The Memory Thief

by Rachel Morgan

  Martin set her down as Salvia rose and rushed forward to congratulate them. “My darling, that’s wonderful! I’m so excited for you!” She hugged Meredith, then Martin, as Elle stood and moved forward with Sienna. They joined in the squealing, both threw their arms around Meredith, and then gasped appropriately as they admired the ring.

  “I know it seems quick,” Martin said, his brown eyes shining as his grin stretched wide. “We’ve only known each other a few months, and twenty-one is quite young to get married. But when you know you’ve met the right one …” He gazed adoringly into Meredith’s eyes, then kissed her. “I just didn’t want to wait any longer.”

  “Oh, it’s so exciting,” Sienna exclaimed. “A wedding! It’s going to be so much fun to plan. And I always wanted a big brother.”

  “Me too,” Elle added hastily as Salvia stared pointedly at her.

  Martin beamed at them. “Thank you, Sienna. And … Estelle? Is that right?”

  “Yes, but you can call me Elle,” she reminded him. They’d only met twice before, so she couldn’t blame him for forgetting.

  “Right, of course.” He gave her a goofy grin. “We’ll be family soon. No need to be formal.”

  Elle nodded, but didn’t trust herself to speak. If she opened her mouth again, she might accidentally tell Martin to rip that ring off Meredith’s finger and run as if an entire wolf shifter pack was after him.

  “Well, this definitely calls for some champagne,” Salvia said, her glossy lips fixed in her best fake smile. “Elle, darling, would you grab a bottle please? Choose the very best from our collection here.”

  “Yes, of course,” Elle answered, managing to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Darling? Please? Choose the very best? She knew as well as Salvia that there was only one bottle of champagne in the fridge, and that Salvia had complained repeatedly about how expensive it was.

  “Shall we sit?” Salvia said as Elle turned and made for the opposite doorway. “I want to hear all about the proposal.”

  “Yes!” Sienna said. “How did you propose?”

  Elle crossed the dining room and entered the kitchen, but Martin spoke loud enough for her to hear the details of the hot air balloon ride he and Meredith had taken from Bremmersford Park at sunset. What a waste. Meredith would have said yes if he’d taken her to a drive-through and presented the ring with a bag of fries.

  Elle returned to the lounge with a chilled champagne bottle in one hand and a tray of five champagne flutes balanced on the other. The glasses were identical except for the one that held a few drops of something extra special. A potion Salvia had mixed up earlier today. “It all sounds so romantic,” Sienna sighed, swooning back against the cushions of the wingback chair beside Salvia’s. “Don’t you think so, Elle?”

  “Yes,” Elle answered automatically, forcing her own smile back into place. She handed the bottle to Salvia and placed the tray on the coffee table before lowering herself to the couch on Martin’s other side—a seat that everyone except Martin had intentionally left open for her. “I can’t imagine a better setting for a proposal.”

  “It was the absolute best,” Meredith gushed. “I can’t wait to call all my friends and tell them.”

  Salvia held the champagne bottle up, and with a flourish of one hand and a sprinkle of magic, the cork popped free and hit the ceiling. Bubbly liquid fizzed from the top and spilled onto the carpet. Meredith and Sienna squealed and giggled some more, while Elle groaned inwardly. She’d be cleaning that up later.

  Salvia poured champagne into the five glasses and passed one to each of them. They toasted one another, and Elle watched Martin over the top of her glass as she took a sip. Would he notice the odd flavor of the potion mingling with the sweet, fizzy liquid? She almost hoped he would, though it would make no difference to the way this evening ultimately ended.

  “I can’t wait to start planning the wedding,” Meredith said, twirling a strand of glossy red hair around one finger.

  “I’m looking forward to it too,” Martin said. It appeared he hadn’t noticed anything strange about his drink.

  “There’s the engagement party to plan first,” Salvia reminded them.

  “Oh yes, of course. We can have it at Fernvale,” Meredith said, referencing their old home. “I can’t wait for you to see it,” she told Martin. “The grounds are endless, and it has the most stunning views of the Elyn River and the mountains.”

  “It sounds amazing,” Martin said. “A little bit like my family’s place back home.”

  “Oh yes, you showed me pictures.” Meredith rested her hand on his arm and added, “I hope you and I can have a beautiful home just like it one day. Somewhere we can live happily ever after.”

  “Well,” Martin said, leaning forward to set his glass down on the table. “If you want to wish for happiness, I think this might help.” He slipped a hand into his pocket and produced a bundle of black silk. He placed it on his palm, and the fabric fell away to reveal a glowing green gem the size of a walnut.

  A collective intake of breath sounded from around the room. “Stars above,” Meredith whispered. “Is that …”

  “A wish,” Martin said.

  Elle couldn’t help leaning a little closer as she stared at it. Magic swirled within the hollow center of the gem, which was what gave it that telltale glow of a wish.

  “My goodness,” Salvia murmured.

  “It’s only a first-tier wish,” Martin continued, “but—”

  “But still so valuable,” Meredith breathed as she slowly reached out to take it.

  “Yes. It was a gift from my grandmother. The ring was hers as well. I’ve never been able to decide on what to wish for, so I’ve been saving it. But now that we’re going to be married, I have everything I could possibly want. I don’t need to wish for anything else.” He squeezed Meredith’s knee and reached for his champagne. “It’s yours, my love. Wish for happiness or perfect weather on our wedding day or shooting stars on our wedding night. Something money can’t buy.”

  “I wonder if a first-tier wish can buy those things,” Sienna said softly. Elle had been wondering the same thing. A lifetime of happiness seemed like a lot to ask for. Perhaps a week or two might be possible for the amount of magic contained in a first-tier wish.

  “Well, if it doesn’t work,” Martin said with a laugh, “just try a different wish.”

  “This is incredible,” Meredith said. “Thank you so much. I’ll have to keep it somewhere safe until I decide what to wish for.” She placed it carefully on the coffee table as Martin tipped his glass back and finished off the remainder of his champagne.

  Meredith, Salvia and Sienna continued discussing party plans and wish ideas, while Martin grew quieter and sleepier. Elle would have to act before he passed out completely. Her strange ability wouldn’t work if he was asleep. He needed to be completely relaxed and unaware that there was another presence inside his mind.

  “Elle, dear,” Salvia finally said. “It looks like you can’t stop yawning. Why don’t you head up to bed?”

  That was the signal. It was time. Elle met her stepmother’s gaze, and Salvia gave her a pointed look. Elle knew what she was supposed to say now, but the words were stuck somewhere behind her lips. What if she refused this time? What if she didn’t play along? What if she let Meredith and Salvia squirm their own way out of this one without the assistance of Elle’s skills?

  “Elle,” Salvia repeated through gritted teeth, her fake smile stretching a little wider. “You’ve had a busy day.” Which was code for something along the lines of Don’t you dare disobey me now, or someone will pay the price. Elle’s eyes flicked to Sienna, and her resolve wilted at the sight of the fear in the other girl’s eyes. An echo of Sienna’s bone-chilling screams whispered through her mind. She couldn’t do that to her sister.

  “Yes, it has been a long day,” she said woodenly, glancing again at Salvia before turning to Martin. “I didn’t realize I was so tired.”

  “Me too,” he answered
, his eyes half closed. “I’m also … very sleepy.”

  “Must be all the champagne,” Meredith said, her tinkling laugh grating at Elle’s nerves.

  “I’m so sorry, but I need to get to bed.” Elle placed her hand over Martin’s. “Congratulations again. I’m so happy for the two of you.” The lie tasted bitter on her tongue.

  Martin turned a sleepy smile toward her. “Thank you.”

  She slipped effortlessly into his mind, detecting the memories at the surface with ease. There was a lot she had to remove—the past three months—and she couldn’t help wondering what other memories she’d be erasing along with the memory of Meredith Leroux and her family. What other important moments in Martin’s life would be gone from his mind forever?

  She was vaguely aware of Meredith speaking to him in a soothing voice, keeping him distracted for the few remaining moments it would take Elle to race back through his mind to that moment, just over three months ago, when he’d first met Meredith. She tumbled through his thoughts—and there it was, a brighter memory than the others around it. Meredith in a polka-dot dress, bumping into his table at Cafe Rouge and spilling her latte across his chest. How beautiful her wide green eyes were as she’d apologized repeatedly and grabbed every napkin she could find to try to blot up the mess. And then the two hours they’d spent chatting and getting to know each other while Martin’s work went untouched and he missed his morning meeting. With one mental swipe, Elle erased everything from the start of that morning up until the present moment. In an instant, the memories were gone from both Martin’s mind and her own.

  She opened her eyes, removed her hand from Martin’s, and breathed through the nausea that rose into her throat.

  “Aaaaand he’s asleep,” Meredith said, leaning away with a satisfied sigh. “Another one done.”

  In a quiet part of Willowton, a man stood in the shadows with his eyes fixed on one of the townhouses across the street. Last night, he’d watched a girl climb into the highest window of that house. He’d been waiting ever since for her to leave. Well, he hadn’t waited during the day. He’d paid someone else to keep an eye on the house then. But after sunset, he’d returned to his post.

  A repeated chirp in his pocket alerted him to an incoming call. He removed his phone, touched the screen, and held it to his ear. “Azriel?” asked the man on the other end of the call.

  “Yes.”

  “Have you caught her yet?”

  “No.”

  A pause. “Are you sure you’re in the right place?”

  Azriel’s hand clenched around the phone. “Of course. I followed her here last night.”

  “If you were close enough to see which house she entered, why didn’t you catch her before she got inside? You’re a vampire, Azriel. You’re supposed to be fast.”

  “I didn’t catch her because she didn’t enter through her front door. I reached the street just in time to see her climbing through the attic window.”

  “Are you sure she’s the right girl?”

  Azriel shut his eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to break the phone. All these questions. Couldn’t he be trusted to take care of this on his own? “I’m not yet certain,” he bit out, “but I have compelling evidence to believe it’s her.”

  “Well, she’ll have to come out at some point. Catch her when she does.”

  “That’s why I’m here,” Azriel growled.

  “And if she doesn’t come out again, then make a plan to get yourself invited inside. We need her before Tuesday.”

  “How about you do your job, and I’ll do mine,” Azriel suggested. “I’ll figure something out.” He ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket. Whatever plan he came up with, it wouldn’t involve him wasting time trying to get himself invited inside. Sure, he could go to the effort of getting contacts to hide his red eyes and fake ear tips to pretend he was fae, but even then, it was unlikely anyone would invite a stranger inside, no matter what story he gave. People weren’t stupid.

  For now, he would wait and watch a little longer. Perhaps the girl would climb out of her window. Perhaps she would leave for another meeting at a club. But as more time passed and he watched shadows moving behind the curtains, a new idea began to take shape in his mind. Perhaps it would be better if he stopped wasting his time waiting and hoping and instead made sure the girl had a reason to leave the house again soon.

  Azriel reached for his phone and checked the time as his thoughts turned back to Club Onyx. It was a little early, perhaps, but he wanted to be there when it opened so he could watch the people who entered. He would recognize the man this girl had sat with last night, if he was there again tonight. Azriel could force some information out of him.

  He was about to leave when a car stopped in front of the house he’d been watching. A stocky man stepped out, ran up the stairs, and knocked on the door. Azriel watched in curious silence as the man disappeared inside, then reappeared less than a minute later with a large shape—a body—draped over one shoulder. Azriel’s eyebrows shot up. He watched as the man carefully descended the stairs, then lowered the body into the trunk of the car.

  “How strange,” Azriel murmured as the car drove away. But as long as that body wasn’t the girl he was waiting for—and it had looked too big to be her—he wasn’t particularly interested. He had a new plan now. He stepped out of the shadows and sped away.

  “Beauty,” Meredith stated the following morning at breakfast. “That’s what I should wish for. I can be the fairest in the land.”

  Elle, walking into the dining room with a platter of croissants, cheese and fruit in her hands, caught Sienna’s eye before quickly looking away and smothering her smile. If she were able to speak her mind without fear of consequences, she would tell Meredith there probably wasn’t enough magic in even a third-tier wish to make her the fairest in the land.

  “Meredith, love,” Salvia said as Elle placed the platter in the center of the table, “that’s completely nonsensical. The wish is worth more to us if we sell it.”

  Elle stepped back to stand beside the sideboard, watching Meredith pout. “But I could be the most beautiful girl in the city. In the world!”

  “You’re beautiful enough already, darling. Increasing your beauty won’t buy us food, and clothes, and the latest home decor, and tickets to art galleries.”

  “It might,” Meredith grumbled. “If I’m so beautiful that no one can say no to me, then I can just take whatever I want.”

  Elle turned her eyes toward the ceiling as she let out a quiet sigh. She’d been forced to listen to Meredith and Salvia arguing for hours last night while she tidied everything up, and now they were at it again.

  “Elle!” Salvia said with a snap of her fingers, causing Elle to flinch. “You haven’t poured the coffee yet.”

  “Sorry,” Elle murmured, quickly lifting the antique silver coffee pot from the sideboard. She was grateful Sienna had snuck her some healing balm last night while Meredith and Salvia were arguing. Preparing and serving breakfast were much easier when she didn’t have an aching wrist or scratches on her back that pulled her skin when she bent over.

  “Fine, sell the wish,” Meredith said as Elle stood beside Salvia’s chair and poured ready-made coffee into her mug. Someone had enchanted the pot years ago so that it poured a perfect latte every time, including latte art swirling across the surface of the magically steamed milk. This morning’s pattern looked like a mermaid. “In the meantime,” Meredith continued. “I shall continue to admire the ring.” She displayed her hand and waggled her fingers. Morning light shining in through the dining room window glinted off the oversized diamond.

  Salvia exhaled sharply through her nose. “Meredith, darling, what are you still doing with that? You were supposed to leave it in my room last night.”

  “I know, but I wanted to pretend it’s mine for just a few hours.”

  “Fine,” Salvia muttered.

  Conversation ceased as Elle finished pouring coffee for Mer
edith and Sienna. “Thanks,” Sienna murmured. Elle nodded before returning to stand by the sideboard. “Martin should be waking up right about now,” Sienna added, reaching for a slice of pineapple. Gut-wrenching guilt tortured Elle’s insides at the mention of Martin’s name. She’d been trying her best not to think of him since his unconscious form had been removed from the house last night.

  “Yes, he should,” Salvia said. “With absolutely no memory of any of us.”

  “Where did you ask Branson to leave him?” Sienna asked.

  “Behind that bar that overlooks the Radley Canal.”

  “He’ll be so confused,” Sienna murmured.

  “That’s the point,” Meredith said with an eye roll.

  Elle clasped her hands tightly together as she stared at the floor, imagining Martin waking up alone and confused, a gaping hole in his memory. She hoped every con might be the last, but deep down, she knew Salvia would never stop. She couldn’t stop. Cons paid for Sienna’s schooling and the upkeep of the house, and filled their pantry with food. Salvia didn’t work. Her first husband earned himself a fortune before he died and left it all to Salvia, and the money was more than enough to keep them going after Salvia married Elle’s father. But when he died, most assets were seized to cover his debts, and Salvia was left with only the Willowton house in Vale City. Salvia and Meredith began their first con the day they moved in here. Salvia knew she couldn’t pull it off without Elle’s help, and by the end of the first week, Salvia had burned the slave charm into Elle’s skin to make sure she would never run away.

  “Anyway, we should get a lot for this ring,” Meredith continued. “This might be our most profitable con yet, don’t you think? The diamond is enormous. Whatever we get should keep us going for a while.”

  “Definitely,” Salvia said. “And Elle came close to ruining it.” Her quiet tone was more threatening than if she’d shouted. Elle knew she probably would have dealt out her favorite punishment last night if she hadn’t been so busy arguing with Meredith. Now, she leaned back and draped one leg over the other as her eyes settled on Elle. Elle’s hands clenched together behind her back. They shook with both fear—at the thought that punishment might still be on its way—and anger. She longed to launch herself across the table and tear her nails across Salvia’s glacial expression. But one glance at Sienna reminded Elle why she would never do that. “I’m sorry for hesitating last night,” she said. “I didn’t mean to. I was tired.”