by Janeal Falor
“Your spell told you that?”
“Yes. It checks not only for people, but for hexes that may have been left behind.”
“What was the crash? It didn’t sound safe.”
He winces. “A hex that was left. I disabled it.”
Xyer and Lukas start for the house, and I trail after them.
“Disabled it? What do you mean? And what type of hex was it? And how can someone leave a hex behind?”
Xyer cuts away from us, going around to the back while I follow Lukas to the door. He pushes the door all the way open but doesn’t go inside. “You sure ask a lot of questions for a Chardonian girl.”
I bristle. “I’m not just a Chardonian girl. I’m a warlock now.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean that as a bad thing. It’s a good thing. A real good thing.” The intensity of his gaze not only holds truth, but something warming.
“Sorry, it’s been a tense twenty-four hours, and I’m tired, hungry, and not in the mood to have people trying to attack me.”
“No, I’m sorry. Let’s not be tired, hungry and attacked again.”
“Agreed.”
Together, we head into the house. It’s just as he says. No one comes out and attacks us, and no spells go off. There is a big mess in the sitting room. Couches are turned over, stuffing pulled out, chairs broken, and windows shattered.
Xyer meets us in the hall. “Looks clear for now. I’m going to secure outside and stand watch there while I send a note to Zade.”
Before he goes, I say, “Thank you.”
“Just doing my duty.”
Once he’s gone, we move back to the sitting room, and Lukas says, “This should be fun to clean. With the risks going on, I can’t waste my energy on spelling it.”
“Let’s save it for later. I’m too tired and hungry to clean now.” I yawn, emphasizing my point, too tired to even note his sarcasm. “Is there someone we can report this to?”
He gives me a look.
The look has a point, except it feels like there should be something done. A course of action that would fit the situation. “What do warlocks usually do if their house is broken into? You can’t tell me nothing would be done.”
“Sure, if it was a regular warlock, they’d call in a law officer, but for you? It’s the worst thing we could do. They’d be more likely to blame you for it. Disqualify you from the tournament at best. At worst, well, being tarnished would be the least of your worries.”
“The least? What more could they do?”
“Imprison or kill you.”
Nothing ever turns out the way I think it should. “So even though I’m a warlock, I still have no rights.”
He gives a little frown. “I thought you understood that already.”
“I do. Really I do. It’s just—” I growl. “This is ridiculous. I simply want to be like a warlock in more than just name alone.”
“It’s ugly,” he says, pulling a chair up off the floor. “But we’ll get there. It’s just not going to be easy or fast.”
I collapse on the chair. “I know.”
He kneels in front of me and takes my hand. “After what I saw last night, you’re the bravest woman I know. You can do this. You competing in the tournament is going to cause trouble, but you’ll also be able to open the eyes of many Chardonians as to what a woman can really do. It will be a start.”
His touch is reassuring. And makes me feel a little guilty for complaining in the first place. “I’m sorry. It’s just harder than I expected it to be.”
“It’s all right.”
For a moment, it’s silent. I should say something, but I don’t know what. Perhaps I should at least take my hand away from his, but I don’t want to. Except I really am hungry and tired.
“Perhaps we should eat and rest.”
“Wise plan.” He stands, our hands dangling apart. “And we have to figure out a way to protect you in the meantime.”
“I thought you already were protecting me.”
“They’re upping the threat. We have to up your protections.”
Does that mean I’m going to see more of him? More than just for a little training? I like that idea. I don’t like the idea of being under a warlock’s protection all the time, though. It’s what I just escaped from. If I was strong enough to protect myself, this wouldn’t be a problem.
“Is this house safe to stay in, or should I relocate?”
He shrugs. “Maybe. I’ll talk to Zade. We’ll keep a closer watch on things for now. I’m worried. No matter if we stay here or move, they’ll still attack. For now, I think we’d better stay here where we have defensive spells in place and increase them. Xyer’s probably already started on some of it.”
“If you teach me, I’ll help with them.”
“Deal.”
“First, I’m going to make something to eat,” I say.
“Need help?”
“I can manage. Thank you.”
“I’ll talk to Xyer, see what he thinks we should do, then. Holler when it’s ready?” His tone is sincere and nice. Not at all demanding.
“Certainly.”
As I sleepwalk to the kitchen, it’s difficult not to think on how close the attempt was to succeeding, and how close things will likely continue to be. Close enough it may never matter what spells I learn for the tournament.
Chapter Sixteen
It’s only been two days, but naturally, Zade is already here, responding to the message Xyer sent about the current situation. The way he’s been silently storming about for the last few minutes proves nothing good is about to come. Even though I’m the one keeping my distance from my sisters, I still wish Serena had joined him. I miss them. And they would have helped to buffer his temper.
“I don’t know why I helped with this insane plan. Why did you have to sign up?” Zade says, his words as hard as the look on his face.
It’s difficult to remember any rational reason I had when he’s baring down on me like this. I shrug.
“That’s it? You don’t even know more than enough to shrug at me?” Zade says. “Are you insane? Do you know how many people are going to try to kill you now? That already have?” He turns on Lukas. “And you! Why did you have to insist on me helping? Why did you help her with this nonsense? You want her dead?”
“This isn’t his fault,” I say, anger rising to match his.
“It’s fine,” Lukas says to me, much calmer than either Zade or I. To Zade, he says, “You know I don’t want her dead, but she’s doesn’t belong to anyone. She has the power to choose. We both agreed on that when you helped secure the letters for her. I won’t even attempt to take that away.”
“At the expense of her life?” Zade rubs the back of his neck. “Serena is going to kill me.”
“That’s what this is really about?” I say. “Serena being upset? I love my sister, but she is no longer my owner.”
“It’s not like that,” Zade says.
That he’s practically my brother-in-law and was the one to give Serena her freedom, but is still treating me this way, burns a white-hot rage deep inside. I don’t hide it. I let its flames crackle my words. “Clearly it is.”
Zade’s jaw tightens.
“She’s right,” Lukas says. “If this were any other woman whose sister you weren’t courting, you’d do everything you could to help, not hinder. It’s why you helped before. Why you know this is right. It’s what you’re here for.”
“I don’t want to be here,” Zade yells. “I want to take Serena and her family out of this stupid country. I want the woman I love protected. I want her family, and mine, safe. Instead I’m stuck here with people who make everything worse.”
He stomps out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
His anger, more righteous and founded than mine, is like splashing icy water on my own. And now I feel worse, guilt mangling my insides. I can’t take back my entry into the tournament. Not that I want to, yet it feels like I’m ruining the good Zade has done.
Made things so much worse.
“He really loves her. He's worried about her and your entire family,” Lukas says.
Thinking on Zade’s words before he stormed off, I say, “Perhaps more than I originally suspected.”
Lukas takes off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose. If I wore glasses, I think I might do the same.
The silence that follows leaves me time to think more on not just what Zade said, but the implications. “Even if Zade is supposed to be here to help, I don’t think it’s going well. For anyone. Look at him now. He’s been here fighting longer, almost a year. He knows how hard and futile it all is. How can we beat a system so overwhelming that even the best get pulled under by its weight?”
He reaches up and lightly brushes my cheek. “We share the weight.”
My breath catches.
The front door creaks open. Lukas and I jump apart as it closes. His glasses skitter onto the floor with the movement. Zade walks in as Lukas crouches to the floor, hand fumbling for his spectacles.
“What are you doing?” Zade says.
“Dropped my glasses.” Lukas’s expression is so calm and innocent, like his glasses really just accidentally fell, leaving me wondering whether or not he felt anything that I just felt. Perhaps he only wants to help, and I’m conjuring the other feelings all on my own. I sink onto the couch as Lukas finally finds his glasses, and Zade slumps into the chair across from me.
“I’m sorry,” Zade says. “I shouldn’t take my temper out on you both. I just had to keep everything so tightly hidden when I got here, and now you both know just about everything going on. It was hard to keep it in place like I should.”
“It’s fine,” I say. “I shouldn’t have become so angry either.”
“No, it’s not. Mom would tan my hide if she knew I treated you both like that.”
“I like your mom already,” Lukas says.
Zade smiles, but there’s no real warmth, and it quickly fades. “Cynthia, are you sure you want to risk your life, not only by being in the tournament itself, but dealing with more incidents like the one two nights ago?”
It’s almost tempting to step down. “I know it puts pressure on you and my sisters. I know that’s exactly what I was trying to avoid. I don’t want to make things worse. But, Zade, I can’t withdraw. I need to be there. People need to see what I can do. Women need this. I need this.”
His shoulders sag. “I know you do. I know. It’s just…”
“It’s a lot of pressure.”
“For us all.”
The silence that follows is heavy, fraught with hexes and threats to come.
Lukas finally breaks the silence, his words loud and strong. “I’ll be here. I already told her I’ll teach her whatever will help keep her alive. And I’ll do whatever I can to protect her.”
His words light through me, both warm and cold. A flame of emotions I don’t know what to do with.
“I’m grateful for your help. Xyer has pledged his help as well,” Zade says. “But as we’ve already seen, we’ll need more protection. We should move into Thomas’s house.”
Fantastic. Just fantastic. That place holds only memories of me trying to convince Serena she was doing the right thing when she should have been running from it all. At least things changed after Thomas died. “How soon?”
“Today, if possible. I’m sending a few more men there as soon as they can come over from Envado. Lukas, if you have anyone from Chryos you trust that could help, I’d recommend getting them, too. We have seven warlocks protecting Serena’s house, and it’s kept them safe. The girls don’t even know there have been threats on their lives yet. I’d suggest trying to do something similar here.”
“Is it really necessary to have so many lives devoted to keeping me safe?” Both look at me like I’ve gone crazy. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, it’s just that it feels silly, and honestly, I’m guilty. Seven warlocks watching over just little old me. I don’t want to be a problem.”
“We’re trying to keep you safe so you can be the solution to the problem,” Lukas says.
Can I really be a solution to the problem? The thought stuns me silent.
“More warlocks are arriving from Chryos soon,” Lukas continues. “Some won’t be any use, but a few I trust to help keep her safe. I just don’t know how much I trust some with getting close to the situation.”
“More hands would help. We’ll have to keep them busy and paired with those we trust more.”
“I think we can manage that.”
And I’ll have to manage doing nothing while they all protect my life. The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
Chapter Seventeen
True to his word, Zade helps me move to Thomas’s old house. It’s big, cold, and empty. I take the same room as before because I know where it is, and want to spend less time bothering them while I try to find something else, but I hope nothing haunts me while here.
Lukas and several other guards set up rooms in various other places spread through the house. Zade also sets up a temporary room but warns us that he doesn’t know how much he’ll be around, quickly proving his point by leaving immediately after. Other warlocks should be coming soon, filling the house a little more. It’s difficult to think this was all because of me.
Part way through bringing supplies in from the wagon, a rider pulls up. After he swings down from his horse, Lukas greets him with a firm handshake. “Conrad, you made it.”
“The border guards gave me some guff, but otherwise, it was just all the hours in the saddle that took so long.”
I want to tell him to come in and recover from his journey, but I haven’t been introduced. And I don’t really know who he is except that since his skin is a few shades darker than Lukas’s. I assume he’s likely from Chryos. He doesn’t have glasses, though, and is slightly shorter and built thicker. His eyes are a piercing hazel that seem to see right through me.
“Glad you didn’t have more problems. How are Arthur and Emma? They always claim everything is fine.”
“Just like them,” Conrad says. “Emma is bossing around everyone who comes anywhere near her and stuffing them full of her good cooking to make up for it, as usual. Arthur, though, I think he misses having you around.”
Lukas’s lips turn downward slightly. “He still plans on coming?”
“Doubt the crazed Grand Chancellor himself could keep him away.”
No matter what’s expected of me, there’s no keeping silent after that. “We should take this discussion inside.”
“Sorry, miss. I forget what things are like here.” His tone is so sincere, it makes me wonder what it'd be like to live in the world he does.
As we walk toward the front doors carrying the last of the supplies with us, Lukas says, “Cynthia, this is a friend from Chryos, Conrad Wilkins. He’s going to be helping us through the tournament.”
“That’s right. I was just coming to watch, but when Lukas told me what you needed, I was happy to do something more useful.”
“I appreciate it.”
The men continue chatting as I let them continue on ahead. One more person whose safety is in question because of me. Yet, it also means one more person who believes in what I’m trying to do enough to protect me with their life. I hope I can live up to the challenge.
***
A few hours after Zade leaves, a knock sounds on the door. Despite the protections on the house, the fact that Lukas is outside with a several other warlocks, including Lukas's friend from Chryos, Conrad, and my own growing knowledge of magic, my hands go icy. It’s difficult to pretend the uncertainty of who’s there doesn’t bother me like an unwanted spell. At least years of practice pretending have been good for something.
When I get to the door, I do the spell Lukas taught me yesterday. I focus on being able to see beyond the door and release the spell. The transparent white light squirms its way to the door and washes over it, making the door transparent for me, but not for whoev
er’s on the other side, showing them through a shine of white. Perfect spell for watching for trouble, but this time it’s not trouble. Waverly!
I release the spell and throw the door open with a squeal. “What are you doing here?”
Her smile lights up the lonely places my sisters haven’t been able to fill for the last week. “I’m here to help, of course. You didn’t think Serena would leave you all alone to deal with this, did you? And even if she hadn’t sent me, I would have come anyway.”
I squeal again. “I’ve never been so glad to see someone. Come in, come in!”
It’s then I realize she has a trunk on the ground beside her.
She says, “I hope you don’t mind if I stay with you a while.”
“Are you teasing me? There’s no one but overly serious warlocks in this place. I need you here.”
We take her things inside and quickly get chatting about how things are back home. Oh, how I miss playing with my girls! I wish I could sneak away to see them, but the need to protect them is stronger than my desire.
“I heard you’ve entered the tournament.” Waverly says.
I keep my expression neutral and keep a close eye on hers. “Zade tell you?”
“I wrestled it out of him.” She winks. “Finally made sense why he’s been so uptight lately.”
“Did he tell Serena?”
“No, and he made me promise not to tell either, but I’m not holding that same promise to you. You need to let her know what’s going on.”
Do I ever. It’s just the last thing I want to do. “I can’t write her something like that. She still doesn’t have a clue that women can even do magic. Will she even believe me if I tell her? I have to talk to her in person.”
“There are no plans for her to come here. She’s keeping away at your request, and Zade’s insistence. Any thoughts on going to see her?”
I want to. Oh, how I want to. “I can’t put them at risk like that.”
“Then you have to write her.”
I shake my head as I lead her to a room close to mine. “She’ll never believe me.”
