyramid. Maybe they hadn’t been guards, but rather scouts sent by Victor when his seer caught sight of me. “Earlier today, some demons appeared. We killed them, but they haven’t come for me since.”
“As long as you possess the Nullifier’s power, your concealment charm will fail. As his power battles with your own, your concealment charm will go in and out. Perhaps the seer saw you for a moment and sent the demons. Now, he cannot see you.”
“But he could again.” Worry creased Aidan’s brow.
“He could. As long as you have the Nullifier’s power, you are at risk.”
“But why? I’ve learned how to control other new powers.” Lightning and illusion were my two favorites. “Why not the Nullifier’s power?”
“It is unnatural to try to mesh power with anti-power, which is essentially what the Nullifier’s gift is. They are canceling each other out. Fighting for supremacy. And with you, it is worse. There is something about your power that is strange. Something that conflicts even more than normal with the Nullifier’s anti-power. And you’re fighting your new power, not embracing it as you should be.”
Of course I was fighting it. It sucked. I fiddled with the golden cuff hidden under my jacket sleeve. “Can I get rid of the Nullifier’s power and have my own back?”
His expression turned sad. “I have never heard of it happening.”
Aidan reached for my hand. His voice was firm when he said, “There are many things that haven’t happened that are still possible. Cass will get her power back.”
“Maybe.” The Nullifier held out his hand, as if to take mine. “May I?”
I pulled my palm from Aidan’s warm grip and reached for Aethelred. A tingle of energy went up my arm when he gripped my hand. His magic tasted like cinnamon.
“Yes.” Aethelred’s gaze turned thoughtful. “As I thought. Your power is rare. There is more here than you realize. Not just lightning and illusion.”
“My root power.” Or did he mean my FireSoul?
“Perhaps.”
“It was taken from me.”
“Taken? Perhaps. Whatever it is, it is important. Powerful.”
“Can I get it back?”
Aethelred let go of my hand, and his gaze cleared. “I cannot see that.”
“Why not?” I knew why, but I was so desperate I blurted it anyway.
“Seers cannot perform on command.” Indignation colored his voice. “Not only is it impossible, I would refuse.”
I lowered my gaze. “I understand. I’m sorry. It’s just that I really want my power back.” I reached for the locket’s clasp at the back of my neck and removed the small golden heart. “Before, you said you recognized my locket. And I had a dream about my past where I could feel my locket protecting me.”
Aethelred reached for the gold necklace and took it. He studied it, his brows drawn over his eyes in concentration.
“Yes,” he murmured. “It is important to your past.”
“How so?”
“But you’ve never opened it.” His gaze was focused on the locket, his voice distant.
“How can you tell?”
“It’s a Metis locket, and the writing hasn’t been disturbed.” He held it up and indicated the delicate swirls impressed into the gold. “See?”
“I thought that was just decoration.”
“No. It’s the language of the Metis. Only one of their order can read the writing and unlock it.”
I’d never heard of the Metis. “Where do I find them?”
“Greece. They’re a small group of magical scholars who live on an island in the Aegean.”
No wonder I’d never heard of them. I’d never been to Greece.
I looked at Aidan. “Then we’ll go find them.”
He nodded.
“They should be able to help you understand the locket,” Aethelred said. “I cannot see how it is important to your past, but it is.”
“Thank you.”
“On your journey, you must be careful,” he said. “Your enemies could find you at any time. Stay in protected places. And try to get your power back soon, if you can. I see a meeting between you and the one who killed the Nullifier.”
Victor Orriodor. “When?”
“Within the week. You must have your power by then, or you will not survive. Even then, there are no guarantees.”
4
“We’re about to land.”
Aidan’s words filtered into my sleep-logged mind. I jerked, then scrubbed my eyes and sat up, looking around. The small room was beautifully decorated in neutrals.
Right. I was in the bedroom of Aidan’s private plane. We’d departed Aethelred’s and driven back to Magic’s Bend. On the way, I’d asked Aerdeca and Mordaca if they’d ever heard of an Order member named Victor Orriodor. They’d said they hadn’t, but had offered to do some snooping for the right price.
Aidan had paid it while I’d vowed to pay him back—and pinched him when he’d just ignored me.
Aerdeca and Mordaca had dropped us off at the airport at Magic’s Bend, where we’d boarded Aidan’s private jet to go to Greece to find the Metis. Del was still regenerating her power from our trip to Egypt and we had no transport charms, so this was the fastest way.
“Did I pass out right away?” I asked. I hadn’t slept since before the pyramid.
“Pretty much,” Aidan said. “Fell asleep in your seat during takeoff, so I moved you here.”
I vaguely remembered waking in the night, the rumble of the plane all around. I’d snuggled into Aidan, thinking that this was the best moment of my day.
And it had been.
“Come here,” I said.
He grinned, his mouth tugging up at the corner in a half-smile that made my skin heat. He stepped toward me, so tall that his head nearly brushed the ceiling. I gestured for him to bend down. He obliged, his shoulders nearly blocking out the light. I grabbed his shirt to pull him close and kissed him, pressing my mouth to his.
His lips were warm and soft, and damn, did he know how to kiss. I sank into the kiss, wanting to stay there forever.
My stomach grumbled.
Aidan pulled away and laughed. “Come on, let’s get you fed. Wheels will be touching down any minute, and you need your strength.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay. But I’m taking a raincheck on that kiss.” We’d never had a chance to take it all the way—and to be honest, I hadn’t been ready. This was too real. Too important. I didn’t want to screw it all up by, well…screwing. Better to wait ’til the right moment.
Aidan left the little bedroom, and I scrambled around for my bag. Nix had met us at the airport with a bag before we’d left. She and Del were staying behind to poke around to see if they could figure out what Victor Orriodor had been doing on that stage. If I needed their help, Del would teleport them to us immediately.
After pulling on my uniform of jeans, t-shirt, leather boots, and fitted leather jacket, I strapped my daggers to my thighs. Thank magic I had Lefty and Righty.
I made my way out to the cockpit as the pilot gave the announcement to find our seats. Aidan was carrying a coffee cup and muffin. He held them out, and I gratefully took both.
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
I found a big seat near a window, and Aidan sat next to me, reaching for my hand as I stared out of the p
lane. It was still dark, though near dawn. Somewhere in that black sea were a scatter of islands, and answers existed on one of them. Answers about my past. My parents. Hopefully, my future.
Answers that I hoped would save my life.
Waves crashed against the bow of our small boat as we rowed toward the white sand beach snuggled into a small cove. Cliffs rose on either side of the cove, and the sea around us glittered blue and clear in the dawn light.
Aidan rowed while I kept lookout. We’d landed on the closest island with an airstrip and gotten a boat to make the final journey to the island where the Metis lived. Fortunately, it wasn’t far.
“When this is all done and life’s back to normal, we should come back here,” I said. “For vacation.”
Surprise glinted in Aidan’s eyes as he grinned. “You? Take a few days off of work?”
“Hey!” I punched him in the shoulder. “I take time off. But lately, I’ve had a lot on my plate.”
Like Victor Orriodor hunting me. Losing my powers. My deirfiúr at risk. Possibly dying.
It’d been a busy month.
“You’ll handle it.” The confidence in his voice was exactly what I needed to hear. No “it’ll be okay” or “I’ll save you.” Just confidence in my abilities. And he’d have my back if I needed it.
“I will.” I nodded toward the cove beach, which was only a few yards away now. “We’re almost there.”
Aidan turned around and nodded, then slowed his strokes. We beached on the pale sand, and Aidan stashed the oars, then jumped out at the bow and pulled the boat onto the little beach.
“Thanks.” I hopped out, keeping my beloved boots out of the seawater. I’d get them messy when I had to, but little things like this, I appreciated. I might have a few dozen more pairs stashed in my trove, but I still loved these.
The beach was only about twenty yards long with small cliffs rising thirty feet above our heads. The cliffs dipped down in the middle of the beach, providing a rough path onto the island.
“Ready?” I asked as I approached Aidan.
He grimaced briefly, his brow scrunching in the universal sign of discomfort.
“What’s wrong?” Panic made my heart race. Aidan was impenetrable, as far as I’d seen. Was he ill?
