Entangled Darkness

by Brandy L Rivers

  “Then why Liz?” Robert demanded.

  “Because she’s no longer directly affiliated with the Silver Council. That usually happens once you’ve become disenchanted with them and want to get away.”

  “So, her not wanting to be an enforcer makes her a bigger draw.”

  Tremaine nodded. “Yes. Don’t worry. We’ll be prepared. They can no longer track any of us.”

  “We can only deal with one problem at a time,” Liz said. “Have you warned either Hayden or Slater? They could get word out to the people who fall into their possible asset list. Like Dacia, maybe even Erik?”

  “Oh, Erik would be on their list. If he develops his death magic, he can go as far as bringing back the dead. I know he has for a limited time, but he could do it permanently.”

  “The dead? That’s not myth?” Fallon asked.

  Robert shook his head. “No, unfortunately. Though they are more zombie than person. If the necromancer is good, the dead can talk, but it’s whatever is stored in their brain, not the spirit.”

  “Got it.” Fallon visibly shuddered as she turned to change ink colors. “Erik is a cool guy. Somehow, I doubt he would misuse his gifts.”

  “He wouldn’t,” Robert told her. “I’ve known him many years, and he is a good guy.”

  “Very,” Tremaine agreed. “Still, he should be aware. And really, everyone in Edenton must be alerted. Endless resources are involved here, and HARP doesn’t only go after hybrids.”

  Fallon shook her head. “Most people know to watch out for anyone who looks suspicious. Adam even turned a stranger away for an appointment. He had a hinky feeling when he came by snooping around. And yes, he’s been in, but not with the chick. Haven’t seen her, but I’ve been home with the twins unless I have an appointment.”

  Liz smiled. “If you had the setup at your house, I’d be happy to see the twins.”

  Her eyes sparkled. “Soon. When things aren’t so crazy, Brody is planning to redecorate a room for tattoos if I ever feel like doing them there instead of coming in. But honestly, I need a little me time every once in a while without them. Not that I want to be away from them more than a few hours, but I need some adult conversation too.”

  “How are they?” Robert asked.

  “Good. Growing.” She grinned. “You’ll see them soon.”

  Liz touched her stomach. “We have our own on the way.”

  “Congrats. I’m so happy for you.” Fallon hugged Liz.

  “Rhiannon and Ryan will have a new playmate soon.” She squeezed back. “You have no idea how excited I am.”

  “I can imagine. You deserve the best. And if you need anything, let me know.”

  “We will,” Tremaine said. “Between the three of us, I think we’re covered.”

  “You never know. Just remember, I’m here.”

  “We’ll remember,” Robert promised. “Thank you for the wards and the beautiful tattoos.”

  “Anytime. Now go, so I can go back to Brody, and my babies.”

  * * * *

  Emily paced in the large room they were given. “Why is he alive?”

  Clint stepped in front of her and stared into her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

  “Draecyn. Apparently, he’s Liz’s father, only she found out the same time we were dealing with James. He also died when they were on their way to break the curse James put on me.”

  “Died?”

  “Apparently he was near death. Ms. Murdock stepped in and saved him. She was a maid my parents employed. Now I find out she’s really the leader of some damned clandestine order I’ve never even heard of. My father was too.” Emily combed her fingers through her blond hair. “What if they aren’t on the right side.”

  “What makes anyone right?” Clint whispered close to her ear.

  “I don’t know. I mean, crap.” She paced away and sat down on the bed.

  Clint sat beside her, taking her hand, waiting patiently for her to say something.

  Sighing, Emily turned toward him. “My mother was so proud of being pure mage, of my father being a pure mage. Yet, neither were. That isn’t possible because otherwise Christian wouldn’t have inherited enough of the gene to be nearly full mystic. Ms. Murdock is convinced both Robert and I carry quite a bit of the mystic genes ourselves. So, was my mother hiding her true heritage? Was it all a front? She wanted us to hate all things not mage.”

  “I don’t know, Emily. What happened to her, anyway? You never talk about your parents.”

  Emily’s face scrunched as she dropped her gaze to her lap. “My father loved all of us, including Liz. He had a big heart. I could always sense his love. Mother spent so much time on James and me and seemed to leave Robert out. Then Liz came along, and she busied herself trying to make her fit in. Liz never fit anywhere.”

  His brow arched. “That’s harsh.”

  “No, it wasn’t that. She didn’t try to fit in. She didn’t want to. Liz wanted to be left alone, by all of us. It wasn’t that she couldn’t, just that she wanted to be outside of it all. Mother was so worried about what everyone else might think. I got lost in the shuffle.”

  “I’m sure she didn’t forget.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t think she was often pleased with me. I stayed away from James as much as possible, and she was always pushing me toward him.” Emily shook her head. “She couldn’t have known what he was doing, but I couldn’t tell her either.”

  His brows drew together as he watched her.

  “What are you thinking?” she prodded.

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t do that. What are you thinking?”

  He groaned. “I’ve never known your parents. I can’t say what either of them was thinking.”

  “Sure you can.”

  Clint winced. “May piss you off.”

  She snorted. “Just tell me.”

  “If your father was part of the Branches of Emrys, what if your mother was fully aware of what she was doing, trying to have you and James create a pure mystic? Didn’t Ceridwen say your father’s brother was working with HARP?”

  She frowned, her stomach rolling in disgust. “I hope you’re not right. Luckily, there is no way to find out. I don’t want to believe my mother coerced my brother into raping me.”

  He winced. “Maybe it wasn’t that simple. What if she was urging you to spend more time with him to develop stronger feelings toward him?” A grimace flittered over his face.

  “That’s not much better, Clint.” She shot to her feet and started pacing again, pressing her hands on her stomach.

  “You need to eat. You’ve been going at these books and studying far too long today. Now you’re overthinking things that could twist your head all around. Why don’t we lay off this for a bit, and have a meal? I bet Christian could use a break, and even if he isn’t real thrilled, Delilah has to be hungry.”

  His stomach growled, pointing out that he was too.

  “Good plan.” Beats thinking about the possibility her mother had a hand in her relationship with her brother.

  * * * *

  “We should check on the old house,” Liz told Robert. “Your father may have left something worth finding.”

  “Maybe. But if they found us outside of Tremaine’s place, why not there?”

  “You can translocate us directly inside the house. If James couldn’t get in, what makes you think HARP would be able to?” Liz offered.

  Robert agreed and acknowledged with a nod.

  Tremaine took a slow breath. “What do you think we’ll be able to find?”

  “No telling. That symbol, though, I’ve seen it in Wilhelm’s office. An item of Kathryn’s had a similar one. I want to know what it was,” Liz said.

  “What symbol?” Tremaine asked.

  Liz shook her head. “Seemed almost opposite of the one in Wilhelm’s office. It was in Kathryn’s closet, in a hidden room.”

  Robert’s eyes widened. “You think she was part of another faction?”

&nbs
p; Liz appeared puzzled. “I don’t know what I think. It can’t hurt to check it out, though, can it?”

  “You don’t want to talk to Old Lady Murdock, do you?” Tremaine asked.

  “Look, if it is the opposite side, what if she’s telling us only what we need to choose her side, not the other?” Liz countered.

  “You don’t trust her?” Robert asked.

  Shaking her head, she sighed. “It’s not that. But what are the chances of her being biased?”

  “Of course, she is,” Robert stated.

  “If we’re going to choose a side in some age-old war,” Liz added, “don’t you want a little more information about the other side before we blindly jump in?”

  Tremaine groaned. “She’s got a point, but I can tell you, whoever is leading HARP has their own agenda, and they don’t give a damn about anyone else on this planet. That’s fact.”

  Liz agreed with everything the guys had said. “Okay, and I’m not saying I think you’re wrong. I’m simply saying, I’d like more information. There’s a chance we could learn something to sway us to Ms. Murdock’s side, but then again, there’s a chance we’ll find something to make us walk away from both sides.”

  Tremaine’s phone rang. He pulled it out and frowned. “I’ll be right back.”

  “So, a trip back home?” Robert smoothed his lapels. “After getting my clothes from there, and the few things I wanted, I haven’t been back.”

  Liz snorted. “Why not?”

  “Too many lonely nights without you there.” He rubbed at his neck. “A handful of guilt-filled nights trying to move on.”

  “Hey, forget those years,” Liz murmured, moving in to wrap her arms around Robert. “If you think about those, then I have to think about my nights, and I’d rather not.”

  He tried to smile. “Don’t you ever wonder who I was with? If they helped ease the pain?”

  She flinched. “I’m really good at not letting those thoughts in. Usually.”

  “I’ll admit, I wonder,” Robert whispered.

  She dropped her head to his chest and breathed deeply. “There weren’t many. I don’t remember half their names. I didn’t want to. Only one man I returned to occasionally, and you know about Clint. He didn’t want someone to stay the night.”

  Robert’s facial expression saddened. “I wanted to fill the hole you left in my heart and soul. I tried to find someone who could make me feel something real.”

  “I knew no one could replace you, Robert.”

  “I was desperate. There were a few women. One I thought might work. I felt something for her. We tried a few times, but she finally walked away when she realized I was never going to let you go. That was the last time.”

  “Gwen?” Liz asked reluctantly.

  He nodded, blinking back tears. “She wanted someone to love her the way I loved you. I couldn’t give her that.”

  “She’s happy with Mike.”

  “You aren’t jealous?” Robert asked.

  She leaned back and shook her head. “No. Are you really jealous of Clint? He never had my heart.”

  “Not anymore.” Robert kissed her softly. “I knew you had to be turning to another man for comfort.”

  She shook her head. “Never for comfort. Tremaine held me up. That wasn’t sexual, only him being what I needed.”

  Robert caressed her face, running his thumb over her cheek. “I’m glad he was there for you. Too often you shut everyone out, leaving yourself all alone. You shouldn’t do that.”

  “I don’t do it as much anymore. Between you, Tremaine, and the rest of our friends, I don’t shut everyone out. I’m letting more and more people in. Finally found my place in this world.”

  Tremaine came back and closed his hands over Liz’ shoulders as he met Robert’s gaze. “She has opened up. And you’ve let more people in, truly in, since coming back into her life.”

  “Needed you both to make me whole.” She leaned back against Tremaine and looked into his eyes. “Can we stop dwelling on the past and focus on our future?”

  Robert smiled and curled his hand around her waist. “Our future.”

  “Let’s find our answers,” she murmured.

  Protesting was tempting, but Robert saw wisdom in her plan. “You ready, Tremaine?”

  “Yeah. I need answers if we’re going to make a decision about the Branches of Emrys. We need to go in with as much information as we can gather.”

  With a sigh, Robert translocated them back to his childhood home. He stepped away and met Tremaine’s gaze. “Not now, but someday, maybe if I took you to the campground, you could tell me if I imagined that night, or it really happened.”

  Tremaine shook his head. “What does your heart say?”

  “It wasn’t a dream,” he muttered and started down the hall to his father’s office.

  “Why start there?”

  “Want to see what he had to say about the Branches of Emrys. He kept journals. I’ve seen them. Mother wasn’t always the best judge of direction. Even if she was somehow involved in HARP, she might have been misguided, especially if it was something like Draecyn and Amalie. He couldn’t tell her, and she took her cues from other places.”

  “Possible. I know she loved all of you very much,” Liz said. “I can’t believe she ever wished any of you ill. Though the lengths she’d go for something she thought of as right? I don’t even want to think about that.”

  “Don’t remind me. I often felt like she cared more for my brother and sister than me.”

  “And Emily seemed left out more often than not. But James had their mother wrapped around his little finger,” Liz admitted, shaking her head.

  Robert shuddered, the thoughts circling his head filled him with disgust. He thought it better to ignore them, if possible.

  Chapter 32

  Liz knew what they’d find in Wilhelm’s things. Another “Branches of Emrys is great” spiel. She wanted something to counter it. Not to dissuade her from believing Ms. Murdock or her father. No, she was pretty sure they were on the right side of the issues. She wanted to see the bigger picture.

  Liz had always had a problem accepting fate at face value because there was always another side to the story. Especially with a child growing inside her, she wanted to know what she and her friends were signing up for if they chose to go along with the Branches of Emrys.

  Of course, she dreaded what she’d find in Kathryn’s things. The woman had never made much sense to her. Kathryn must have known how Liz and Robert felt about each other. Never stopped her from trying to set Liz up with any other person. And Robert, she was constantly thrusting one pretty mage after another at him, hoping he’d take an interest in a proper, thoroughbred mage.

  Liz snorted as they reached the desk. Robert took a steady breath and slid the antique leather desk mat from the surface. The wood appeared to be recently polished even though no one had been in the home for months.

  Robert trailed a finger over the emblem etched into the dark cherry. “I always wondered what this meant.”

  “Eerie,” Liz whispered.

  Robert smiled over at her. “What?”

  “No dust.”

  Amusement danced in his eyes. “A spell Ms. Murdock taught me when she first came. Keeps dust away. Should affect nearly everything in the house.”

  Tremaine shook his head with a laugh. “Figures she’d teach you something to give her less work. And something I’ve never heard of. Wonder if it’s a mystic thing.”

  Robert shrugged. “Not sure. I know I’ve never come across a similar spell.” He ran his fingers over the symbols, then moved around the desk to sit in his father’s chair.

  Liz couldn’t help smiling. “You look a lot like your father. I don’t think I ever realized it before.”

  He rolled his eyes.

  “She’s right.” Tremaine nodded at the desk. “Now, do you notice anything else you haven’t seen before?”

  Robert traced some of the patterns in the emblem, his eyes unfocus
ed. “I sense something I can’t quite reach.”

  Tremaine raked his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Try letting go of all other thoughts and focus on the symbol.”

  Shaking out his hands and tipping his head side to side, Robert settled into the chair and relaxed. The emblem began to glow when he placed his hands a few inches above the carving.

  Liz looked at Tremaine. One corner of his mouth tipped up as he watched. He squeezed her hand.

  Sinking, that’s what she felt. Maybe it was fear. So many events could affect their balance. She was starting to wonder if realizing he wasn’t full mage would shift his perspective of him, their baby, or any number of things.

  Tremaine shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he leaned down. “You wanted answers. Don’t fear them. Robert won’t turn you away, no matter what he finds.”

  Managing a smile, she understood. Her biggest concern involved not wanting him to lose faith in his beliefs. He was making a positive change in the Silver Council.

  The seal split into pieces, floating up at different heights, spinning to create a small whirlwind above the desk before settling back down, rearranged to form a lid.

  Robert’s brow arched when he glanced from Liz to the Tremaine. “How?”

  Tremaine shrugged. “Open it.”

  Obliging, Robert pulled the small door open and found a journal. Gingerly, he lifted it from the resting place and closed the lid. “I suppose I have something to read now.”

  “Maybe I should check my house more carefully. Or maybe my father’s.” Tremaine let out a nervous laugh. “They both used to tell me how special I was. I never believed either of them.”

  “They found us there. Is the house warded similarly?” Liz asked.

  Robert answered in his most serious tone, “It is. They won’t find us inside. We just can’t make the trek to the grove until after we find a way to finish off HARP.”

  “Think we ever will?” Liz wondered.