KIngdom of Embers (Kingdom Journals Book 1)

by Tricia Copeland

  We made our way to the computers. I was glad he seemed as intrigued about our connection as me. It would be easier to work with a willing partner than to try and investigate him from afar. I wondered if I should get his dad’s name and do some digging. What if his mom was a witch and didn’t know it or didn’t tell Hunter? I’d have to meet her to rule it out.

  Typing in 1999 and spiritual significance, the search produced several texts. I wrote them down and keyed in hallucinations, noting the interesting books. Next, I searched for psychic connection. I wondered if Fahim would have helpful books in his collection and how I might ask.

  “You done?” Hunter asked.

  “Yep.” I hiked my bag to one shoulder.

  “Okay, I’m going to find these, and I’ll meet you back here?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  As I spun, he caught my hand. “Hey, give me your number, in case we lose each other.”

  I typed in his number and sent him a text. Seeing a message from Nick, I guessed I should respond before too much time passed. As I walked to the spirituality section, I read the text Nick had written.

  HI. HAD FUN DANCING AND TALKING FRIDAY NIGHT. WOULD LOVE TO HANG OUT SOME TIME. LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE FREE.

  SORRY, JUST SAW THIS. STUDYING AT THE LIBRARY NOW. DINNER WITH MY FAMILY LATER. HOMEWORK AFTER THAT. MAYBE ANOTHER TIME? I sent.

  He replied within seconds. WE COULD STUDY TOGETHER.

  MY MOM’S KIND OF STRICT. I DON’T WANT YOU TO THINK I DON’T LIKE YOU. STUDY HALL TOMORROW?

  SURE, came his reply. I sighed, thinking the relationship was doomed from the start unless Mother started relaxing her rules. What would it hurt to have a boy over? Sophie came over. We limited human time in our house to keep guests safe. Mother always insisted we never knew when there might be an incident. It seemed overly cautious to me since we’d never had anything happen at our home.

  Loading my arms with books, I took the stairs back to the first level. After we’d checked out our books, I hesitated at the exit. I couldn’t be seen with Hunter, and Orm had a habit of showing up in random places.

  “So, when will I see you again? Do you want to split up the books and go through them?” Hunter asked.

  “I can’t take these books home. My mom would freak.”

  “Okay, load me up.” He set his pack on the ground. “We should plan a study session.”

  “What time do you have lunch? Can you meet me here tomorrow at eleven forty?”

  “Yeah. I can do that.”

  “Good. I have cheerleading and gymnastics after school, so my schedule is tight.”

  “Okay, I’ll text you to confirm.”

  He walked to the door and held it open.

  “I’m going to use the ladies room before I head out.” I pointed towards the restroom.

  “Oh. Gotcha. See you tomorrow.”

  “Okay.” I spun and walked down the hall.

  Giving him a few minutes, I used the restroom and then washed and dried my hands. When I exited the building, I found Orm’s truck parked beside the curb.

  I slipped into the passenger’s seat. “You’re early, I was about to text you.”

  “Your mother has a dinner guest. She didn’t want you too tired.”

  “A witch?”

  “Yes, a powerful witch. The vice chancellor. And he knew your father.”

  The word father had my insides turning out. “But he doesn’t know about me, right?”

  “Of course not. He knows Anne has a daughter, that is all. But you will need to be on high alert. You have a strong resemblance to your father.”

  I leaned my head against the glass. The dinners were tedious as it was, but having to think about the absence of my father made it worse. “Why didn’t Mother tell me?”

  “You know she doesn’t like to talk about your father.”

  “Did she really love him?” I asked the question I’d be too scared to voice before.

  “In her own way.” Orm glanced at me.

  “And he disappeared? Poof?”

  “Do we have to go through this every time, madam? Accept your position.”

  “I feel like a half person.” I slumped in my seat.

  “When you are eighteen, you will belong to my family. Is it not enough to have two families?”

  “Yes, Orm. You know I don’t mean you aren’t wonderful.”

  We reached the building, and he curved around the garage to our spot. Riding the elevator in silence, Orm pushed the button to lock the elevator as it reached our floor. “I saw the human come out of the library.”

  “What human? There are a lot of them everywhere.” I looked straight into his eyes.

  “The one your mother thought might be of interest.”

  “Really? Well, I guess he goes to the library a lot.”

  “You didn’t talk to him did you?” Orm asked.

  “No, I was on the top floor.”

  “Why do I smell coffee on you?”

  “I went to the coffee shop. It was only a block away.” I made bug eyes at him. “What? Didn’t see that with your locator spell?” I put my hand to my hip. “What does it matter? He’s human.”

  “Are you sure?” he pressed.

  “You saw him, Mother saw him, and I saw him. Did you get anything?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, nothing to worry about then.”

  He removed his hand from the hold button and backed to the center of the space. The doors opened, and I marched into our condo.

  Elizabeth appeared in front of me. “Miss Alena.”

  I zoomed past her to my room but didn’t get the door closed before she inserted her foot in the doorway. Elizabeth was the last person I wanted to talk to about house guests or suggested attire.

  “I know what to wear. Orm updated me. Let me be.”

  Orm loped down the hall to us. “Elizabeth, leave her alone. She doesn’t need a hovering vampire right now.”

  No, I needed a hot shower and a vat of Orm’s calming oils. Between Fahim, Hunter, and a guest who knew my father, I swam in insecurities.

  Dressed in a black lace-covered gown, I walked slowly to the receiving room.

  “Alena, you look beautiful.” Mother’s voice lilted through the air. “Come meet our guest.”

  Orm and the gentleman stood as I approached. “Good evening.” I bowed my head. “Please excuse my tardiness. My schoolwork takes much of my time.”

  “Alena, this is Marcus.” Mother stood to introduce us.

  “Nice to meet you.” I shook his extended hand. “Shall we sit?”

  As I took a seat beside Mother, Elizabeth entered with a tray of champagne flutes.

  “Ah, this is so nice. Thank you, Elizabeth.” Mother took a glass from the tray. “Let us toast our guest.” When we’d all received our drinks, Mother proceeded. “To allies and friends.” She took a sip of the Champagne, and I followed suit, wanting to down the whole glass and sleep for a decade.

  Marcus tipped his glass at Mother. “I have to say, Anne, you practice what you preach. After seeing your home and meeting your family, I am impressed.”

  “Orm, Elizabeth, and I have been together many years. We were all orphans.”

  “And Alena? She is half vampire? What of her father?”

  “You know us vampires, especially women.” Mother batted her eyes at Marcus. “We can be, how shall I say, beguiling.”

  “So you can. Do you know who she reminds me of? Alec.”

  I held my gaze on Mother, waiting for a reaction, some clue that would tip me off.

  “Alec. I haven’t thought of him in years. I guess her hair has some red in it. He did have huge blue eyes, didn’t he? When did he last attend the conclaves? In the forties?”

  “I believe so. What other comrades can I remember from those meetings? Oh yes, Aidan, Thomas, Alex, and of course Thanatos.”

  “Yes, I am sorry Thanatos could not join us.”

  “He travels much. But we are boring your daughter.”
Marcus swiveled to face me. “Tell me about your schooling. Do you plan to attend college?”

  When I named my school, his eyes widened. “She attends human public school?”

  “She is only a halfling. We see to her vampire instruction at home. This way she assimilates into human society with ease.

  “Well, now I am even more fascinated.”

  “I mix oils to calm her nerves. But she rarely needs them now. Her preschool and puberty years were the most intense periods,” Orm offered.

  I thought of the time I’d pounced on a bully at school. He so deserved to die. But he sustained just a few scratches on his arms and chest.

  “This is very interesting.”

  Mother directed the conversation away from me, asking about his family. “Oh, my, I can hardly name them all. I am a grandfather many generations over. I am getting on in years, and my wife and I are happy to see our children and grandchildren have their own children.”

  Only the most astute ears, like mine and Elizabeth’s, would have caught the thud of Mother’s heart. But her face remained unaltered. Marcus had the family her father lost, that she lost. “That is wonderful. I am so happy for you.”

  Elizabeth stood. “We should eat. You may retire to the dining room, and I will bring the dishes.”

  “Thank you.” Mother walked towards the candlelit room, and the rest of us followed.

  The dinner conversation bored me, and I fought heavy eyes. They talked human politics, vampire politics, and witch politics until dessert, when Marcus’s attention turned back to me.

  “I am sorry we haven’t included you. What are your interests for college?”

  “I like California. I’d like to go to Stanford.”

  Mother laughed. “We vampires are so predictable. Always wanting to be in the sun.”

  “I guess you are.” He chuckled.

  I batted my eyes, fighting full out rolling them. “I’m interested in many different subjects, so I don’t know what I will major in.”

  “Of course she will go to law school,” Mother interjected.

  Law school? Where had that come from? Even with her bombshell, I smiled at Mother. “I have homework to finish. May I be excused?”

  “Yes, dear. Elizabeth will save your dessert for you.”

  “Thank you.” I rose and bowed my head to Marcus. “It was nice to meet you.”

  “And you as well, Alena.”

  “Thank you.”

  Slipping from the dining room, I made my way to Orm’s study. Going straight to The Conclave Chronicle’s volumes, I opened the large journal to the nineteen forties’ entries.

  “You are so predictable.” Orm’s voice came from the doorway. “You won’t find pictures in those. It doesn’t matter. Neither Alec nor Aidan nor Alex was your father, they are too careful.

  “Fine.” I stuffed the text back in its space.

  “Let your life be enough for now. You are young, so enjoy it. Your mother has built a wonderful kingdom where you can be safe and flourish. You will see your children have children and theirs after them.”

  “And what of Mother? What will happen when I am exposed? Even if they let me exist.” I flung my hand up for effect. “They will strip her of her power.”

  “Your mother knows what she is doing. You must trust her. She will be with you for at least four hundred more years.”

  “That is if our theory on my existence is right.”

  “Being half vampire gets you to one hundred twenty. With your strength as a half-witch, I would bet you will live as long as a full witch.”

  “And what of you? You are older. You’re the only father I have known.”

  “Whatever will be will be. But you will have your mother and your family. It will be more than enough.”

  A tear sprang to my eye.

  Orm squeezed my arm. “Be careful, child. The witch side of you is showing.”

  “Yes.” I jutted my chin out high. “I should get to my work.”

  I hoped to find a spirituality text, but it would have to wait for another time. Unlike us vampire people, Orm slept heavily, and night tended to be a good time to browse his book collection.

  In my room, I used my magic to turn on the light and took my backpack to my desk. Pulling out the phone, I found messages from Sophie, Nick, and Hunter.

  Hunter said he skimmed the books, but nothing explained our experience. He’d found a story of Longinus and a spiritualist prophecy of how 1999 was a year of welcoming change for enslaved people. WHATEVER THAT MEANS. He ended his text.

  I wished I could get to a public computer. It wouldn’t do to have the searches in my browser history. Perhaps I’d have to do some research on erasing browser history too.

  THANKS FOR DOING THAT. SORRY I COULDN’T HELP. WE WERE BORN IN 1999. BUT IT’S NOT 1999 ANYMORE, I sent.

  MAYBE WE CAN SEARCH THE WEB TOMORROW.

  SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. SEE YOU AT 11:40, I sent back.

  IT WAS GOOD TO MEET YOU TODAY.

  REALLY? I WAS THINKING YOU PROBABLY WISHED YOU HADN’T.

  I WOULD HAVE WONDERED WHERE I KNEW YOU FROM FOR A WHILE. YOU HAVE AN UNFORGETTABLE FACE.

  My heart skipped a beat as I read his message. I’M GLAD I STALKED YOU THEN. I HAD FUN HANGING OUT.

  ME TOO. GOOD NIGHT.

  GOOD NIGHT. Hesitating over my screen, I added a smiley face.

  Next, I read Sophie’s text. She’d written a long message about her weekend, and I replied with an abbreviated version of mine.

  Feeling guilty for texting Hunter, I opened Nick’s message. I assured myself I hadn’t done anything wrong. Hunter and I were just hanging out, and he could be my brother for all I knew. Picturing his blue eyes and full lips, I pushed the thought out of my head. Nothing good could come of a man siring two witch children, possibly three, and having them born on the same day. Scenarios like that were orchestrated by evil wizards in fairy stories. I was not created for some evil mastermind plan, and neither was Hunter. In whatever scenario that might unfold, we would be the good guys.

  I remembered Nick’s face and read his text. HEY, DID YOU FINISH THE CALCULUS HOMEWORK? HIT A ROAD BLOCK. THOUGHT WE COULD WALK THOUGH IT TOGETHER. CALL ME.

  My finger hesitated over his number on the screen. I hadn’t ever called a boy before. It was for school. We were doing homework. Mother wouldn’t mind that. I tapped the screen to dial his number before I chickened out.

  “Hi, Alena. I’m glad you called,” he answered.

  “Hi. Yeah. No problem. I need to get out my calculus book. I’m going to put you on speaker.”

  “Cool.”

  I unzipped my bag and pulled the text and my workbook out. “Okay which one.”

  He indicated where he’d stopped, and we started working through the problem. Before I knew it, Mother whooshed to my side. “Who are you talking to?”

  I hit the mute button on my phone. “My friend from school.”

  “A boy?”

  “Yes, Nick.” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. “We are working on math.” I held my worksheet in front of her face.

  “Schoolwork only. No socializing.” She wagged her finger at me. “I am allowing you more freedom. That doesn’t mean you can have a boyfriend. Especially not a human one.”

  No, not a human one, a half witch, half vampire one that doesn’t exist, I wanted to scream at her. I took a deep breath. “Sorry I interrupted your dinner party. Is it okay if we work through these problems?” I held up my textbook.”

  “Yes. Keep it to calculus though.”

  “We have physics together too.”

  “Can’t he get another study partner?”

  “I’m pretty though.” As soon as the words escaped my lips I regretted them.

  “Absolutely no video chatting young lady.” She towered over me.

  “I’m sorry that just came out. It was stupid. He is nice, Mom.”

  Her expression softened. “Okay dear, as long as we are clear on the rules.”

  I b
lew my breath up over my forehead through the hair falling into my face. “Right, no holding hands, no kissing, no long slow dances, no boyfriend. Got it.”

  “I love you.” She kissed my forehead.

  “Bye, Mom.”

  “And stop calling me that,” she called as she zipped out.

  “I’m practicing my teenager lingo.” I pushed the mute button. “Sorry, Nick.”

  “Was starting to wonder if you were coming back.”

  “I told you my mom is kinda strict.”

  “Yeah, got it.”

  I sighed, realizing I shouldn’t have even gone to the party, danced, or talked with him. Until I was eighteen, I had no freedom. Wondering if Mother would even let me live in a dorm like a normal student, I worked through the rest of the problems with Nick. As expected, he wanted to go over physics, and we talked through the assignment. He interspersed some jokes and questions but mostly stayed on task.

  “I’ve never studied with a girl before. Like really studied. Thanks for making homework fun.”

  “I liked it too. It would’ve taken me twice as long alone,” I lied to him. I did enjoy the company, even if I could have finished the work in a tenth of the time.

  “What are you doing now?”

  I glanced at the time on my screen. “Going to sleep.”

  “Yeah, me too. Okay. See you in class tomorrow.”

  “Okay, bye.” I ended the call as soon as I heard his goodbye.

  Feeling antsy, I stretched out. Washing my face and brushing my hair and teeth didn’t help me wind down. I retrieved my swimsuit and put it on, covering it with workout pants and a jacket. Before heading down to the pool, I checked in with Elizabeth.

  “I’m going swimming.”

  “It’s late, dear, you shouldn’t go down alone. I need to stay here. I’ll call Will to escort you.”

  “Really?” I put my hand to my hip.

  “Yes, really, young lady. And you best not complain to me. It’s been a long day, and I’m tired.”

  “Sorry.”

  I waited in the foyer until Will appeared. “Madam.” He bowed his head as he approached.

  “Hi, Will, thank you.”

  “No problem, ma’am.”

  “Don’t madam and ma’am me. I’m not my mother,” I scolded him as we entered the hall.