Tresia (Stone Mage Saga Book 3)

by Raven Whitney

  “Tresia attacked alone, looking for me to get her necklace back,” Jack said guiltily, like he was confessing to some crime. “She found Constance and Alessandra with me. Constance managed to defeat her, but she retreated with Constance's blood. We had no doubt she would return again within a few days with more forces than we could handle.”

  “This is our only chance to get her before she gets us.” I went to stand by Liam.

  “She really took your blood?” he asked me.

  I nodded.

  “Dammit.” Liam sounded defeated and put a hand to his forehead. “It was stupid of you to come alone.”

  “I didn't come alone.”

  “You could have called.”

  “With what phone?” I couldn't help but giggle. “We've been living in a beach shack in North Carolina this whole time. It barely had plumbing, let alone a phone.”

  “Hey!” Jack protested.

  Lexie laughed and lazily thumped his chest with her the back of her open hand. “Your Bat Cave burned down, big guy. And it's not like you could have gone back anyway.”

  “Besides, I don't even know your number.”

  I got him on that one. He reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. He passed me a business card and a folded piece of hotel stationary. “That phone number will reach my page. He always knows how to find me, no matter where I am. The other paper has the bank information for Duo's bounty.”

  “And you just happened to have that on you?” I smiled as I passed the paper to Lexie. She was the one who'd handle that stuff anyway.

  That seemed to throw him off-kilter. He blushed and looked away as he fumbled to get his wallet back into his pocket. “I figured if I kept at the Eight, I'd find you again eventually.”

  I didn't know what to say to that or if my lips could stop smiling like a fool long enough to speak.

  “Sweet,” Lexie chirped, having not been paying attention at all, as she opened the paper to see the value inside. “Because we are majorly broke. We had to play truckers and frat boys for gas money to get here.”

  “Using Paxian abilities?” Liam asked flatly, back into law enforcement hard-ass mode again.

  “Duh,” Lexie answered, causing Jack to groan. She looked to him. “Why did you make that sound? Is that illegal?”

  Jack nodded and put a hand over his face.

  “I'm pleading the fifth, officer,” Lexie said immediately, holding up her hands in innocence.

  “Legally, it is technically outlawed, but it's one of those types of laws that's rarely enforced by us mere mortals unless you really cock things up and make a show of yourself.” Liam shrugged. “Socially, it's a big faux pas and you can face retribution from the private sphere.”

  “So it's like public drunkenness?” she asked, having much experience with that charge.

  “Public drunkenness doesn't get you cursed or smote by gods, so not really,” he said, raising his brows.

  Lexie stared at him, trying to discern whether or not he was pulling her leg.

  “I'm not joking,” Liam insisted in all seriousness. “The gods take it very seriously. Do you know why we don't often bother with it? Because they do terrible things to Paxians who risk the security of our world by revealing themselves to humans and with the rise in technology over the last few decades, they've been ratcheting up the punishments. It's still not something you want to go around admitting to venators, though.”

  Lexie, shocked into silence, zipped a finger across her lips.

  “Just to be clear, we are going in on this attack together, right?” I asked Liam, changing the subject.

  “Yes,” Liam groaned. “And because of him, we have to do this without any Pax backup. If they find out I willfully did not arrest him on sight, let alone that I worked with him, they will exile me.”

  “We understand,” I said.

  “For now, we need to retreat, recuperate, and come up with a strategy,” he said. “We can go back to the motel where I'm staying. Take this—” He patted the hood of Jack's jeep. “— and meet me at the petrol station just up the highway. From there, you can follow me to it.”

  Liam met us in his rented coupe a minute after we arrived and led us in caravan-style to a highway motel that was much cheaper than his last one. It looked well taken care of, though, like it was a mom-and-pop place.

  “Wow,” Lexie muttered. “I wonder if he's as broke as us now.”

  “We aren't broke anymore.” I held up the scrap of paper. “We can transfer some of this into a domestic account as we need it. That'll keep us from having to arm wrestle any more drunk orangutans.”

  “My room has an adjoining one,” Liam announced as he got out of his car. “It shouldn't be a problem to request it. I'll meet you in half an hour?”

  “Sounds good. That ought to give us time to clean up,” I answered as Lexie trotted into the office with some of the surplus cash we'd “earned”.

  “I'll see you then,” Liam said as he went into his room.

  “Some new clothing would be a good idea.” Jack held out the blood-stained tail of his shirt.

  “We can't go too far from the car, remember?”

  “Got the room.” Lexie jingled a set of keys. “It's the adjoining one and it has two queens this time.”

  Jack hoisted the duffel bag over his shoulder. “Let us go, then.”

  The room was tidy enough and was nicer than the bungalow, if only because of the indoor shower and lack of sand coating every surface. The two queen beds were set next to each other against the right wall under a generic landscape print. They were a bit squished together because of the door to Liam's room, but the sheets were soft and looked clean. A long, low dresser with an old television on it stood along the left wall and a small table with two chairs was set in front of the in-wall air conditioning unit adjacent to the door to the outside. It was a bit cramped for three people, but it was a roof over our heads and a nice, clean bed to sleep in.

  Since Lexie and I were more or less clean, all we needed to do was wash our hands and clean the scattered spots of dirt or blood off.

  “You should probably shower, Jack.” Lexie pointed to the bathroom at the back of the room. “You're gross.”

  “Mille grazie. I did not know that I was dirty,” he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he pointed to his blood and mud encrusted shirt.

  “How much cash do we have left?” I asked Lexie.

  “Eighty bucks,” she answered as she turned the TV on.

  “That's enough for some takeout.” It was getting close to dinner time and my cramping stomach wouldn't let me forget it. Since I had figured out how to “charge” Lexie with necromantic magic two days ago, I had been sleeping normal hours again, which was nice. But I was still eating like a horse.

  While I was looking around the pamphlets left by the television for takeout, Liam knocked. Lexie went to unlock the door and he came in, freshly showered and dressed and smelling delicious. He told me there was a Chinese restaurant nearby and when Jack came out of the shower a minute later, we called in an order.

  “They have quick service, so dinner should be here in half an hour or so,” Liam said, putting his cell phone back in his pocket.

  “Can I borrow your laptop?” Lexie asked Liam.

  He looked at her curiously. “Why?”

  “So I can get blueprints for the casino from city hall,” she explained. “Like I told them, I doubt it'll be accurate, but anything is better than nothing.”

  “Not true,” Liam corrected. “Disinformation can be much worse than misinformation.” He sounded doubtful, but went back into his room to go get it anyway. A minute later, Lexie had a computer— her ultimate weapon— in her hand.

  She sat clacking away cross-legged on the bed, occasionally sparing a glance to the reality TV show she'd turned it to earlier.

  “What are you doing?” Liam asked, genuinely confounded.

  “Now that my favorite program is installed on your crummy OS, I'm accessing
city hall's records.” Lexie smiled and it warmed my heart to see her so gleefully within her own element. These last few months learning entirely unfamiliar skills had been hard on both of us, but more so on Lexie, who was struggling in combat training. She had always been very intelligent, so much so that most things came easily to her. I'd seen how frustrated she was getting with her rocky, stalled progress and it was nice to see her feeling comfortable.

  “If she used Paxian contractors, the plans listed will be intentionally inaccurate,” Liam said as he watched over her shoulder.

  “But if she used humans, then they'll have filed permit requests and blueprints for construction,” Lexie countered.

  “Knowing Tresia, she will have used humans,” Jack spoke up, crossing his arms over his bare chest. “They are more easily disposed of. Dead men tell no tales.”

  “You would know.” Liam looked at him cuttingly.

  Jack didn't respond. He didn't have a single snarky remark for Liam. Something weird was going on between those two.

  “As far as I've seen, I agree with Jack,” I said, inciting a surprised look from Liam. “Tresia will want to tie up loose ends and I don't even know if she would know that her contractor would be doing anything other than building. No offense, but it seems like all of you guys are kinda out of touch with the modern world.”

  “She will have delegated the task of coordinating with contractors and builders to an underling,” Jack added.

  “Got 'em,” Lexie declared and everyone crowded around her to peer over her shoulders.

  Jack lifted it from her lap to examine the screen more closely.

  Liam stood from where he sat next to me on the edge of the bed. He tried to take it back from the taller man unsuccessfully. “Give it back. There's classified material on that, you rat bastard.”

  “I once had a higher security clearance than most venators,” Jack reasoned. After a few moments of him looking up at the screen nearly touching the ceiling.

  Liam punched him in the solar plexus, causing Jack to fold over his abdomen. Once it was back in his reach, Liam snatched it back and set it on the table.

  Again, Jack didn't retaliate. “The prints match what I remember. It did not look as though she had changed the layout of the building significantly since I was there last, only building a larger version.”

  Lexie must have noticed the odd way those two were acting around each other, too. We exchanged a curious glance.

  “What's going on with the two of you?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” Liam barked.

  “It is of no consequence,” Jack said at the same time.

  “Well, clearly there's some history between you guys and if we're all going to be risking our asses by going into the lion's den together, you two need to get on the same page or you're putting all of us at risk,” she reasoned, though her voice carried an edge of irritation. “So go ahead and clear the air. If you want, Constance and I will leave the room. But you need to either put 'em away or whip 'em out. I'll measure.”

  Lexie made a joke that was right up Jack's alley and he didn't even laugh. Something serious was going on.

  “Did he sleep with your girlfriend while you were in the Battle of Waterloo or something?” Lexie prodded Liam, pointing to Jack.

  Liam stared daggers at Jack, who looked grave.

  “What was it already?” Lexie threw her hands up.

  “He killed my goddamn brother is what that son of a bitch did,” Liam growled, his knuckles white.

  My stomach dropped and I stared at Jack. There was no way the man I knew was a murderer. Sure, I knew he had killed people before, but he wouldn't have killed one of the good guys.

  I searched his face desperately for some sign that I was right, but I didn't find it. Jack's face was like stone.

  Jack didn't argue, didn't even look offended at the accusation. He only put his hands on his hips and dropped his head for a moment. “I did not kill Myles. He was my best friend.”

  “A murderer proclaims his innocence. How moving,” Liam spat.

  “On my honor, I swear that I never would have hurt Myles,” Jack put his right hand to his heart. “If I lie, may Rhytha strike me down.”

  Liam struggled to contain himself. It showed in the way his whole body quivered. “Honor only exists when both parties recognize it.”

  Jack clenched his jaw. “One day, Liam, I will prove to your family my innocence. I will show to you your brother's legacy and you will know the truth of why he died.”

  In the blink of an eye, Liam was across the room and Jack was on the floor. Liam's eyes were on fire as he glared down at Jack with killing rage. “The truth is that you were a greedy bastard who stole the stones you now wear and you tried to cover it up by killing Myles, the man who had your back in every war, the man who loved you like a brother.”

  “I know you will not see the truth until she is staring you in the face with your brother's eyes,” Jack said quietly, adjusting his jaw. He offered Liam his hand. “Trust me that she will come one day. For now, we are on the same side. Can we call a truce and fight together for now?”

  “You dare speak of truth to me?” Liam clenched his fists again.

  “I would not if I did not have one to offer.”

  “Why can't you tell me this 'truth' now?”

  “Because you will not believe it.”

  Liam was so quiet it scared me. He turned on his heel and marched outside, leaving Jack on the floor with his hand outstretched.

  Lexie hopped off the bed and went to Jack's side. I turned and followed Liam without thought.

  13

  I barely caught sight of him walking into a thicket behind the motel. Trailing after him, I waded through the thorny brush and followed him to a clearing.

  He sat down on a thick, fallen tree and put his head in his hands. “Why did you follow me?” he asked while I was still behind him.

  “U-um,” I stammered. “I just wanted to know if you were okay.”

  “I'm fine.” He sighed deeply.

  I came around to sit next to him, but didn't say anything.

  After a prolonged silence, he changed the subject. “What happened with Duo? It's one of the things that's been bugging me since you vanished. All I remember is getting sucked into the sand, then getting out and you were vomiting next to his dead body.”

  The thought of Duo was saddening. On the one hand, Evil Duo was a vicious assassin who killed my grandma and burned down my childhood home; but on the other, Good Duo was also a victim who was forced to watch his twin murder probably thousands of people over the years. “Would you believe me if I said there were two of them?”

  He furrowed his brow.

  “Because there were. Right at the end, his good side surfaced and begged me to kill him and put an end to his brother's evil.” I'd hacked his head off as he pleaded with me to make him stop. It had taken a lot more effort than I'd expected and I had done a poor job. It took eight tries to cleave his head from his shoulders. The poor man had had to suffer through eight swings before the pain ended.

  Liam was quiet for a second. “That almost makes sense. Over the years, there had been a few inconsistencies in reports. There was one incident in Belgium in the 1920's where he left the toddler son of a Circle enforcer alive. The boy was old enough to identify him and Octavius' orders undoubtedly were to wipe out the whole family, but the boy was spared.”

  At least Good Duo had gotten the chance to score a few wins against his brother.

  “Did your mother really die?” he asked quietly.

  “Yeah,” I murmured, casting my eyes to where my feet dangled a few inches off the ground. “She died a week after we left Newport. I found out Monday. ” Looking to him, I asked, “How did you not know? You seem to know everything sometimes.”

  Liam took a deep, tired breath. “After I got out of the water, I spent the next two days cleaning up the mess Duo left behind and moved on to another case involving the Eight. Given Giacomo's histor
y with Tresia, I knew she would be the best way to find you again, but I hadn't had any leads until you turned up out of the blue today.”

  “Oh.” I had wondered if he'd made it out of the water okay. Drowning wouldn't kill him, but a shark biting his head off would.

  “I'm sorry you lost your mother.” He finally lifted his sad eyes to meet mine. Without looking away, he laid his arm around my shoulders in a gesture I imagine he intended to be soothing. It wasn't. “I can't imagine what you're going through,” he said, but I could hardly hear him over the thudding of my heart.

  “I can't imagine losing my brother,” I responded, then sputtered. “I mean, I don't have a brother. The closest I have is Lexie. And I can't imagine losing her. Again.”

  He chuckled and looked out at the purple and yellow wildflowers that were dancing in the summer sun the fallen tree had exposed. “I've had time to accept the loss.”

  “When did he die?”

  “1811,” he answered, his eyes going dark again. “A few days before my birthday. He took my brother from me, from my family. My mum has never been the same.”

  I imagined that my mom wasn't the same after Lexie and I disappeared, either. That she died never knowing we were alive would haunt me for the rest of my life. It was salt in my gashed heart.

  “You're quiet,” Liam noted, looking at me. “It isn't your fault that you've been bonded to a murderer. He probably tricked you into it.”

  “He kissed me, actually,” I corrected him, laughing just a little. At the time, it had scared me having some random man assault me in my own shop, but now I thought it was funny. If he hadn't done it, I'd be dead and the world would be on its way to hell right now. Besides, he was such a philandering fool that there weren't any romantic intentions behind it. “He just waltzed into my shop off the street and planted one on me. It was the day before Lexie was taken.”

  Liam's eyes went even darker and I heard a crunching noise on the other side of the tree. He'd turned the wood under his hands into pulp.

  “Hey, security goes both ways. Jack kept me alive while we were in the pit,” I reminded him, putting a hand on his thigh to try to calm him. “You know how important that is.”